Hams Update

 

Well they got in a day late. Said we missed cut off. But real nice hide
on fresh ham legs. Majestic cuts these for us if anyone is interested.



Mixed the honey and the brown sugar, dropped in a little ground nutmeg,
ground up some clove and a little ginger shredded in to balance things
out. Salt, pink salt and dextrose and mix that in 5 gallons. Stitch
pumped the hams along the bones and in the joint area. Then into my
Teflon cure tubes and pour the rest of the pickle over the top. Lid the
thing in the walk-in and see you at 5 pm to haul over once. Then again on
Friday for a haul over.



I really like working in the kitchen early in the morning. None of the
normal background noise of caterings getting ready and stuff being
packaged. Just some coffee and time to think about putting together the
perfect product for this years Christmas Hams. hope the brown sugar will
bring just a hint of molasses under the clove to really excite the outer
edges of the tongue and the tip when they are being tasted. Funny when
the hams are in the pickle there is nothing you can do at that point to
change things. Your product has to be thought through before you mix the
first ingredient. If not at the end of the five day cure period you may
have just made pork into something inedible.



Have a great Thanksgiving and take the time to really think about what
you have to be Thankful for, it will make you appreciate the holiday
that much more!



Me, I am doing the normal Turkey thing tomorrow, but Friday I am taking
the kids and my wife to Denver to see The Phantom of The Opera. I had my
wife to it opening week in New York years ago. Of course Mama Leone's
was still open then so the meal was great as well as the play. This year
I think the Vesta Dipping grill will get the meal duty in Denver and the
play I am sure will be great!



Take it easy!

Chef Bob Ballantyne

The Cowboy and The Rose Catering

Grand Junction, Colorado, USA