Easter Ham

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Did anyone else cure their own country ham for Easter Sunday?

I did two. One I did for St. Patrick's day but since the restaurant was full of people wanting to get their drink on, I didn't sell much of it. It tasted amazing. It also made awesome soups and sandwiches.

I started both of them at the same time and this second one has been hanging for three weeks. I could let it go longer but I am ready to hang some ham di palma in this country ham's spot. They do take up some space when curing, not as much as when they are hanging but I have the luxury of having two 25'x25' walk in coolers!

The raw cost of the ham was $1.71/#. Salt, curing agent and spice brought the two hams to $90 with most of that cost being the hams. It produced over 40 pounds of usable meat without counting the ham broth for the soups. :D

THe picture is from the one I roasted for St. Patty's Day. It had just come out of the oven at that point. I cooked it in a water bath at 250 degrees F for six hours and flipped it over after three. After curing for nearly a month it got cold smoked with cherry wood. Then it hung for a week. The Easter ham has been hanging for three weeks.

[Prince]

Bet those were fantastic sammiches.

[ouch]

That looks fantastic.

[saf]

Well done sir. Where is your place, I might have to go there if I am ever near it.

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

Well done sir. Where is your place, I might have to go there if I am ever near it.

Brookings, South Dakota. Unless you work for Daktronics, 3M, or are really into obscure college towns you will probably never be here ;)