Brined Ham

If you are ready for the rugged men big leagues, then it’s time to ham a leg of pork. There are many different ways to ham a leg of pork, but I like this recipe because it’s pretty fool proof and uses bourbon. As anyone who cooks with a manly flare can attest, recipes that call for bourbon are inherently good. This is not cheap to make but relative to the hundred’s you spend every year on pheasant hunting gear, fifty bucks is not that outlandish. A fresh leg of pork can sometimes be hard to find, but if you have a true butcher shop near you, they should be able to hook you up. Also, this takes 14 days from start to finish so plan accordingly for whatever event you are preparing this for.

Ingredients

  • 1 Leg of Pig – raw and thawed
  • 2 cups Brown sugar – packed
  • 1.5 cups Kosher salt
  • 8 tsp Prague salt – curing salt
  • 1 Garlic head – sliced in half horizontally (through equator)
  • 3 Thyme sprigs – or 1 tsp dry
  • 3 oz Maple syrup
  • 4 oz Bourbon + however much you drink while cooking
  • Water to cover ham as it soaks
  • Brine spices
    • 3 tsp Black pepper corns
    • 2 tsp Clove – whole
    • 2 tsp Red pepper flakes
    • 1 tsp Caraway seeds
    • 1 tsp Nutmeg
    • 1 TBL Mustard seed
    • 1 TBL All spice – whole
    • 2 Cinnamon sticks
    • 2 Bay leaves
    • Juniper berries – I use a handful, but then again I have juniper in my yard
    • Star Anise – to taste – I prefer less, not a big fan of licorice

Process

  1. Mise en Place – measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
  2. Boil 3 quarts of water and remove from heat.
  3. Add sugar, salt, garlic, thyme, syrup, and bourbon.
  4. Lightly toast brine spices then add to water mixture.
  5. Again bring to boil, remove from heat, and immediately add ice to cool.
  6. Remove skin from ham but leave the fat on. I like to score the fat in a criss-cross pattern.
  7. Put leg in food-grade container and cover with the brine. Add sufficient water to completely over the leg.
    1. Many bakeries who still bake, sell empty 5 gal containers for a few bucks.
    2. You can get one at a restaurant supply store, but it will cost you.
    3. Make sure the ham is completely covered (including the bone) or it will spoil the meat.
  8. Leave in fridge for 13 days.
  9. Remove ham from brine and rinse. Dump brine and return ham to fridge in container for one day to dry off.
  10. Smoke ham ~5 hrs until internal temp is 168 F.
  11. Allow to cool before slicing.

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