Bun-wich Deli Meat

Step 1

Prep the meat for each mixture.  I use a coarse grinder for both the cube meat and coarse ground as it takes less time.  As this will be very low fat, you may want to add in extra pork fat to each mixture.  Keep the weight the same.

Step 2

Season each mix with its ingredients. Mix thoroughly.  It is imperative to get the Instacure evenly distributed. Rest for one hour in the fridge.

Step 3

Combine all three mixes until well combined. Rest for one hour in the fridge, then mix again.  A silicone spatula works well for this.

Step 4

Grease your ham press. Gently press the mixture into the ham press. Do this in small batches, pressing down well to ensure there are as few air bubbles as possible.

Step 5

Set the filled press in the fridge while your sous vide heats, or overnight.  I prefer to rest mine overnight.

Step 6

Set the sous vide to 163 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 7

Put the ham press in the sous vide. You want the water just above the level of the meat in the press, but not over the top as the water will spill in and ruin the meat.

Step 8

Cook in the sous vide until the internal temperature reaches about 158 Fahrenheit. This took about 2 hours or my mixtures.  I recommend a meat thermometer.

Step 9

Remove the ham and let it cool on the counter for 20 minutes.

Step 10

Put the press in the fridge to finish cooling for 3-4 hours or overnight.  Do not remove the ham from the press yet.

Step 11

Remove the ham from the press.  You may have some gelatin that has leached from the meat in the press.  If it's particularly hard to remove the ham, run warm water on the outside to loosen it.

Step 12

If you’d like to slice the meat thin, set it in the freezer until partially frozen, then use a very sharp knife or a meat slicer to get the slices you desire.