Can you smoke a store bought ham (Spiral or otherwise) ?

[Itsdone]

I've seen hot dogs that were labeled "Uncured Beef Hot Dogs" and the label states things like "Not Preserved" and "No nitrites or nitrates added", with "added" as the key word. However the ingredients list "Cultivated Celery Powder".

Look into a product called EcoCure #1, and #2. It's made by The Sausage Maker and for now... it's alternate for home curing. It has not been approved for commercial use yet. Two Guys and a Cooler are using it in some of their videos. Very pricy.

Funny you should mention vegetable juice cured hams. I use an injectable curing brine with a vegetable broth (Kitchen Basics brand) but it has phosphates, Cure #1, salt and sugar. In a nutshell you inject an amount equal to 10% of the meat weight, then cure for 12 to 14 days. Here is a ham from a pork butt, and the shoulder picnics are just as nice.

If you use some sodium erythorbate along with the cure#1 you can cut the cure time down to 12-24 hours.

 

[Juggy D Beerman]

Airedale, Sorry for the confusion as to uncured and fresh. I am aware of the meat producers loophole with using celery powder as a preservative and not having to claim it such. I should have stated that fresh means no cure, injection or adulteration what so ever. The industry also uses celery powder in the solution that is used for tumbling meats. Don't get me started on tumbled and injected meats. I won't pay for meat that contains that polluted salt water. Meat should not contain an ingredients list........

 

[thirdeye]

If you use some sodium erythorbate along with the cure#1 you can cut the cure time down to 12-24 hours.

You are correct, and some folks use it in frankfurters, bologna etc.

The injection cured hams with long curing times develops a wonderful flavor and texture. This might sound weird, but the salt even softens the fat differently than when using a 5 to 7 day cure. Fat does not contain myoglobin, so the nitrates have no affect on it, however, salt (over time) will change it slightly.