To speed up curing, most commercial packers pump brine into the hams
and shoulders. Brine pumping can be used in conjunction with the other
methods, or alone. Pumping requires special needles and a pump (hand
or electric) to ensure proper distribution of the brine. The brine
solution is prepared using the 8:3:1.18 mixture previously outlined.
Two pounds of this cure mixture are dissolved in 1 gallon of cold
water and the meat pumped with brine equivalent to 10 percent of its
weight. Pumping may be accomplished by using the artery or stitch
method. The femoral artery of the ham is located above the big flat
bone which is cut when the ham is separated from the carcass. The
artery is about halfway between the cut surface of the bone and the
point of the aitch bone. With small forceps, you can clamp the end of
the artery and push tissue and loose fat away so the pumping needle
can be inserted. Stitch pumping is not as effective as artery pumping
but is more so than either dry or pickle cure. Stitch pumping is
accomplished with a spray needle by pumping along the bone, around the
joints, and vertically in thicker, lean parts of the ham or picnic.
Cuts should be stored for a day to allow the cure to equilibrate prior
to smoking.