# Horse bone ham tester



## tkern (May 9, 2012)

Traditionally a thin horse bone is used to poke curing hams in certain area to be sniffed and ascertained whether that ham is going in the right direction or is spoiling. Does anyone know a place where one can purchase said horse bone? I've checked sausage/ham forums and they all talk about it but no one seems to know where to get one.


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## Deckhand (May 9, 2012)

Maybe someone has a friend in Parma for a horse bone needle. Good luck


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## sachem allison (May 9, 2012)

deer bones work well also


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## Deckhand (May 9, 2012)

sachem allison said:


> deer bones work well also



To be a master there is 15 years training for your olfactory. Please tell me you didn't do this too:biggrin:


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## sachem allison (May 9, 2012)

:dontknow::scratchhead: go to , http://www.hideandfur.com/ go to the skull and bones section, scroll down to moose: misc. bones, scroll down to foot spur bones and there you go.


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## sachem allison (May 9, 2012)

Deckhand said:


> To be a master there is 15 years training for your olfactory. Please tell me you didn't do this too:biggrin:


don't remember.


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## brainsausage (May 9, 2012)

tkern said:


> Traditionally a thin horse bone is used to poke curing hams in certain area to be sniffed and ascertained whether that ham is going in the right direction or is spoiling. Does anyone know a place where one can purchase said horse bone? I've checked sausage/ham forums and they all talk about it but no one seems to know where to get one.



I've always just used a metal skewer on my hams. I can see the reasoning behind the bone, as it's porous and would likely pick up more scent, but I've gotten a solid 'cured' odor off of a metal skewer. Never had any hams go south, but imagine the rot would be just as apparent if not much more so. Hope this helps.


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## tkern (May 9, 2012)

brainsausage said:


> I've always just used a metal skewer on my hams. I can see the reasoning behind the bone, as it's porous and would likely pick up more scent, but I've gotten a solid 'cured' odor off of a metal skewer. Never had any hams go south, but imagine the rot would be just as apparent if not much more so. Hope this helps.


 I think the same but I'm curious to see if there is a difference.


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## sachem allison (May 9, 2012)

tkern said:


> I think the same but I'm curious to see if there is a difference.



I think they used horse bones more out of tradition, than anything, this goes back to the time of the Romans. copper, bronze or iron would give off a distinct metallic smell when pulled out and may also react with the salt in the cure. since, stainless steel didn't exist then and they ate a lot of horses why not keep the tradition alive, besides the bones were a free by product of the time. In the south I have seen them use Raccoon baculums (penile bones) to test hams, so the tradition lives on. You are going to have great difficulty finding Horse splint bones for sale here in the states. people don't want us killing horses for food here.


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## sachem allison (May 19, 2012)

Alright, Travis

If you are still in need of horse bone needles, I got two of them. Let me know and I'll send them out.


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## Deckhand (May 19, 2012)

sachem allison said:


> Alright, Travis
> 
> If you are still in need of horse bone needles, I got two of them. Let me know and I'll send them out.



Your amazing


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## sachem allison (May 19, 2012)

lol, just persistent . these two are small ones, but should get the job done, they are 6 1/4 inches long and came off of an Apache friend of mine's pony ranch.


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## WildBoar (May 20, 2012)

Son: If you bring them to the ECG I can hand them off to travis after I get back.


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## sachem allison (May 20, 2012)

i was just thinking that


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## sachem allison (May 20, 2012)

WildBoar said:


> Son: If you bring them to the ECG I can hand them off to travis after I get back.



I can't figure out how to get to plainfield or whatever it is from here. I went to the port authority bus terminal website,but the one carrier who is supposed to go there doesn't have it listed on their schedule. I'll keep looking. otherwise I'll see if I can hitch a ride with theory.


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## WildBoar (May 20, 2012)

Son, since I'm not from up that way my knowledge is a bit limited. We'll be leaving from Green Brook/ Dunnellen. It is a little south of Plainfield/ West Plainfield/ Scotch Plains. Theory works in that same area.

Since it looks like there may be two caravans from up north, hopefully you can get in on one of those. Otherwise we can work something out to meet you somewhere along the way (even if it's a lot closer to Philidelphia).


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## tkern (May 20, 2012)

Apparently I haven't been checking my own threads enough and didnt see your offer of horse bone. Yes, I'd love to have one and I trust David enough to provide them with safe passage. Though I wouldn't put it past him randomly shank meandering pigs with it in the PA area.


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## WildBoar (May 20, 2012)

Ooooooh, are there pigs in PA?!? I'm gonna need a bigger cooler...


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## JohnnyChance (May 21, 2012)

Why doesn't Travis just come to the ECG as well? Problem solved.


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## tkern (May 21, 2012)

Travis must work that day.


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## WildBoar (May 21, 2012)

Geeze Travis, that's a nasty cough you have there! Boy, it sounds like you have some sort of very contageous malady developing, that will likely peak in about 1-1/2 weeks. I'll bet they would not want you working in the kitchen when you are sick like that! :knight:


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