How to Sugar Cure Smoked Venison Ham

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Things You'll Need

  • Smoked venison meat

  • Sugar

  • 4 lbs. salt, non-iodized

  • 1 1/2 lb. white or brown sugar

  • 3 oz. saltpeter

  • Refrigerator

  • Deep baking dish

  • Cold water

  • Towels

Curing meat is one of the oldest cooking and preservation techniques in the world. It works especially well with venison, and the method of sugar curing provides a more delicate and sweeter flavor to the meat rather than curing with salt. If the meat is already smoked, this makes the sugar curing process a little easier

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Step 1

Mix the sugar, salt and saltpeter together thoroughly. Make 1 1/2 oz. of the mixture per pound of venison meat. Rub this mixture thoroughly all over the outside of the meat to create a light crust.

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Step 2

Wrap the venison in a burlap bag tightly and securely, and place in a deep baking pan. Put this pan in the refrigerator or another cool place where the temperature ranges from 38 to 40 degrees F. Place it in the cool place immediately so the meat can begin to chill.

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Step 3

Remove the venison after 7 days, unwrap it and rub some more of the sugar cure all over the venison meat. On average, you should leave the meat to cure at the rate of 2 days per pound of meat. It is necessary that the venison be curing for at least 25 days, so keep this in mind.

Step 4

Remove the venison from the refrigerator when you are done sugar curing it. Unwrap it from the burlap and rinse the meat under cold water, brushing off any granules or chunks of salt.

Step 5

Place on a soft towel to dry.

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