# Two Dry Cured Ham Projects



## wittdog (Nov 2, 2008)

We picked up a couple of hams today to try a dry cured ham project…One ham will be made into prociuttio its basically covered in salt and cure then left in the fridge for a few weeks…once cured its hung to dry….The other ham is a molasses and rum dry cure…this ham will then be cold smoked in the smokehouse…and then hung to dry as well…I’m already wishing I would have done two of the molasses and rum hams…the mix smells great.
This is the procuittio






This one is more of a traditional Virginia dry cured smoked ham the recipe calls for salt,brown sugar, blackstrap molases, cure, rum, ginger, juniper berries and a few other things...


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## Griff (Nov 2, 2008)

How long do you figure they need to hang?


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## wittdog (Nov 2, 2008)

We are talking months...the smoked one calls for at least 7 weeks of hanging the other calls for 4-6 months or up to a year


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## Rag1 (Nov 2, 2008)

Should of started a year ago.


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## Puff1 (Nov 2, 2008)

I was thinking of cooking a fresh ham in my little smokehouse this year. 
But I want to eat it before July.  
Witt don't you smoke a fresh ham every year that takes about 30 hrs. or something?
Looking forward to the results on your project.


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## Griff (Nov 2, 2008)

wittdog said:
			
		

> We are talking months...the smoked one calls for at least 7 weeks of hanging the other calls for 4-6 months or up to a year



Well. it's a good thing you're still a young man.


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## Nick Prochilo (Nov 2, 2008)

Griff said:
			
		

> wittdog said:
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Yeah Griff, I hear ya.......I might be dead before it's finished and then look who would get to enjoy it!


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## wittdog (Nov 3, 2008)

Yes Puff a fresh ham that is brined (takes about a week to cure in a wet brine) takes about 30 hrs to do in a smokehouse.  It results in a cooked ham like you would get in the deli section. This project I’m doing is a dry cured project where the ham is not cooked but safe to eat afterwards.
	Other then tying up my meat/beer fridge for 3 weeks with the cure there is very little work involved in this project…its just a matter of time….oh yeah and the 16-18hrs of cold smoking the one ham. I’m hoping these come out a lot of things could go wrong during the process…but nothing ventured nothing gained..  BTW the one kind of ham I’m making goes for $22 lb at the store…not a bad return on a .99lb ham


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## Rag1 (Nov 3, 2008)

Nick Prochilo said:
			
		

> Griff said:
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I stopped buying green bananas.


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## Puff1 (Nov 3, 2008)

wittdog said:
			
		

> Yes Puff a fresh ham that is brined (takes about a week to cure in a wet brine) takes about 30 hrs to do in a smokehouse.  It results in a cooked ham like you would get in the deli section. This project I’m doing is a dry cured project where the ham is not cooked but safe to eat afterwards.
> Other then tying up my meat/beer fridge for 3 weeks with the cure there is very little work involved in this project…its just a matter of time….oh yeah and the 16-18hrs of cold smoking the one ham. I’m hoping these come out a lot of things could go wrong during the process…but nothing ventured nothing gained..  BTW the one kind of ham I’m making goes for $22 lb at the store…not a bad return on a .99lb ham


  

Thanks for the info.  8)
The tying up of the beer fridge has me concerned though.


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## wittdog (Nov 3, 2008)

Puff there is still room in the fridge for beer and meat...just not as much room...


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## Damar12 (Nov 3, 2008)

Refrigerator gets one shelf for beer, freezer gets one shelf for beer. All others are available for whatever.


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## bigwheel (Nov 3, 2008)

Wow Witt..good job!! I just love that old dry country cured ham.  Messed up several store bought versions trying to get out the salt and keep it edible. Finally bumped into an old country boy from Mississipii who taught me the trick wink wink.  Now my Mama just boiled the snot out of em. That works too 

bigwheel


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## wittdog (Nov 9, 2008)

The hams have been curing for about a week and it was time to redistribute the cure…the first is the salt cured Parma or procutti ham…Its starting to pink up nicely and smelled great…









The second is the Virginia style molasses dry cured ham…..I should have taken a pic of the color on the skin side WOW it had a nice cheastnut brown color….






Both are coming along nicely I can tell my how firm they feel….Stay tuned


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## Pigs On The Wing BBQ (Nov 9, 2008)

Looking great Dave!


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## wittdog (Nov 9, 2008)

I had to flip the Virginia dry cured ham…look at the color…I can only imagine what it will look like after its cold smoked…


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## Nick Prochilo (Nov 9, 2008)

Both were picnics with the skin on?


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## wittdog (Nov 9, 2008)

Both were 18lb Hams with the skin on


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## bigwheel (Nov 9, 2008)

Lookin good.  Ya know I bumped into a raw picnic down at the local Albertsons which come in at 15 lbs plust..once upon a time. Whut do you reckon happened on that deal? Biggest I ever seen afore or since hardly ever break into the high eights.  Color me cornfused. I figger it was somebody's pet sow who got into the Begonias one too many times   It cooked up real good so will venture the critter had been well fed. 

bigwheel


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## Unity (Nov 9, 2008)

Wow, there's a lot going on with that ham. Thanks for the update.

--John


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## wittdog (Nov 18, 2008)

The hams have been curing in the fridge for 2 weeks now….by the end of this week and the one should be ready to cold smoke and the other ready to hang…
They are firming up nicely and look to be in good shape…


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## BayouChilehead (Nov 18, 2008)

I would lick that like a lollipop. anything with molasses and rum has to be good, can't wait to see the finished product.


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## wittdog (Nov 18, 2008)

Don't forget the fresh Ginger as well


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## Rag1 (Nov 18, 2008)

I sensed some confusion  
Hams are from the ass end and picnics from the front end.


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## bigwheel (Nov 18, 2008)

Now let me get this figgered out here. You saying some of God's Creatures come equipped with their butts on the front end?  I think the cornfusion might be arising cuz of the old joke about the yankee kid who was so ugly his daddy taught him to shave his *ss and walk backwards. Now is this hot or warm by any chance?


bigwheel


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## wittdog (Nov 19, 2008)

Rag said:
			
		

> I sensed some confusion
> Hams are from the ass end and picnics from the front end.


Yep Hams back end, picnic/butts front end


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## wittdog (Nov 21, 2008)

Tomorrow is the big day…not only will I be cold smoking the Virginia Dry Cured Ham but I’ve decided to cold smoke the procuittio ham as well…I know that its not traditionally done that way but….everything is better with smoke…..and if I’m going to be tending a fire when its 20-30* outside and I have the room…two Smokey hams are better than one.  This will be the first time I’ll be cold smoking in the smokehouse so I’m interested to see how that works and I’m looking forward to it as well. Both hams have been rinsed of excess salt and are now drying in the fridge uncovered.  I’m hopping to wake up early and get the hams in the smokehouse and get the smoke rolling. I’m also hoping to get some cheese to add to the smokehouse and cold smoke that as well.
Both hams have cured for 20 days in there respective cures..


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## bigwheel (Nov 21, 2008)

Well as they taught us in 3rd grade...When a person excuses themselves it highly similar to accusing themselves. Never could understand the logic behind that unsmoked Proscutto agenda neither If it taste good without smoke..it be 200 percent mo betta with it in my book. Ya done good as usual. Congrats.   

bigwheel


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## Griff (Nov 21, 2008)

An excellent project Dave. What kind of cheese you going to smoke?


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## wittdog (Nov 22, 2008)

Hams are in the smokehouse…damn it is cold outside….
The obligatory night time chimney shot



That’s not smoke it’s the steam off my breath…..its cold



Better pic of them hanging



Smokestack



I was trying to get the moon in the pic over the smokehouse



I’ll try to snap a couple of pics as the day goes on..


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## wittdog (Nov 22, 2008)

We are holding at 50*F inside the smokehouse…so far so good…for our first cold smoking attempt..


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## Puff1 (Nov 22, 2008)

Isn't there a moon cut into the door of the smokehouse??  
Awaiting progress pics.


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## wittdog (Nov 22, 2008)

I’m going to cold smoke some cheese now…I used Processed white American cheese and some fresh mozzarella….In one of my smoking books it says to use the processed cheese because it holds up better during the smoking process….In the fresh cheese the butter fat molecules bond with the impurities in the smoke which can lead to a harsh flavor…the processed cheese the butter fat molecules have bonding with the emulsification additives and you won’t get that harsh flavor…..I’m trying to avoid that with the mozzarella so I wrapped it in cheese cloth with the hopes that the cloth will act as a filter…


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## wittdog (Nov 22, 2008)

Temp was starting to creep up to around 80* so I switched out the pipe that feeds to the smokehouse…I took off the double walled insulated pipe and put on the thinner pipe in the hopes that the ambient air will cool the smoke as it travels to the smokehouse…


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## wittdog (Nov 22, 2008)

The cheese is done smoking…came out good…it will be even better after the smoke flavor mellows.
It took on a nice golden brown color.










The smokehouse has held below 80* all day…


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## monty3777 (Nov 22, 2008)

Wow. That prosciutto costs a fortune. This is one of the cheapest I've seen it. In the Williams Sonoma catalog it's even more. Yuppies will pay an arm and an ass for one!

http://www.markys.com/caviar/customer/p ... 478&page=1


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## wittdog (Nov 22, 2008)

Yep...couple more of them and I can have the smokehouse paid off


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## wittdog (Nov 23, 2008)

The hams are finally out of the smokehouse….while we were waiting for the hams to finish up we needed a snack…a little bit of Italian bread with some herb infused EVOO….topped with some of our homemade fire roasted pickled red peppers…http://www.bbq-4-u.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10810&highlight=fire+roasted+red+peppers
And finished with that smoked fresh mozzarella we did today…a few minutes under the broiler and BAM….













The hams are looking and smelling good…the smokehouse worked well for cold smoking I had no issues with the temp….but it was 25-30*F outside…..
In the smokehouse






The Virginia dry cured ham













Smoked Procuttio anyone?









The inside part (meat side) coated in lard and black pepper







Hung up to dry…see them in 6 months to a year….







All in all its been a good day 18hrs of cold smoking some hams I wont’ be able to try for a long time….but the pepperoni is coming along nicely and might be ready next week if not the week after for sure..as will the bresola….


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## Griff (Nov 23, 2008)

Dave this is so cool. A project this is still six months out. I love it.


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## cleglue (Nov 23, 2008)

Those are some very nice projects going on.  I need to try and smoke some cheese sometime as well as make pepperoni.


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## Puff1 (Nov 23, 2008)

All I can say is WOW!
You should open your own sausage shop Dave.


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## dollarbill (Nov 24, 2008)

That's amazing!


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## dollarbill (Nov 24, 2008)

Hey Witt -  Is that meat you are sellin' or is it all for personal use?   (curious)  Thats alot of good lookin (m)eats either way.


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## ScottyDaQ (Nov 24, 2008)

Dave...You meatomaniac. That's fantastic !


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## wittdog (Nov 24, 2008)

Personal use


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## Diva Q (Nov 24, 2008)

Terrific post to keep us all updated. I think all of us are drooling already.


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## wittdog (Mar 12, 2009)

Just a quick update…the hams are still hanging and if I think about it this weekend I might pull them down and pull of the cover to see what they look like.


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## Griff (Mar 12, 2009)

Cool. It's been five months hanging.


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## wittdog (Mar 15, 2009)

Ok the Hams have been hanging since Nov 22, About 16 weeks….I decided to pull them down and take a look….The first pics are of the Molasses Country Ham
Non Skin Side




Skin Side




There was a little something….I don’t know if it was mold or crystalline sugar…I hit it with a little vinegar…




Procuttio
Non Skin side coated with Lard and Black Pepper




Skin Side






How Firm is it?




I don’t remember exactly what the hams weight at the start…they were around 18-20lbs…the prociuttio one was a little bigger if memory servers….Currently the prociutto one weights 16 ½ lbs and the molasses is down to 14 ½ lbs…Both hams are firming up nicely and smell great…they both are pretty firm with only the fat layer feeling like it has some give….I might use the molasses one at Easter….


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## Unity (Mar 15, 2009)

That molasses one has definitely gone bad, Dave. Send it down here and I'll have the Virginia ham experts analyze what went wrong, and then I'll dispose of it for you.

--John


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## ScottyDaQ (Mar 15, 2009)

That looks incredible....but please don't flip me off like that.


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## cleglue (Mar 15, 2009)

Looking very nice.  Thanks for the update.


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## wittdog (May 10, 2009)

We took a look at our hams today…the one without the lard covering the meat had a fair amount of mold…the other didn’t really have much mold


Virginia Ham







Procuittio




We cleaned up the Virginia ham with a vinegar bath….I’m thinking we might cut into it in two weeks…


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## Captain Morgan (May 10, 2009)

do I need to repeat my story about my fake uncle whacking the mold
off the best country ham I ever ate?


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## wittdog (May 10, 2009)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> do I need to repeat my story about my fake uncle whacking the mold
> off the best country ham I ever ate?


Its funny cuz I was just looking at the post...please report the story about your "uncle"......


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## bknox (May 13, 2009)

This post is incredible. It is like watching birds hatch but over months. What a process. When I was a kid we injected hams with cure and packed them in salt and possible more cure and hung them in a shed. That was along time ago. I think we should have looked into making them like you have made them. That looks so good.

As far as mold I remember slicing of the mold and eating the rest.

Thanks for the Ham documentary.


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## wittdog (Aug 31, 2009)

Took a peek at one of the hams today...and I took some pics...I will post them tomarrow....I just worked at 12hr day and need to get some sleep becuase  the kids have practice today...and the hams have been hanging since Nov....you guys can wait another day :twisted:  :P  

Like Cappys fake uncle...I also did a little taste test....info tomarrow


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## Captain Morgan (Aug 31, 2009)

TEASE! TEASE! TEASE!


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## wittdog (Aug 31, 2009)

We went down and check on the hams today…the ham bags looked rougher then Cap Morgan after Poker night…I did not take pics of the bags…
The first pic is the skin side of the ham…it looked good…some salt deposits but no mold growth



The second pic is the meat side of the ham…we wiped the lard away and it looked real good…no mold..an area of concern is around the bone  which looked real good. The ham has a nice color and is real firm…it still needs some more time but is coming along nicely….



We cut off a little piece to taste and it was very good it just needs some more time…It had a real nice ham taste and was slightly salty as expected…the only thing I didn’t like that I detected was a slight taste left over from the smokehouse (from the concrete backer board)….When I smoked the hams it was the first thing in the smokehouse and I should have seasoned the smokehouse first (live and learn)… Now that the smokehouse is now seasoned that taste has gone a way from subsequent projects….I may hit them with a little more cold smoke sometime soon ( I know it wouldn’t hurt them)




This was the procuttio I’m sure the Country Ham is coming along just as nicely..


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## Unity (Aug 31, 2009)

Beautiful, Dave. 

--John


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## Pigs On The Wing BBQ (Sep 1, 2009)

Nice Dave!


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## Griff (Sep 1, 2009)

Excellent Dave.


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## wittdog (Oct 16, 2009)

Griff and Unity sampled this while they were up for Oink...I was hoping they were going to comment and post the pics o the ham


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## Unity (Oct 16, 2009)

Michael, "D", Lynn, and Dave -- the Witts. They didn't compete this year because the boys were playing football the next day. They won.





We stopped to see the Witts on our way out of town, and Dave broke out the proscuitto he'd been dry-curing for the last year.





Wiping the last of the lard coating from the ham.





The king of sandwich meat. Dave gave us paper-thin samples -- a bit salty on the outside, splendid inside.





The sample site is near-right. When it's hanging, the non-skin surfaces are covered in a thick coating of lard and pepper. Dave also has a Virginia ham curing in the basement.

Many thanks, Witts. Sorry I neglected to post earlier. There's more about Oink and the rest of our trip here. 

--John


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## Pigs On The Wing BBQ (Oct 16, 2009)

Great pics John! Yea, it was a blast.  

Pigs


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