Comfort Food, Great Leftovers
This isn’t really a ham, but a smoked pork tenderloin with a great hamlike flavor that spends only 16 to 24 hours in the cure. It’s a perfect recipe for beginners. Dick Vennerbeck is one of my buddies who loves making sausage.
Makes 1¾ to 5 pounds
INGREDIENTS:
- 1- to 1½-pound pork tenderloins
- ½ recipe Basic Wet Brine made with Insta Cure No. 1
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Follow the directions in step 1 for Home-Cured Bacon, curing the tenderloins for 16 to 24 hours.
- Remove the tenderloins from the brine, rinse, and pat dry. Smoke. Cool to room temperature, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
(Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.) - To roast the tenderloins, preheat the oven to 225°F.
- Put the tenderloins on a baking sheet and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F to 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. Eat as is or wrap and chill, then slice and use cold in sandwiches.
COOK’S NOTES:
- Vary the brine as suggested in the Cook’s Notes following the bacon recipe. I particularly like using honey or maple syrup in the cure for this.
