Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[JBsuperG]

Hello Everybody...  It has been quite some time since I have been on the pellet fans forum.  I hope it is still going strong.  It has always been a big source of help and information.

This year we decided to raise a couple pigs with our neighbors.  We wanted to experience our food from the farm to the table doing everything ourselves.  So far it has been a fun experience.  The raising of the pigs and the processing has gone very smoothly.

A couple weekends ago we butchered them and started the process of wet curing the hams.  We cured a whole hind quarter off each of the pigs.  We used a basic wet cure.  I injected the thicker areas of the hams to be sure the hams cured all the way through.  They were in the wet cure for 7 days.  Today I smoked them at 220 degrees to an internal temp of 150*. 

They taste pretty good, but are definitely on the saltier side for me.  I am a little frustrated with myself because this is not my first time making hams and I KNOW I should have cooked up a small piece before I smoked them to check the salt level, and let the soak in water if too salty.  I was busy and skipped that step. 

So my question is.....  Can I soak the hams in fresh water now even though they have been cooked?

Thanks in advance for your help and opinions!!!!!!

[urnmor]

To be honest with you I have no idea however I would take various slice sizes and soak them in cold water at various times and see if that helps.  That sai I would be concerned that the soaking might make the ham mushy

[BigDave83]

I have never tried to soak a ham, but we do it all the time with the store bought corned beefs to make pastrami.

I did try soaking parts of a Country Ham with good results. But they are dry cured for months instead of wet cured.

I went to Ye Ole interweb and did a quick search. Many things you can choose from here. But it looks like the general opinion is yes you can soak some of the salt out.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&channel=cus2&sxsrf=ALeKk01XBFczkP-R5hIxYkTfgcXTssmfrw%3A1604409830160&ei=5lmhX8SrCbPN1QGIpqCgDQ&q=how+to+desalinate+a+country+ham&oq=how+to+desalinate+a+country+ham&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIFCCEQqwI6BAgAEEc6BAgjECc6CgguEMcBEK8BECc6CwguELEDEMcBEKMCOgIIADoOCC4QsQMQgwEQxwEQowI6CAgAELEDEIMBOg0ILhCxAxDHARCjAhBDOhAILhCxAxCDARDHARCjAhBDOgQIABBDOgoILhDHARCjAhBDOgoIABCxAxCDARBDOgUIABCRAjoLCAAQsQMQgwEQyQM6BQgAELEDOgcIABAUEIcCOgQIABAKOgYIABAWEB46CAgAEBYQChAeOggIIRAWEB0QHjoECCEQCjoFCCEQoAFQnQ5Y419g9W1oAXADeACAAWSIAZUUkgEEMzEuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXrIAQjAAQE&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwjEtoCwvObsAhWzZjUKHQgTCNQQ4dUDCAw&uact=5

[JBsuperG]

Thanks guys.  I did do a search yesterday on the internet, but did not come up with the same hits.  A couple of those do make me feel comfortable with the idea.  I will give it a shot.  I think I will freeze it and wait until I cook it for Christmas.

Thanks for the help.

[GREG-B]

I've always felt that freezing ham makes it saltier.