How to Cure and Smoke Your Own Meats

In the days before man had refrigerators, curingoverflow and a mess.As mentioned earlier, if you are
meats guaranteed a supply of meat throughout thein a time crunch and can't wait 4 or 5 days, you can
summer months when food poisoning from spoilageinject the turkey, chicken, bacon or ham with the
was a constant and ever-present danger. Evenbrine/curing solution using an amount equal to 1/10th
today, where proper refrigeration methods areof the meats weight. For example, a 10 lb. ham
readily available, cured meats are still an excellent andwould require 1 pound of brine for proper injection.
wonderfully tasty way to create your very ownAfter injecting the meat, place it in ice-cold water for
restaurant or deli quality meats.In order to cure and3-4 hours. Remove the meat from the water and
smoke your own meats, you will need a few thingssubmerge in the brine solution, keeping both the brine
first. Obviously you will need something to holdand meat at 38-40F for at least 48 hours.Once the
everything in, so get a container made of stainlesscuring process has completed, thoroughly wash the
steel, glass, or plastic. Additionally, it must be largemeat in cold water. If your smoker is large enough to
enough to hold the brine solution plus the meat.allow for hanging, such as in a vertical smoker or in a
Aluminum, tin, or copper can react with the saltssmokehouse, take the meat and place it in a smoking
used in curing and cause the meat take on an offbag or hang it with hooks.Tip: To prevent the bag
flavor and color. Food safe plastic buckets arefrom sticking and for easy removal, pre-soak the
perfect for this method.The brine curing processsmoking bag in vinegar. Place in a smoker which has
takes a number of days, so if you are in more of abeen pre-heated to 130 F and heat at this
hurry, the next item on your list should be a meattemperature for 1 hour with the damper open. Close
Injector or pump. This is essentially a big syringe, or adamper and apply smoke for 4 hours at 130 F. Raise
pump system, that allows you to distribute pickletemperature to 150 F and hold for 4 hours.When
ingredients evenly throughout the interior of thecooking bacon, remove it from the smoker when the
meat to assist in protection from harmful microbes.internal temperature reaches 135 F. For ham, turkey
This process also allows the curing to begin on theor chicken, raise the temperature to 180 - 185 F and
inside of the meat and work outwards, while thehold until the internal temperature of the meat
brine will cure from the outside in. Together thesereaches 160 F. Measure the internal temperature of
two elements will provide an even cure even withthe turkey or chicken by inserting the thermometer
the the required wait times reduced significantly.Ainto the breast or the ball and socket joint of the
smoker is obviously something that you have tothigh, making sure not to come into contact with any
obtain as well. Without it, it is pretty much impossiblebones. Measure the internal temperature of your ham
to smoke a piece of meat!Now that you havein the thickest part.Once the meat has reached
everything you need, lets create our cure.Ingredientstemperature, remove it from the smoker and
for 5 Gallons Of Brine/Curing Solution - If you willimmediately wrap in foil to rest. This resting period will
require more than 5 gallons, this recipe is easilyallow the juices within the meat to distribute
doubled and tripled. If you don't need a full 5 gallons,themselves throughout so they do not simply pour
you can cut this recipe in half or even one-quarter.out when you cut the meat. Let the meat cool until
You can brine as much product as you can submergethe internal temperature drops to 100 F, then cut into
in your brine (without overcrowding).A GOLDEN RULEportions for freezing or serve.Using cures will cause
OF CURING YOU MUST REMEMBER: DON'T SAVEthe meat to turn pink in color, which is perfectly
OR RE-USE THE BRINE - IT SHOULD ONLY BE USEDnormal and safe. If this change in color is not desired,
ONE TIME!!! THE RISK OF CROSS CONTAMINATIONor you do not wish to use curing products, they can
AND ILLNESS IS TOO GREAT TO EVEN THINKbe eliminated from your ingredients. We recommend
ABOUT RE-USING YOUR BRINE!!!5 Gallons Water1 Lb.using the cure, as this will enhance the flavor of the
Canning Salt 1 Lb. Cure 1-1/2 Lb. Dextrose or Cornmeat, as well as better prevent bacteria and assist in
SugarChill the water to 38 F and dissolve all of thethe smoking process.HOWEVER, if you omit the cure
ingredients listed above in the water to make theyou must preheat the smoker to 180 F and hold the
brine/curing solution. Thoroughly trim the meat of fatproduct at this temperature for 1 full hour. After an
and waste. Once trimmed, wash the turkey, chicken,hour, raise the temperature of your smoker to 200 F
bacon or ham with very cold water in order to keepand cook the meat until the internal temperature
the meat chilled and as close to 38 F asreaches 170 F. Without using curing products you
possible.After washing, submerge the meat in themust cook the meat to these higher temperatures
brine solution for 4-5 days, keeping the meat andto prevent food poisoning. Once the meats have
brine at a steady 38-40 F. To keep the meat fromreached temperature, remove them from the
floating above the brine, place a heavy plate on topsmoker and wrap in foil. Place in a cooler to rest until
to weigh it down. Larger cuts of meat, such asthe juices have had a chance to redistribute
turkeys or hams, should be submerged for 5 days.throughout the meat, and then cut into portions to
Make sure you account for the weight of the meatfreeze or serve.
and the level of brine in your container to prevent