Part two: the brine

Since we do not have weeks to hang a ham on a smokehouse, we decided to brine the ham.

We also did not have days and days to soak it in salt, and internet sources are conflicted on the length of time that you shoudl brine a ham anyway. Ours was in the solution for 12 hours. Worst case scenario? Our ham tastes like a smoked pork roast.

Here is how the non-injection brining method works. Basically, meat has natural salts in it, so if you soak it in a mixture with a higher concetration of salt than the meat has, your brine mixture is drawn into the meat to equalize the salt contentration. Any other things you add, such as spices, is also drawn into the meat.

Nicole Sauce's Brining Recipe

Per one gallon water, add:
1 cup salt
1/2 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup turkish peppers
1 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sage