beery ham.

[captain wassname]

After what I considered a success with the beer and chocolate sausage I am considering a beer ham.
I have come by a reduced price lump of loin.
Im thinking of a combination cure maybe l.5% salt and 1% sugar.
Im going to use a Belgian abbey beer that went into the sausage as I thought a dark beer may be a bit much.
Though to be fair Im using a 6%injection and the sausage had over 20% beer.
Also I would like a bit of pepper in there.
Is it best to rub the pepper in and what sort of quantity to give a hint and not much more?
Also with a low salt cure would I be better of rubbing moer than half (to help the pepper)?
The intention is to cut a steak off and fry this would be another bacon chop,the rest I would simmer as any other ham and maybe bake after.
All thoughts,observations and ridicule are most welcome

Jim

[quietwatersfarm]

Hi Jim,

Does the beer go in 'as is' or cooked first? assuming the former - just wondering whether you can infuse the beer with the pepper first somehow.

Sounds nice, but possible quite bitter? might need a tad more sweetness (something malty perhaps?)

[wheels]

What about trying a Hawkshead Brodie's Prime or similar - dark beer works well. The only issue I see is minor and it's that I prefer a chop (or similar) to be slightly more salty than I do a cold slicing ham.

I've only done beer cures by immersion curing so look forward to hearing about this.

Phil

[captain wassname]

Ive thought a bit more How about I rub the salt,sugar and cure as you would with a dry cure and then inject the beer
I like the idea of smashing up a couple of peppercorns and leaving them to infuse.
So how long?.
Phil if youve been happy with the Hakeshead Ill give it a go.Thinking about it the Belgian abbey beer sausage,it had chocolate in it.
The bacon chop is just a free experiment so as to speak the others Ive done have been sweetcured with maple sugar and (better) honey Its the ham Im really interested in.

Jim

[wheels]

I didn't use the Hawkshead Jim - but I used one very like it - Nethergate Growler.

Phil

[quietwatersfarm]

if you can be bothered I would toast the peppercorns to get some oils loosened up and then drop them hot into the beer the night before you mix your brine.

I too have only used beer in longer immersion cures so am very interested in how the flavour comes through on this one

[captain wassname]

Im happy injecting and mixing and matching with combination curing.
When I was immersion curing using 2-1 method I found that joints at about 1kg gained about 6% hence my 6% injection.
I suppose I could go to 8 or 10%.
Ill try the toasting. need to pick up the beer tomorrow .
Oops toast the peppercorns and throw them in the beer or crush.?
Thanks.
Jim

[captain wassname]

Just done the deed went with 1.75% salt(inc cure) and 1% sugar. beer was Cumbrian Legendary Ales dark ale Grasmoor infused with a couple of crushed peppercorns .
Rubbed all the dry stuff then injected the beer at 10%

Jim

[quietwatersfarm]

cheers

[captain wassname]

Thanks.The other 400 ml went down well,and quickly

Jim

[wheels]

It's funny how there's always some let over!

[NCPaul]

Another benefit of injection curing.

[captain wassname]

Be fair chaps I did up the injection from 6 to 10%. Im turning it twice a day to try and get the beer well distributed.
I injected some treacle once and though the taste was good I got blotches of colour through the ham.

Jim

[wheels]

Yes, you have to be careful what you inject; I got black marks in a ham because I used powdered allspice instead of crushed berries.

Phil

[captain wassname]

Here it is.No sign of dark ale.I will have the rather thin chop for breakfast or brunch with an egg and post back re taste.

Jim