Brining Easter Hams

[Greg in Jersey]

Anyone ever brine a fresh ham? Gonna try a couple four or five hams for the crew from the butcher shop on Friday. Any ideas? Would like to try a couple different brines unless ya'll tell me different.

[BBQ101]

Greg I wish I had a answer for ya but I have never brined a ham. Good luck Qbrotha :wink:

[bigwheel]

Any old reliable chicken brine should work just fine. Now be sure and shoot it up with some FAB P so to make it nice and tender and juicy.

bigwheel

[SCOTT]

Im just trying to figure out why anyone would brine a ham...

[Greg in Jersey]

Im just trying to figure out why anyone would brine a ham...

Just for ****s and giggles...

Anywho, I brined three fresh hams.
1. Used Shake's honey brine
2. Used Pepsi, garlic, bay leaves, butchers pepper, honey and kosher salt
3. Used Water and Salt mixture with garlic.

Smoked all three of them today and coulda sold them fifty times over. I'll report back after Sundays dinner and the reviews come in.

[bigwheel]

Pepsi? Now the last I recall Shake's Honey Brine did not contain Pepsi. Boy you gonna be in a heap o trouble here. Oh well I dont think Shake hangs out over here. He prob over kissing up to Basso as usual:)

bigwheel

[TAR RIVER RAT]

Are you talking about a whole 15-20 lb fresh ham.
Tar

[Greg in Jersey]

Pepsi? Now the last I recall Shake's Honey Brine did not contain Pepsi. Boy you gonna be in a heap o trouble here. Oh well I dont think Shake hangs out over here. He prob over kissing up to Basso as usual:)

bigwheel

OK, for the people that don't read the whole post...

I brined THREE hams,
The first one I used Shake's Honey Brine.
The SECOND one I used Pepsi, garlic, bay leaves, butchers pepper, honey and kosher salt.
The THIRD one I used Water and Kosher Salt mixture with garlic.

[bigwheel]

Ahhh ok..now I see as the blind man was fond of saying. Which was the best?

bigwheel

[redneck cooker]

Brining Pork is new to me, do you get the same results as with poultry??

[Paul Taylor]

I think that I will just stick around & try to learn something. I am still not that knowledgeable about the ham thing as ya'll can maybe remember back during Christmas.I had to post a question about it myself.

Paul Taylor

[Greg in Jersey]

Well, results are in for the Pepsi brined one are in.

"Oh my GAWD!!! I'd like to order a couple more" is what I heard when I answered the phone. In the future I will let it brine for 36-48 hours rather than 20-24 hours. Good flavor, not too strong but close to the bone flavor was not as pronounced. Maybe I'll try Coca-Cola next time.

Here is the recipe I modified...
Gramae's Brine: (from the south)
3 C. kosher salt or 1 1/2 C. table salt
3 2-liter bottles Coca-Cola Classic
2 heads garlic, cloves separated, lightly crushed and peeled
10 bay leaves
1/2 C. black peppercorns, crushed

[bigwheel]

Sho brudder..sorta similar. Sorta like pumped pork from the store. Makes if more juicy and harder to overcook. Now these yankees using coke and pepsi and stuff be sorta eccentric..but then they be yankees. Whut can I say:)

bigwheel


Brining Pork is new to me, do you get the same results as with poultry??

[Greg in Jersey]

Shakes Honey Brine was as big a hit as the Pepsi one if not bigger. The third one was delicious but had a pork taste closer to the bone.

Brining hams was an experience, I will do it again but I'll brine them for two days minimum next time.

[TexLaw]

Redneck,

I haven't noticed the texture change in brined pork like you get with brined poultry, but I do notice that it stays more moist and tender, even when overcooked. The longest brine I've done with pork is about 18 hours in a relatively weak brine.


TL