Hard & dry small hams - whats gone wrong?

[floppybackend]

I used the Hugh Furnley Whittingstall cider cure to make 2 big ham legs and for the coming months 3 small hams but from the leg.

So far the 3 small hams in the region of 1kg (boned and rolled) have been hanging in the walk in fridge and are as dry and like cannon balls. I boiled one and it tasted nice but not edible enough to use - dry and tough.

Today I have taken out the two big joints out of the cure and these are drying now.

I cant afford to get these two wrong.

Have I done something wrong or was I using the wrong meat for the small hams - it was late at night and I am new to this but thought as you can buy these tiny hams in the supermarket these would be easy to do aswell? I also left them int he cure for longer than than anticipated.

I have dry cured my bacon and pancetta and these have come out really well.

Any help or feedback really appreciated.

[NCPaul]

Welcome to the forum. You'll need to give us more details about what you did for us to offer advice about the cider cure since only a few have that reference. What is your weight loss?

[wheels]

Hi floppybackend

Welcome. As NCPaul says, more information would be useful. I assume you were/are making a ham for cooking and that it went into a brine?

Can you give details of the ingredients of brine please and their weights, the weight of the pieces of meat, and how much brine each was put in to - or the total amount if they were all cured together.

Then please let us know how long they were in the brine, and how long they have been subsequently drying in your walk-in.

Phew, that's a lot to be going on with!

I ask as it's easier to get all the information in one go rather than piecemeal.

Phil

[DanMcG]

It would also help to know the conditions of your chamber, RH, temp, and air flow.