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My friend's birthday is on Halloween and he's been doing Halloween themed things for 29 years. Having a costume party birthday is getting a little old, so his girlfriend is arranging a surprise potluck.

I got a 10lb boneless pork shoulder and had the butcher butterfly it. I trimmed it of all exterior fat and cut away any big chunks of internal fat I could find (fat in the bowl on the right). After trimming it was about 8.5 lbs.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/image_zpsnvjbve0n.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/image_zpsnvjbve0n.jpeg.html)

I added cure of kosher salt, brown sugar, and cure #1 in the appropriate ratios for an equilibrium cure. I cut the salt back from 2.25% on my last attempt to 2.00% on this attempt as I found the last batch a little salty. I have not used Tender Quick, but like using cure #1 since salt, sugar, and cure can be controlled individually. Tender Quick is a mixture of salt and sugar with 0.5% each of sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate.

It's not much to look at in the bag.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/image_zps1hx7qkgk.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/image_zps1hx7qkgk.jpeg.html)

Last time I added the spices (garlic and onion powder, paprika, and cayenne) with the cure. This time I will change up the spices but add a thin sprinkling to all surfaces before cooking.

Every day I'll squish the bag around with my hands to distribute any liquid that accumulates to promote even curing.

On Friday, October 30 I'll start a late night smoke with the intention to hit 175 internal by about 3pm. I will double wrap in foil and put in a small cooler with towels to hold temp for the festivities at 6pm on Halloween.

Also, I'm rendering the fat in my cast iron Dutch oven to get some nice lard. That's just chopping the fat (I should have done it more finely) adding a little water, and letting it ride on low heat until the fat chunks have melted and there are crispy bits left, then strain and cool.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/image_zpsuhwjfssk.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/image_zpsuhwjfssk.jpeg.html)

I'll update as the fat renders and cools, and as I start the smoke and finally slice it at the party.

Greasy pork fat hands make for blurry pics.... I'll make sure they are in better focus for the smoke and slice....

Here is the the rendered pork fat (lard):

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/image_zpskz4m79qu.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/image_zpskz4m79qu.jpeg.html)

Here are the cracklings:

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/image_zps36mcaodu.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/image_zps36mcaodu.jpeg.html)

In an ideal world you run the fat through a coffee filter or a couple layers of cheesecloth. I was a little lazy and/or out of both of those things so I just used the metal mesh strainer. There will be a little tiny bit of small particulate at the bottom when it cools tomorrow and turns white, but it doesn't bother me - I use lard in meat based applications where I don't mind a little "meaty" flavor. You can use lard in place of butter in pie dough or other baking uses, and for that you would want to completely strain it to be left with a very clean and pure lard.

I salted the cracklings while they were still warm and will let them cool over night, then use them on salads or really any place that you could use bacon bits.

Photo of cooled lard coming in the AM.

I really like that you are using everything. Good job.

I'll be following this.  After 3 very successful Bacon cures I really want to try Ham.

Here is the cooled lard. It makes awesome fried eggs, smashed potatoes, rub on chicken skin.... it's pretty awesome stuff.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshkx8eita.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshkx8eita.jpeg.html)

Here is a picture of the sediment at the very bottom - a coffee filter will take care of that if it's important to you.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsuhao4eth.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsuhao4eth.jpeg.html)

I also can't wait to see how all this turns out! I appreciate the way you have been posting some really cool curing cooks, inspiring for sure.

Starting the smoke this morning, cooker preheating.

Here's the boneless cured butt. I put a thin layer of salt free rub (white and brown sugar, garlic and onion powder, black and white pepper, cayenne, paprika, cumin, coriander) on the inside of the butterflied rub, then held it together with a boatload of Arcitec silicon bands.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/image_zpsxgv0au8t.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/image_zpsxgv0au8t.jpeg.html)

All rubbed up

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/image_zpswkywqcwr.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/image_zpswkywqcwr.jpeg.html)

Chimney going. Snake set up with some bottom of the bag pecan dust with apple and cherry chunks

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/image_zpsbst7nnnb.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/image_zpsbst7nnnb.jpeg.html)

Almost to temp and will be on soon. I'll update throughout.

Awesome, can't wait to see how this one turns out!

Internal temp has gone from 40 degrees to 140 degrees in 4 hours. Running 255. I expect a stall sometime in the next 2 hours.

Timing was perfect. It hit 185 at 2:30 PM. It stalled a bit at 162 and around 175 but overall it was a pretty slow, consistent climb. Temps held steady between 240 and 260 with minor adjustments.

It's in the faux cambro now. I probably won't get to post sliced pics until tomorrow but here's the finished product

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpskvotvojg.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpskvotvojg.jpeg.html)

Of course I had to snag a bite. It's pretty delicious. It will be served build your own slider style. Kings Hawaiian rolls, mayo, course Dijon mustard, and Swiss cheese.

Looks awesome...185, huh? I've never smoked a ham, always wondered what temp you'd take it to.


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Looks awesome, can't wait to to see the slices! I'm sure it will be a hit at the party.

Now that just looks, looks, er, looks  ...  un-be-liev-able  ...  what can I say ???   Fantastic L&S cook.                           SJ

@jfbincypress it was cured so I called it "ham" but I used a pork shoulder instead of a hind leg. I went to 185 so I could slice it. If I'd gone a little longer I could have pulled it. For a hind leg you would take it to 145 or so.

The shoulder ham was a great success! The folks at the party annihilated all that I put out (had to save a small chunk from the drunks to leave with the birthday boy!)

185 worked great for slicing. The double wrap, cooler, with towels kept it hot for 4 hours. I served it with sweet Hawaiian rolls, Swiss cheese, and course Dijon mustard but the slider wasn't greater than the sum of the parts because the ham itself was soo good. The salt free rub helped make an awesome bark.

I really only got one pic but it's a pretty good one. Now I'm not sure if I want to do a true ham (pig hind leg) for Thanksgiving or stick with the shoulder. I just don't think it can be beat for flavor and tenderness.

(http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/austingaydos/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsn1ftrchn.jpeg) (http://s569.photobucket.com/user/austingaydos/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsn1ftrchn.jpeg.html)

Looks awesome @austin87. Makes sense on the temp, now...I just pulled a brisket I cured for corned beef, starting the boil now. Should make a great mid-afternoon sandwich, and a few breakfasts skillets this week.


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Damn man! That looks incredible!

Hey @austin87 , what's the recipe for the cure?
This looks too good!

Whoa!  Great cook!!!!! 


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@WNC it's easy but requires a cheap digital kitchen scale and cure #1. Both can be found on Amazon. I think my scale was $20 and cure #1 was $5-6 and cures hundreds of pounds of meat. Cure #1 goes by brand names Prague Powder #1, InstaCure #1, and a few others. The important thing is that it is 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% sodium chloride (regular salt). It's dyed pink so it's not confused with salt or sugar. Please be careful using it. Use as directed and make sure you check your work. Nitrites can be toxic/lethal at high levels. That said, just be careful and you'll be completely fine. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

De-bone and butterfly your pork shoulder. Trim off all exterior fat and cut out any big chunks of interior fat. There's plenty of intramuscular fat to keep it extremely juicy and tender.

Weigh your meat and write it down. Use grams. Your scale will have that as an option and it makes the math way easier.

The weight of salt, sugar, and cure #1 are based on the weight of the meat.

0.025% cure #1
2.00% salt (I used kosher, any non-iodized salt will work)
3.00% sugar (I used dark brown, but you could use white, light brown, turbinado, etc.)

Mix all the cure ingredients together really well and rub all over the meat and put it in a large ziplock bag. If any cure falls off, make sure you scrape that into the bag too. Squeeze out all the air and seal. Put it in a bowl or bag just in case it leaks and put the whole thing in the fridge. Every couple of days squish the bag around and flip it over to help distribute the liquid that forms in the bag and promote even curing (don't pour off this liquid). Wait 10-14 days. You cannot over cure. If it's in there 3 weeks it will still be fine but I probably wouldn't go longer than that.

After its fully cured, rinse it really well under cold water to remove excess surface salt. Dry it off, tie it up, add a salt free rub, and smoke like you would a normal pork shoulder. 185 internal worked really well for slicing. There is no reason you couldn't cook it a little longer until it is ready to pull and make "pulled ham".

Here are the actual numbers I used for this cook:

Boneless, trimmed pork shoulder: 3632 grams (8 lbs exactly after trimming)
Cure #1: 9 grams
Kosher salt: 72 grams (total, see note below)
Dark brown sugar: 109 grams

***since cure #1 is 93.75% salt, you need to account for that or your salt percentages will be high. 93.75% of 9 grams is 8.4 grams of salt (can be rounded to 8 grams). Since the cure #1 has 8 grams of salt in it, we need 64 grams of additional salt to equal 72 grams.


Remember, cure #1 is used at the rate of 1 teaspoon to cure 5 pounds of meat. 9 grams of cure #1 is less than 1 tablespoon by volume, so just make sure you check the math and use common sense. You can also scale the percentages of salt and sugar up or down based on personal preferences, but do not change the percentage of cure #1 unless you know what you are doing. I have done a lot of online research and read a couple books on the subject and I'm not yet comfortable changing the amount of cure #1.

If anyone has any questions I would be more than happy to help. Feel free to PM me or start a new discussion so people can see and learn from questions. I think curing is really fun and pretty easy with a little bit of knowledge.

@austin87 thanks for the write up and info! I'm definitely gonna have to try this, and might have to hit you up if I have further questions.

That ham looks so good!

Excellent post Austin87

Bravo, sir!,




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