Ingredients:
3/4 oz (20 g) salt
5 cups beer
10-12 lb. (5-6 kg) pork leg
3 tablespoons pimento(allspice), crushed
1 cup molasses
1 small piece of ginger
Directions:
- 1. Put the first five ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Wipe the leg of pork clean with a cloth dipped in vinegar, pour over the cool liquid, and refrigerate.
- 2. The curing time will be 2 days per 1 lb (500 g) of meat. Turn the meat every other day so that each side is well saturated with the brine.
- 3. If the ham is to be smoked, remove it from the brine, wipe it dry and weigh it. To smoke, hang it near a hardwood fire or in a smoke box, which should not generate heat higher than 75-85° F, 24-29° C. Twenty-four hours of continuous smoking should produce a 25 per cent weight loss, which indicates that smoking is complete.
Bon Appetit!