To Cure Hams is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic method of curing hams in a sugar, salt, saltpetre and vinegar brine before smoking and storing. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: To Cure Hams.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
FOR CURING HAMS (Mons. Ude's Recipe).
816. INGREDIENTS.—For 2 hams weighing about 16 or 18 lbs. each, allow 1 lb. of moist sugar, 1 lb. of common salt, 2 oz. of saltpetre, 1 quart of good vinegar.
Mode.—As soon as the pig is cold enough to be cut up, take the 2 hams and rub them well with common salt, and leave them in a large pan for 3 days. When the salt has drawn out all the blood, drain the hams, and throw the brine away. Mix sugar, salt, and saltpetre together in the above proportion, rub the hams well with these, and put them into a vessel large enough to hold them, always keeping the salt over them. Let them remain for 3 days, then pour over them a quart of good vinegar. Turn them in the brine every day for a month, then drain them well, and rub them with bran. Have them smoked over a wood fire, and be particular that the hams are hung as high up as possible from the fire; otherwise the fat will melt, and they will become dry and hard.
Time.—To be pickled 1 month; to be smoked 1 month.
Sufficient for 2 hams of 18 lbs. each.
Seasonable from October to March.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
2 hams (about 8kg apiece)
450g moist sugar
450g salt
8g saltpetre (0.5g per 1kg meat)
1l vinegar
Method:
Take fresh hams, straight from the pig, rub liberally with salt, place in a large pan and set aside in a cool place for 3 days to allow all the blood to drain from them. Discard the brine then combine the sugar, salt and saltpetre and rub this mix thoroughly into both hams.
Place in a container large enough to hold them, ensuring that they are covered with salt at all times. Set aside in a cool place for 3 days then pour the vinegar over them. After this time, turn the hams over every day for 1 month, then drain thoroughly and rub with bran.
Cold smoke the hams thoroughly for up to 1 month then store.
For the an example of how you can make a home-made cold smoker with modern materials, see the article on: making a home-made cold smoker.
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