[Mel]

Hi,

My Ham and bacon are ready to be taken out of their curing,however,I understand I need to hang it to allow it to dry off and so forth.I have converted an old shed to use for curing and smoking-and I have a rail in there to hang it,problem is,is this weather,do you think it would freeze inside a shed considering we are just about to have another cold spell?

[Eve]

If meat has only just cured and still drying or resting before smoking or cooking, then I just leave it uncovered in the fridge. The drying for air dried hams and salami's happens up in the loft.

Do you have a thermometer in the shed? I'd imagine that without extra insulation (since you need to keep light out anyway) it might freeze in there. Brrrr....

 

[YorkshireLass]

Is freezing a "deal breaker"?

Do you have an enclosed porch?

[The Mobile Butcher]

Hi,
I have hanged sides of bacon and yorkshire hams out in my shed in freezing conditions, and it never bothered the sides/hams. the main thing I find is long as they are  not touching each another ham/side, and it is a well ventilated building.
Good luck

[Dan]

What Smiffy said. The important thing is ventilation, the air flow will dry the surface and the pellicle will form - this is a layer of protein that prevents fat from getting to the surface and spoiling the meat, and if you're going on to smoke any of it, the pellicle helps the smoke to 'cling' to the surface.

If the surface looks shiny and is just tacky to the touch they're doing fine. 

[robert waddell]

have you done this hanging in Scotland Dan  this is of the hams

[Dan]

Yes, we've done this with bacon and ham in Alloa. Not sure the atmosphere is any different there  the main thing is that it's cool enough and there's sufficient airflow.

[robert waddell]

right it just that others have tried it on the south side of the forth and it did not work       although i met an Italian that was doing it successfully over by kelty but then he had the prior knowledge

you could be right about the atmosphere  to many trees here at alloa you were getting the wind there       or were you trying to crack a joke there

[Dan]

We had the wind and beginner's luck on our side probably. We'll find out when we try it here, although it's fair blowy here too at times. Like I said, I know ventilation is really important, so a damp, still environment is likely to end in disaster.

If it was a joke it wasn't a very good one. 

[robert waddell]

i take it it will be later in the year your next venture into hanging

[Dan]

Yes, once this year's weaners are away in late summer/early autumn, and we've got the smoker setup.

I'm assuming you were talking about the ham and bacon. 

[robert waddell]

yes i was       unless you have something planned

[lill]

Dan, you will need to let us know what like your bacon and hams turn out when you have finished with them,  ;)even putting some photos on, look forward to the end product.

[Dan]

Here's some bacon from a few years ago, after smoking, will be happy if it turns out this well again. 

[lill]

Now Dan who get the praise for this then is it you or Rosemary, whoever it is it's a lovely piece of streaky bacon and looks fab and probably tasted equally as good