Hey fellers, my first post in the recipe/cookin section! I am a avid hunter, along with my wife, we usually take 3-5 deer per year, process them ourselves, grind, can, freeze and so on We grow a huge summer garden and this year winter garden, along with chickens and other livestock, being self sustaining is our hobby. In 2013 I experimented with salt curing a deer loin and chunk of deer ham, worked great! Here in KY, late ML season, I connected on a big ole doe, dressed out#130, huge! I carefully trimmed out all the good cuts, an salt cured with a quick cure, in 2 weeks, yep I said 2 weeks. I then rubbed down with dark brown sugar and black pepper, smoked for 2 hours with hickory chips, man did it turn out swell. Has a light smoky taste, about half as salty as country ham, but taste's just like it. Here is how to do it.
1. Take any major deer part, ham for instance, and bone off the meat, separating each muscle in each quarter and the loins. I then cut them in manageable size chunks, and place them in a large, heavy duty gallon freezer bag, leaving enough room to zip close easily.
2. Weigh your bag. If it weighs #4, put in a heaping tablespoonful of Morton tender quick curing salt, per pound, #4 pounds, 4 heaping tablespoonful's. Zip up and place in your fridge. Every 24 hours, pick up the bag, flip it over, place back into the fridge. Do this for 14 days. After the 2 day, a brine will have formed in the bag, and speeds up the curing process.
3. On day 15, remove from bag and rinse, it is ready to slice and freeze at this point, you have what some folks call buckboard bacon. I rub down with a heavy coat of dark brown sugar, black pepper and smoke for 2 hours, remove, let rest then slice/ freeze. You have a lightly sweet, salty, smoky lean meat that is good on buiscuits, in greens, or just by itself with eggs for breakfast. This works for pork too, did a huge shoulder this year as well.
4. When I cook, I cover in water, bring to a slow bubble, put a lid on for about20 minutes, should be rehydrated and tender, still like country ham. I drain off 90% of any water left, then, sprinkle a little brown sugar on, let caramelize for a few minutes, then serve on
biscuit's.
If someone will send me a phone# or email, and help me post pics, can send 3 or 4! Just thought I would share!