Cured Lamb Ham Recipes

HOME-CURED HOLIDAY HAM

Steps:

• Place kosher salt, brown sugar, pickling spice, and pink salt in a container large enough to hold the brine and the ham.
• Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and pour over the brine ingredients; whisk to dissolve. Pour in 1 gallon fresh cold water to cool down the mixture.
• Score the skin side of the pork roast with a sharp knife. Cut into the fat beneath the skin but not into the meat. Score about 1 inch apart, then score in the opposite direction to get the classic diamond-shaped pattern.
• Lower scored roast into the cooled brine, skin side up. Use a plate to weigh down the roast so that it cures fully submerged in the liquid. Refrigerate for 1 day for every 2 pounds of pork (for a 7 pound roast, cure for at least 2 1/2 days). Turn the roast over halfway through the brining process.
• Remove roast from brining liquid. Discard the brining liquid and transfer the roast back to the brining container. Cover the roast with fresh cold water to rinse off some of the salt. Depending on how salty you want your ham, you can soak it for just a few minutes or overnight. Remove roast from the water and blot dry with paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add a cup of water to a roasting pan with 2 whole star anise. Place roast on a rack in the roasting pan.
• Roast until ham reaches an internal temperature of 130 to 135 degrees F, about 2 hours. Ham will not be fully cooked at this point. If water has nearly evaporated, add a splash more. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Continue to roast until skin is browned and crispy and ham reaches an internal temperature of 145 to 150 degrees F.
• To make the optional glaze, mix the mustard, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and salt together in a bowl. Brush glaze on the ham at this point, not before. Return roast to oven for about 5 minutes to crisp it even further.

SMOKED LAMB HAM

Steps:

• Trim the lamb of any sinew, gristle or bone but leave the fat.
• Combine 8 cups water, both salts, the sugar, bourdon, syrup, cloves, juniper, bay leave and thyme in a saucepot over high heat. Bring to a boil and wisk to make sure the salt and sugar dissolves; this will be the brine. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature over an ice bath.
• Place the lamb into the curing brine, using a plate as a weight if necessary to ensure that the lamb is fully submerged. Cure overnight and no more than 14 hours in the fridge.
• Remove the lamb from the cure and pat dry, removing any herbs or spices. Leave uncovered at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Roll the lamb into a uniform cylinder, fat-side out, and secure tightly with butcher's twine.
• Prepare a smoker. Smoke the lamb until the internal temperature of 155 degrees F is reached.