Name: Bear Ham (Cured and Smoked)
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 15-20 lb bear hindquarter, bone-in; 3 lbs kosher salt; 1 lb brown sugar; 2 oz pink curing salt (Prague Powder #2); 2 tbsp black pepper, coarse ground; 2 tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp bay leaves, ground; *European Ham Method**; 1. **Initial Curing** (4-6 weeks):; - Bury ham completely in cure mixture; - **Turn weekly**: Ensures even curing; - **Weight loss**: 15-20% weight loss expected; 2. **Washing and Drying**:; - Rinse thoroughly, scrub off cure residue; - **Air drying**: Hang in cool, humid environment; - **Pellicle formation**: Surface should become tacky; 3. **Cold Smoking** (2-4 weeks):; - Cold smoke at 80-90°F with hardwood; - **Patience**: Cannot rush traditional process; - **Monitoring**: Check regularly for proper development; 4. **Aging Process** (6-12 months):; - Hang in controlled environment; - **Temperature**: 55-65°F with 70-80% humidity; - **Weight loss**: Target 35-40% total weight loss; *Service**: Slice paper-thin like prosciutto; *Storage**: Properly aged ham keeps 1-2 years; ##

Initial Curing (4-6 weeks):
- Bury ham completely in cure mixture
- Turn weekly: Ensures even curing
- Weight loss: 15-20% weight loss expected
Washing and Drying:
- Rinse thoroughly, scrub off cure residue
- Air drying: Hang in cool, humid environment
- Pellicle formation: Surface should become tacky
Cold Smoking (2-4 weeks):
- Cold smoke at 80-90°F with hardwood
- Patience: Cannot rush traditional process
- Monitoring: Check regularly for proper development
Aging Process (6-12 months):
- Hang in controlled environment
- Temperature: 55-65°F with 70-80% humidity
- Weight loss: Target 35-40% total weight loss

Service: Slice paper-thin like prosciutto

Bear Ham (Cured and Smoked)

1Setup & Prepare

2Ingredients

Shopping List

3Cooking Instructions

4Chef's Notes & Pairings

5Interactive Recipe Tools

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My Recipe Notes

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6Reviews & Ratings