Okay, So How Did You Make That Ham Anyway?

So are any of you thinking that?  I thought so.  Here is another picture of it for those of you who missed it.

Mmm, fresh cured pork loin

To start with I looked online at what types of meat I should use for a ham.  Then, I looked through several cookbooks on what I should use to cure it.  Then, I threw all of that out the window and did it my own way.

I don't own a smoker.  I didn't have money or time to find the "pink" curing salt or the spices needed.  I didn't have the cut of meat they wanted me to use.  I had table salt, various dried spices, whole pork loin I was cutting into chops, and a determination to make my own ham. (Sorry I don't have pictures of everything I used, I will do that next time.  I didn't realize this was going into a blog.  I didn't even know I had a blog).

I briefly glanced at a Canadian bacon recipe (which is a smoked, cured pork loin), then decided to go my own way.  (Hey I cook good, I never claimed to cook authentic.)  I threw this and that in a pot, brought it to a boil, let it cool then poured it over my pork loin, which was in a Ziploc (I left the fat on but I did cut about half of the meat off the bottom, next time I won't.  Cut the meat down I mean, I loved the fat cap on it).  Then I let it sit in my refrigerator for three days, turning it over each day.  After that I just cooked it on a rack over a cookie sheet in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven until an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit was reached (I can't tell you exactly how long yours will take as it depends on the thickness of your meat, but my 3 inch tall pork loin took 1 hour an 20 minutes or so).

The hard part was letting in cool enough to cut.



Food Nerd Fresh Cured Pork Loin (I call it ham)

1 -2 lb pork loin roast (or you can use 1 1/2 inch loin chops, just don't brine longer 6 hours before cooking)
4 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup salt
3/4 cups honey
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp cracked pepper corns
1 tsp Hungarian paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke (if you like more smoke use it)

Put all ingredients except pork in a pot to boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature.  Put pork in a Ziploc or storage bag and pour brine over the top.  Seal removing as much air from the bag as necessary.  Place in the refrigerator for 3 days turning each day (if you are using loin chops, turn twice.  Don't brine for longer then 6 hours).  At the end of the three days remove from liquid and place on a rack over a cookie sheet or roasting pan (roast will look dried out on edges, almost like jerky and feel a little stiff).  Roast LOW at 200 degrees until an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit is reached (time depends on thickness).  Let rest at least 30 minutes before slicing.  FOR CHOPS:  Loin chops can be roasted as roast, pan seared then finished in the oven, or grilled.  Do not over brine chops they are much thinner then roasts.  Treat the brine more as a marinade then an actual cure.