Anybody know how to salt cure and smoke fresh .......pork?.....

Know how to salt cure......don't smoke. What piece of hog meat are you curing? Ham? Sides?

I've got it all from the nose to the tail.

Well, there's been plenty of talk about how to cure a ham...shoulder would be the same. I pack mine down in a salt box and leave them there for 3 weeks or so..depending on the weather. Pull them out and rinse off and cover with borax and let age. Usually sack them to keep the skippers out. Sides can be salted also but usually just put them on a bench or table and rub them down, let sit for 4 or 5 days. Rinse off and let age for a while...not too long as the sides will get strong fast. Trimmings can go into sausage...everything else, ribs, chops, etc. get packaged and put in the freezer. Can add some sugar if you like that..smoking is really to keep the skipper off but some folks like the flavor. You can get a cure mix from Morton that has directions. Not sure what else you need to know.


Elwood

I'm guessing some kind of bug, but what is a "skipper"

A fly-like insect that has ruined more hams that Hormel. They will eat into a ham/shoulder and lay eggs...the new ones ruin the ham. My grandfather always made up a mixture of salt, sugar, red pepper, etc. and rubbed on his hams. He said the red pepper was to give the skippers heartburn. Smoking might keep the skipper off...sacking will for sure. Here...read this:

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/547706/skipper

Elwood

If you can figure out where to do it, you need to stick a knife point into the joint of the shoulder and ham, depending on how you cut them. Then work salt in there. They can sour if no salt reaches them. miles

Miles:

Very true. I've been thinking about using a brining needle and shooting some salted water into the joint area. Usually, if you lose a ham its because the cure didn't get deep enough...

Elwood

I've got this.............

And this..............

Let the practice begin...........

BTW, you skinning or scraping?...............

We always scalded and then scraped ours, and then use a blowtorch to get the last few hairs off the head and other areas.

Skippers are maggots.

You need to work the salt into the hams until your hands are about raw. There was another thread on this about a year ago with a great deal more detail.

I've always skinned so will roll with what i got.
Two quarters from a small hog killed yesterday.

Rubbed down with salt cure...............


Now in the fridge for a week.
Any/all comments/suggestions welcome?.................