Slow Roasted Pit Ham Master Recipe

Slow Roasted Pit Ham, from The Founding Farmers Cookbook


2T whole juniper berries
7 1/2c cold water
1/2 c packed dark brown sugar
1/4c honey
2 1/2T pink curing salt
4 1/2T kosher salt
2T caraway seeds
15 cloves garlic, minced
1 (9-10# boneless pork butt)


Smash and toast juniper berries. Place in 3-gallon lidded container that will fit in the fridge. Add water, brown sugar, honey, salts, caraway, and garlic. Whisk til salts dissolve. Submerge pork in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for three days.
Heat oven to 300*F. Remove butt from brine and place in roasting pan. Roast for 3-4 hours (12-15min/pound) until internal temperature registers 145*F. Remove ham from oven and rest (tented) for 30 minutes.

15 March 2015

Ham test #1




Recipe from the Founding Farmers Cookbook.


Slow Roasted Pit Ham
1T juniper berries, toasted and crushed
3.75ccold water
1/4c packed brown sugar
1/8c honey
1 1/4T curing salt (#1)
2 1/4T kosher salt
1T caraway seeds
7 cloves garlic, minced
4.5# boneless pork shoulder blade roast




Brined roast for approximately 36 hours (about 8 hours per pound). It was not quite long enough. Next test will be 12 hours per pound. We shall also smoke half of it.

Tomatillo Salsa Master Recipe

Tomatillo Salsa, from a box of Ball canning rings. Also in the Blue Book.


5 1/2c chopped, cored, husked tomatillos (about 2#)
1c chopped onion
1c chopped green chiles
4 cloves garlic, minced
2T minced cilantro
2tsp cumin
1/2tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper
1c vinegar
1/4c lime juice


Combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. JSP/RWB/15(8oz).


We haven't ever cored the tomatillos.

Shirley Sauce Master Recipe

Hot Orange Seedless Shirley Sauce, from Pickles to Relish by Beverly Ellen Schoonmaker Alfeld


12 large Lemon Boy or orange tomatoes
2 large onions, diced
12 large jalapeno of Serrano peppers
2c sugar
2c red wine vinegar
2T pickling salt


Skin and seed tomatoes, cook all ingredients until thick. JSP/RWB10(4oz)15(8oz)20(16oz)A*


By using seed catalogs, I have determined the average weights of the tomatoes, peppers, and onions, and have come up with this:

(12) large Lemon Boy tomatoes = 5.25#
(2) large onions = 1.5#
(12) large jalapeno chiles = 6oz
(12) large Serrano chiles = 2.5oz


We usually run the tomatoes through the saucemaster and coarsely chop the peppers. Using paste-type tomatoes definitely results in a more ketchup-y flavor. We have used yellow tomatoes, but think the reds are prettier.


*JSP/RWB10(4oz)15(8oz)20(16oz)A = Jar Seal Process/Rolling Water Bath 10min for 4oz jars, 15 minutes for 8oz jars, and 20 minutes for 16oz jars Adjust for altitude.

• At 1,001 to 3,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 5min
• At 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 10min
• At 6,001 to 8,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 15min
• At 8,001 to 10,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 20min