Uncured ham steaks

[mmmkam]

Anyone have a good receipe for uncured ham steaks. I got a bunch off a buddy. They are a little under an inch thick and about 2lbs each. I am looking for good instructions and tips for curing and smoking.

[Richtee]

They are pork chops then... ;{)

Curing? 1.5 Tbsp Lb Tenderquick as they are like what? .5" thick? Done in a day. Smoke hot or cold... fry/bake as you will.

[Bearcarver]

Anyone have a good receipe for uncured ham steaks. I got a bunch off a buddy. They are a little under an inch thick and about 2lbs each. I am looking for good instructions and tips for curing and smoking.

I hate to say this, but if they aren't cured, they aren't Ham.

That would be Pork steaks and I guess I'd either cure them myself or make them like Pork Chops.


Bear

[Richtee]

Oh Shit
I messed up... with the measurment!

It's 1.5 TEAspoons... you are correct. Crap...thanks for bumping this Bear. I really should be wearing my glasses any more when I post.

[Bearcarver]

Oh Shit
I messed up... with the measurment!

It's 1.5 TEAspoons... you are correct. Crap...thanks for bumping this Bear. I really should be wearing my glasses any more when I post.

I accidentally deleted that post.

However I don't know why the 1.5 tsp.
Solid meat---I would go with the 1 TBS per pound.


Bear

[Richtee]

I accidentally deleted that post.

However I don't know why the 1.5 tsp.
Solid meat---I would go with the 1 TBS per pound.

The thickness, Bear... under an inch... I would bet the 1 Tbsp would be WAAAY salty... and they would cure in a day or two at most.

[Bearcarver]

The thickness, Bear... under an inch... I would bet the 1 Tbsp would be WAAAY salty... and they would cure in a day or two at most.

I guess it would be OK to use half the recommended amount of TQ, since he probably wouldn't be cold smoking it (below 140 IT) for more than 4 hours. However I would go with the 1 TBS, and soak it if there was a salt problem. I don't like to get into the habit of using the wrong amount of TQ without a real thorough explanation.
Somebody could read that & think it was the normal amount for whole meat.

Personally---I would use 1 TBS per pound----Then put it in fridge for a day----Then flip it and leave it for a day.
Then I would rinse it & do a salt-fry-test. If it's too salty, which I doubt, I would soak it for an hour.

Just my thoughts on the issue,
Bear

[Richtee]

I don't like to get into the habit of using the wrong amount of TQ without a real thorough explanation.
Somebody could read that & think it was the normal amount for whole meat.


Just my thoughts on the issue,

True. I am basing that call on ALOT of experience... and should add that disclaimer...

[Mark R]

I guess it would be OK to use half the recommended amount of TQ, since he probably wouldn't be cold smoking it (below 140 IT) for more than 4 hours. However I would go with the 1 TBS, and soak it if there was a salt problem. I don't like to get into the habit of using the wrong amount of TQ without a real thorough explanation.
Somebody could read that & think it was the normal amount for whole meat.


Just my thoughts on the issue,
Bear

X2, Solid meat.

[Bearcarver]

True. I am basing that call on ALOT of experience... and should add that disclaimer...

I have experience too, but I don't change the amount of TQ unless bones are involved.

Think about this:
If a slab of Bacon is 3" thick, do we double the amount of cure because it's thicker than 2"?
No---We give it more time in cure.

If a slab of Bacon is only 1" thick, do we reduce the amount of cure?
No---We reduce the amount of time in cure.

The only time I have ever reduced the amount of TQ was with "Bacon-On-A-Stick" because of all the Rib bones.

This is all my opinion base on rules & experience.
Bear

[Richtee]

Hmmm... if I liked ham steaks, I'd test this out. Anyone want to do a trial?

[erain]

Oh Shit
I messed up... with the measurment!

It's 1.5 TEAspoons... you are correct. Crap...thanks for bumping this Bear. I really should be wearing my glasses any more when I post.

Dang Rich, This is not like you handing out wrong cure amounts... Are you sayin your in the "cheater" stage??? I here ya there, I have glasses to wear for real long distances. So if i wear my glasses i cant read stuff, But last year or two I notice my vision when trying to read small print has really gone down hill. So either i got to get bifocals, or keep a pair of "cheaters" handy. Hate glasses though, PITA is how I view them(ha a pun) and wear them as little as possible which is funny cause at work i wear saftey glasses when out on the shop floor which is most of my work day.

I was more intent on busting your "chops" over calling something from the rear leg a pork chop which is incorrect terminology... In this case what mmmkam has(if his descreption is correct), are fresh ham steaks. the hind leg of a pig is refereed to as a ham whether fresh or cured.


Not to worry though, you got folks like Bear who are focused enough to have your back.

This brings up a more important issue though. I know alot of folks use this as their go to reference place, and 99.9 percent of the time info is going to be dead on. But every now and again, and it can come from a very reputable source, something may slip out. And maybe its just me, but before i do something which i am new at I research the crap out of it. I like to know the answers, helps with preperation for a project. Then if I have something I still am thinking about, prob have the right answer, but i will then through it out there to someone i think most qualified or in a post to sort of double/triple check... if everything matches then i am pretty sure i am good to go.

for example i googled curing fresh ham steaks and this is what i got.
https://www.google.com/search?q=curi...a&channel=fflb

but even with what you google you need to be careful, cause one of the first threads is this one... and it talks about curing ham steaks using a brine without a cure for 24 hours in the frig. They say this is cured without nitrates but essentially they have a brined fresh ham steak.
http://www.northmountainpastures.com...ured-ham-steak

So basically what I am saying is check multiple sources. I cant remember exactly which recipes they are but even in Rhulmans Charcuterie book there are a few recipes which i disagree with "pink salt" amounts he has listed.

[Richtee]

Dang Rich, This is not like you handing out wrong cure amounts... Are you sayin your in the "cheater" stage???

LOL... actually...I have a 'script pair now...

After re-reading (with glasses) the original post... each "steak" would be getting 1 Tablespoon of TQ using the .5 Tablespoon/Lb measurment. I'd be willing to bet money that they would turn out perfect within 2 days. But again... it's not according to general rules. Which are made for general circumstances, not particular ones.

With this hunk..we are inbetween what I would consider a jerky cut ( .375-ish) and a whole muscle cut. Perhaps the time might need to be increased, but I just can't see using 2 tablespoons of TQ...basically salt... with cure..on that sized hunk of meat.

But for the sake of clearer waters, I withdraw my case.

[erain]

LOL... actually...I have a 'script pair now...

After re-reading (with glasses) the original post... each "steak" would be getting 1 Tablespoon of TQ using the .5 Tablespoon/Lb measurment. I'd be willing to bet money that they would turn out perfect within 2 days. But again... it's not according to general rules. Which are made for general circumstances, not particular ones.

With this hunk..we are inbetween what I would consider a jerky cut ( .375-ish) and a whole muscle cut. Perhaps the time might need to be increased, but I just can't see using 2 tablespoons of TQ...basically salt... with cure..on that sized hunk of meat.

But for the sake of clearer waters, I withdraw my case.

could be worse... you did check out the second link right??? no cure at all...

And not to worry Rich, In my book if i got a question when it comes to curing you still me go to...

[mmmkam]

Thanks guys! I will pick up some TQ and let you know how it comes out.