Wet Curing Hams

See the video here!

Start out with some nice shoulder picnics.  I find these are just the right size for a pot of potatoes and green beans.

You're going to need these ingredients along with a good injector with a long needle on it.  Do not use iodized salt.  If you don't want to use nitrites you can substitute creme of tartar.

Combine
1½ cups of kosher salt
2 cups of brown sugar
2 tblspns of pink salt (insta cure #1)

Add 2 cups of water and blend all ingredients together until dissolved.

Place your hams in a container with a lid that seals and that is large enough to hold the meat completely submerged in the brine, but, small enough to fit in your fridge or a cooler. Add the cold brine to the water and mix well.  Use a large injector to inject the brine in around the bone from both ends, prevents bone taint, and into the large muscles.  Completely cover the meat with the brine adding water as needed.  I use a sanitized cooler which I keep outside in the winter and monitor its temperature.

Keep it in the fridge or a cooler until done. Ideally you want this to be at 38° - 44°f, lower will shut down the curing and higher can rot the meat.  I shake it up every day to make sure the sugar etc. stays in solution. It will cure at the rate of 2 pounds per day. A large ham will take about a week.  After it's done wipe it dry and let it sit overnight in the fridge to form pellicle, little droplets, on the surface.  This will hold the smoke so don't wipe them off.

Smoke skin side down at 120°f using hickory for 12 hours.  Turn over half way though smoking.

You now have your smoked and cured ham ready for cooking in a pot of potatoes and green beans.  You won't believe the incredible smell of hickory you'll have throughout the house when cooking one of these babies!!  It's awesome!!