Would appreciate information on curing salts and bulk purchase of same. May try my hand at hams, etc. I make jerky in small quantities but nothing big.
Curing salts
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NCMedic
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I've gotten mine through the Sausage Maker in the past.
https://www.sausagemaker.com
https://www.sausagemaker.com
Chihuahua Floyd
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personally all I have ever used is pickling salt from the grocery store. very fine grind, works for more than pickles. makes really good bacon if you can get the right cut of pork. for long term storage at room temp you would need a curing salt with the right chemicals ie pink salt.
CF
CF
bspitt
Cajun in da Carolinas
Two types potassium nitrate... and potassium nitrite. Both are readily aviable on Amazon. Nitrates are for jerky, bacon, etc...and probably all you will need. Nitrities are more for large cuts that cure at room temperature (or slightly above)
I also use The Sausage Maker Co. They have the correct cures and premix. Their breakfast sausage seasoning mixes are as close to our family mix
as I have ever tasted.
as I have ever tasted.
For a Country Ham, the only salt I have in my cure box is kosher. Meat will take as much as it wants but hams/shoulders get about 2 months and middlin meat(bacon) gets about 3 weeks. The meat will have some mold but a wire brush cleans it right up before final cure process. I mix coarse and fine black pepper along with about 3T of borax and rub into meat after brushin and bath. I drill the bone for my hook as skin will sometimes give way after a decade of so. Meat goes in smokehouse and gets about a week of 8hrs a day of hardwood smokin. Done!
ALSO, skippers are a problem and will ruin your meat if they get in; Pack the end of the ham full with pepper/borax!
Rehydrate hams for day or so to pull some salt out before cooking. I boil to 165* to cook and cut bone out before cooling as it makes it easier to machine cut but traditionally the meat stays on bone and ham lives in fridge and is carved to need. Be careful pulling salt out of bacon at room temperature like the hams/shoulders were prepped; The meat will spoil quicker than a hen on a junebug if it sits out a lil too long. I soak mine in fridge so no chance of losing it. FYI.....Borax will not hurt you...lol....unless you drink it by the cup. Family recipe from MANY years ago.
Rooster
ALSO, skippers are a problem and will ruin your meat if they get in; Pack the end of the ham full with pepper/borax!
Rehydrate hams for day or so to pull some salt out before cooking. I boil to 165* to cook and cut bone out before cooling as it makes it easier to machine cut but traditionally the meat stays on bone and ham lives in fridge and is carved to need. Be careful pulling salt out of bacon at room temperature like the hams/shoulders were prepped; The meat will spoil quicker than a hen on a junebug if it sits out a lil too long. I soak mine in fridge so no chance of losing it. FYI.....Borax will not hurt you...lol....unless you drink it by the cup. Family recipe from MANY years ago.
Rooster