The hogs are in trouble now!

[asaxon]

The hogs are in trouble now!
The Admiral just came back from Italy where she sampled the local Cingiale (wild boar) and she tells me it was spectacular. So was the prosciutto. Note the apron she brought home for me.



So the plan is to go after a wild pig or two when we are up at Jack Ranch this coming September and try to make prosciutto.

• Any of you chow hounds out there make prosciutto from wild hog?
• Any tips for first timers?

As usual, I can use all the help I can get.

 

[hunterdoug]

I had a ham from a sow done by Willowside meats in Santa Rosa. it was amazing. Not sure the whole process but it took a few months for curing. good luck it is worth it.

 

[TonyS]

Salt cured, Andy? Do a google search. You have to hang it for quite a while and watch it. But the rewards, well, I'm sure you already tasted them.

 

[myfriendis410]

Trust me Andy: You Do NOT Want To Make Prosciutto!!!

First; you need a cave. Next you need sheep's blood. A LOT of sheep's blood. Then you need a ham and one year of time to bathe and baste and age your ham in the (already mentioned) sheep's blood. HOW DID THEY EVER COME UP WITH THIS STUFF? But it is tasty.

Now: LtDann knows a lot about making ham. I polled him a year or so ago and used his advice to smoke some hams. We've done six so far (if I remember correctly) and they turned out utterly, unbelievably, fantastic. I would liken the texture to Prosciutto. I took samples out to the club and one guy who tried it said: "I grew up less than fifty miles from Smithfield, the home of the best ham, and this is better. I'll give you $50 for one.

Dan will fix you up, but you need a roomy refrigerator or meat locker and a good smoker.

 

[asaxon]

Having now read lots on line about making Proscuitto, I see "myfriends410" is right on as usual! Holy Tartersauce Sponge Bob - talk about work! And 15 months to age in a cave. Definitely not a DIY.

I'm going with the idea of getting Ltdann to clue me in on making his hams. I do have access to large walk in refrigerators. As for Proscuitto, I'll do a bit of consulting work, take the money and buy Proscuitto.

 

[HOGHUNTER714]

I don't know about making Proscuitto, but I DIG the apron!!!!! That thing is sweet!!!!!

 

[DirtyDave]

Ltdann's Ham thread inspired me to brine and smoke hams myself. Best ham ever!
I even did a deer ham last year. It had pretty much the same flavor as the Boar ham, but a totally different texture. It was kinda mushy.
Now I'm on a Sausage kick. Hit me up if you need a Chorizo recipe.

Funny thing is my wife and daughters wont eat wild game. After I made the first ham I was cutting it up in the kitchen and my daughter came in and asked what it was. I told her it was ham, she tried a piece and her eyes lit up and she said it was the best ham she ever had! Then she said "Wait, is this from your boar?" yep, and she promptly spit it out and got mad at me for letting her eat it hahaha. The wife knows it will taste good and kinda wants to try it, but there is some kind of mental blockage that she cant get past.
Same thing with my Venison Asada (daughter unknowingly tried that too haha)

 

[catchdog]

my dad wont eat deer meat but will eat the wild hogs. I fixed a deer roast and didnt tell him it was deer. After he ate 3 plates and said it was the best roast he had ever had I told him it was a deer roast. his reply was ( that enough to make me puke ) I dont understand why a deer roast is so bad but wild boar is ok.
I have a new smoker I will have to try LTdann's ham.

 

[inchr48]

Yeah, the caves actually hold bacteria that have been cultured for centuries that give the "ham" it's particular flavor.

Personnally I brine cure my (domestic) hams using Morton Tender Quick. I didn't care for their Sugar Cure version, but occassionally I'll rub my hams (after de-brining) with a mixture of cracked peppercorns and dark brown sugar for the final cure. Into some cloth 'ham-socks" for smoking and I can't wait for Easter to roll around and bake one of them. My favorite is beans made with the bone and scraps.

Here are the hams after brining. I measure the thickest width, divide by two, and allow a week in the brine for every 1". Moving the hams each week to change any spots they are touching one another. I usually do 4 or 6 at time.

 

[ltdann]

Yeah, the caves actually hold bacteria that have been cultured for centuries that give the "ham" it's particular flavor.

Personnally I brine cure my (domestic) hams using Morton Tender Quick. I didn't care for their Sugar Cure version, but occassionally I'll rub my hams (after de-brining) with a mixture of cracked peppercorns and dark brown sugar for the final cure. Into some cloth 'ham-socks" for smoking and I can't wait for Easter to roll around and bake one of them. My favorite is beans made with the bone and scraps.

Here are the hams after brining. I measure the thickest width, divide by two, and allow a week in the brine for every 1". Moving the hams each week to change any spots they are touching one another. I usually do 4 or 6 at time.

I've been meaning to try Tender quick...What's the recipe? Is it a dry rub, a brine soak, an injection brine or some sort of combination?

 

[lmjpsl]

I've been meaning to try Tender quick...What's the recipe? Is it a dry rub, a brine soak, an injection brine or some sort of combination?

Morton Tender Quick: http://www.mortonsalt.com/products/meatcuring/tenderquick.html

 

[ltdann]

Morton Tender Quick: http://www.mortonsalt.com/products/meatcuring/tenderquick.html

I've looked at that before but it doesn't really tell me anything. How much tenderquick per gallon of water? How long to soak per pound, etc, or inject or rub....?

I've been using a combination of instacure and salt, but never used tender quick. Its kinda hard to find, and expensive!

 

[slanttop357]

DD" did u say Venison Asada thats what i like the best.

 

[DirtyDave]

I've looked at that before but it doesn't really tell me anything. How much tenderquick per gallon of water? How long to soak per pound, etc, or inject or rub....?

I've been using a combination of instacure and salt, but never used tender quick. Its kinda hard to find, and expensive!

Hey Ltdann, I do a modified version of the process that you used in your thread.
I couldnt find any Instacure so I used Tender-quick.
1lb TQ (half the bag), 1/2cup ground white pepper, 2-3cups Brown Sugar, in about 3 gallons of water or enough to submerge the ham in my bucket.

 

[DirtyDave]

DD" did u say Venison Asada thats what i like the best.

Oh its good stuff alright

 

[asaxon]

Can someone post the link to the thread with Ltdann's ham instructions. I remember seeing it but can't locate it readily.

Tx - Andy

 

[WoodGrain]

Ya'll making me hungry! I can't wait for this heat to break down here in the desert. I'm firing up the smoker!!!


Keep this thread going,

WoodGrain

 

[ltdann]

Hey Ltdann, I do a modified version of the process that you used in your thread.
I couldnt find any Instacure so I used Tender-quick.
1lb TQ (half the bag), 1/2cup ground white pepper, 2-3cups Brown Sugar, in about 3 gallons of water or enough to submerge the ham in my bucket.

hmm, then soak a week? Did you inject at all?

I have the instacure I normally use and a few bags of tenderquick. Does the TQ leave the have overly salty?

The last hog I did, I smoked some ham hocks almost black (410 style) and then crock potted a 10 lb batch of pinto beans with 'em. Took it to work for a pot luck.

At lunch, I went to get a second bowl and there were guys licking the crock pot. There wasn't single bean left. That was 3 months ago and they are still talking about that pot of beans

 

[ltdann]

Can someone post the link to the thread with Ltdann's ham instructions. I remember seeing it but can't locate it readily.

Tx - Andy

Here ya go Andy, the original thread. It has pics as well!

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/showthread.php/202016-Before-and-After?highlight=smoked

It's time consuming but the results are worth it. If anything, I'd recommend extending the time a little until the ham is a little drier than you'd normally eat. It makes for a denser mouth feel, while not being dried out.

I have this little dorm fridge I use during the brining. I mix the brine, inject the hams with the brine and then into a bucket for 5-7 days. The brine needs to completely cover the hams. Leave in the fridge around 40-45 degrees or so. Half way through the brining, rotate hams and stir the brine.

During the smoking process, the hocks will be done well before the hams.

Here's a tip as well, before putting the hams in the smoking socks and/or cheese cloth, completely saturate the material with vinegar. It allows the socks to be removed from the coooked hams without sticking to the meat.

 

[dustin ray]

Love that apron Andy. Here's a pic of my pit BBQ where i cook piglets 15 hrs. a pot of beans sum tortias and all the fixings. oh ya