cut they are vulnerable and must be kept below 40°F. Care must be taken to have the meat thoroughly cooled but not frozen when the mixture is applied nor allowed to freeze if possible after the mixture is applied until curing is complete. Equipment: You will definitely need a kitchen scale for this project. Now mix the brine in a pot and cook up and cook for 10 min. Wood from hardwood species of trees (trees that shed their leaves in the fall) should be used to produce the smoke. A ceramic ramekin or two to set the meat on inside the larger bowl. The product will shrink approximately 8 to 10 percent during cure application and equalization. Use a stiff brush to scrub the surface of the ham; then allow it to dry. On a stove, heat up the water with the salt, sugar, molasses, and ground clove, just until the salt and sugars have dissolved. After the curing the ham may be removed, washed and smoked if desired, or else left in the wrapping for its aging. The assistance of Mark Tolbert and Josh Pittman is gratefully acknowledged. Virginia ham remains one of the favorite foods of Virginians and their guests. Virginia-style hams should be cured for seven days per inch of cushion depth (see figure 3a), or one and a half days per pound of ham. Fresh hams can be purchased from a retail store or a local meatpacker who is under constant inspection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Virginia State Meat Inspection Service. Cook approximately 20 to 25 minutes per pound. Place your ham in the plastic container that you’ll be using to cure it. Smoke it … Chill in the refrigerator overnight. © 2020 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Plastic can be used, but it should be constructed so the water lost by the ham can be drained away from the meat. It may be compared to the aging of cheeses. Do not stack the meat. Take care to pack the exposed end of the shank with the curing mixture to prevent bone sour or spoilage. They will still be vulnerable to mold (which can be scraped off if not too severe). Grind cooked ham to make a ham salad filling. You … As I close the opening of the bag, I tie in some borax to keep out skippers, which are a problem in keeping hams. After the cure is applied, hams can be placed on wooden shelves or in wooden bins. 1 and the second portion on day No. Reserve any excess. Bake until lightly browned in a 375° F oven. Soak the cured ham in a tub of cold water for one hour. Place the ham in a large container, cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a cool place, like the fridge. Virginia Cooperative Extension does not endorse these products and does not intend discrimination against other products that may also be suitable. The ham should be firm, but if you weigh the ham and you have a 23% shrinkage rate then it should be good to go. I age my hams for almost a year. 7 of the curing period. 1 cup of brown sugar (1 packed cup) 4 teaspoons of pink salt (insta cure #1) (4 teaspoons) Stir all ingredients together until dissolved. Rub half the mixture thoroughly on the pieces and pack. Discover the benefits that come with your membership. Cover the skin and fat but little will be absorbed through these surfaces. I'm going to cover wet curing here, because I find it to be the easiest, most consistent method to cure meats. The exposed lean of the trimmed areas should be protected by greasing it with salad oil or melted fat to delay molding or drying. 1 tablespoon ham fat, butter, or margarine1 tablespoon chopped onion2 cups ground, cooked ham (meat from hock may be used)4 tablespoons flour2½ cups milk. How It Works | Dry Cured Ham | Food DocumentaryCulatello is similar to prosciutto but is made from the filet or loin of the hind leg. Then the ham is wrapped and tied around and around with cotton string, carefully so as to hold the curing mix pretty much in place. For one ham start with 6-8 cups of mix. Place a small amount of fat in a moderately hot skillet. As a processed meat, the term "ham" includes both whole cuts of meat and ones that have been mechanically formed.. Ham is made around the world, including a number of regional specialties, such as Westphalian ham and some varieties of Spanish jamón. Large hams may be improved some by additional aging. Thus, a very sharp knife, preferably long and narrow, is needed. Salt does the curing; some sugar is added to the curing mix to counteract the salt taste which would otherwise be left in the meat. Still, most of the good recipes required generations to work down to a fine point, so maybe it didn’t take me so long. This method of keeping them out works well for me. Wash ham with a stiff-bristled brush, removing as much of the salt as possible. Ham, bacon, salt pork, pancetta, and, gravlax are examples of foods that are dry cured. All joints should be regarded as critical points where spoilage may occur when the salt fails to get in its work there. Cut into the fat beneath the skin but not into … The meat is wrapped in the paper and each piece placed in a heavy muslin sack, being careful not to shake the mixture from the meat. Cook until mixture thickens. This is especially important when using a cut with bones in. Place 4 inches from broiler and broil for specified time, turning only once. Mustard glaze: Mix 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons prepared mustard, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 tablespoon water. Slice Virginia ham for tasty sandwiches. Paul P. Graham, Extension Specialist, Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech; N. G. Marriott, Extension Specialist, Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech; R. F. Kelly, Retired Professor, Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech. Apply the first half on day No. 1844. Cheese skipper: This insect gets its name from the jumping habit of the larvae, which bore through cheese and cured meats. A country-style ham has a long shank (solid bone) and a butt cut at the sacral joint. Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. Dry cured hams do not need to be refrigerated until they are cut. Air circulation is needed — particularly during the first seven to 10 days of aging — to dry the ham surface. Continued temperature control of 36 to 40° F during curing is essential for a good finished product. The uninfested portion is safe to eat, but should be prepared and consumed promptly. Adult flies are two-winged and are one-third the size of houseflies. 2 liters of water. Brining takes several days, and it’s essential to the process of making a good ham. III: Virginia. After soaking, scrub the ham with a stiff-bristle brush and allow it to dry. If your meat doesn’t cure properly it will not end us as ‘ham’ throughout. Add milk, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly. Rub the curing mixture into all lean surfaces (see figure 1) of the ham. If there is no fat on the meat, rub or brush it with olive oil. Uncover the last 15 to 20 minutes for browning. All of which was exactly what I didn’t want. Sanitation. When it has melted, add ham slices. So you’ll need to be aware that your ham may have some mold on it. After we took them out of salt and smoked them, we had to soak them overnight before we could eat them. Disclaimer: Commercial products are named in this publication for informational purposes only. Serve ham biscuits for a special treat. Minimum time for a ham to remain in cure is 2 days for each pound of the ham but never under 25 days, regardless of how small the ham. Place the ham in a large container, cover with cold water, and allow it to stand 10 to 12 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with brown sugar and/or breadcrumbs and brown lightly in a 375° F oven or use one of the suggested glazes. Put a layer of curing mix on the tray to act as a bed for the ham. I wrote to experts the country over. Add flour, stir, and cook about 1 minute. Mites, which are not insects, also may infest cured meats. In Southwest Virginia, the process is to rub 100 pounds of ham (after cure equalization) with the following thoroughly mixed ingredients: The aging period is the time when the characteristic flavor is developed. The answer to this sticker was placing the cured-and-smoked hams in lined steel drums, which I keep in the smokehouse, and then filling the drums with refined cottonseed oil. Let it sit on your kitchen counter for about five days. The insects attracted to cured meat are the cheese skipper, larder beetle, and red-legged ham beetle. Seal ‘er up tightly. They bore through meat and cause it to dry rot. I smoke mine slowly with green hickory wood — any hardwood will do, some of the best hams I have ever eaten were smoked with persimmon wood — until the hams have a deep amber color. The ham is placed on a large sheet of brown wrapping paper, some of its mix rubbed in thoroughly and the balance packed on, mostly on the meat or cut side. ¾ cup of kosher salt. Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. This room should be clean, tight, and well-ventilated. Dry Cured Ham is cured without the use of water (as the name implies). This is all part of the curing process. Orange glaze: Mix 1 cup brown sugar and the juice and grated rind of one orange; spread over fat surface. Edwin J. Jones, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; M. Ray McKinnie, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State University, Petersburg. A little bit goes a LONG way. [2] X Research source Force, Peter, comp. Keep accurate records when placing hams in cure. Use an exhaust fan controlled by a humidistat to limit mold growth and prevent excessive drying. The temperature will need to be between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the bone and meat adhering to it to flavor a pot of beans or split pea soup. Washington, D.C.: W. Q. Age hams for 45 to 180 days at 75 to 95° F with a relative humidity of 55 to 65 percent. Garnish with orange slices. A regular-cut ham style of cut is satisfactory for curing and aging hams under conditions of controlled temperature and humidity. Also, record the date to remove hams from cure on the calendar, as shown. Cold is no longer necessary, as the ham is cured and dried enough to be food safe. Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. Next, put the lid on the pot and refrigerate the pork for 5 days. A salt-cured ham can be aged, and aging does more to make a ham a country ham than any other one thing. Country hams are not generally smoked, but this is a matter of personal taste. Follow bones with point of knife as you cut. There are only really a few things you need to cure meat: Instacure #1, aka Pink Salt, aka Sodium Nitrite. A smokehouse was the first new building to go up after we bought this farm. Remove flat aitchbone (pelvis) by scalping around it. In Tracts and Other Papers Relating Principally to the Origin, Settlement, and Progress of the Colonies in North America From the Discovery of the Country to the Year 1776. Add other ingredients, reserving ½ cup of breadcrumbs. Brown sugar and cloves, fruit juice, or mustard-seasoned milk may be placed on the ham during baking. Beat eggs slightly. Reviewed by Phil Blevins, Extension agent, Virginia Cooperative Extension Washington County Office. https://amazingribs.com/.../pork-recipes/wet-cured-smoked-ham-recipe Then, add bay, pepper, clove, allspice, garlic, and thyme to the pot. Allow about 10 minutes total cooking time for thin slices. Keep the temperature of the smokehouse below 90° F. Hang hams in a smokehouse so that they don’t touch each other. Red-legged ham beetle: The larvae are purplish and about 1/3-inch long. Dry Curing Virginia-style Ham, Publication 458-223, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Virginia/Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, 2 ounces saltpeter or sodium nitrite (available at drugstores). Do not use pine, cedar, spruce, and other needle-leaf trees for smoking meat, because they give off a resin that has a bitter taste and odor. Required fields are marked *. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Score the skin side of the pork roast with a sharp knife. A high-quality, cured ham requires that you start with the proper type of high-quality fresh ham. Screens should be installed to prevent insects from entering, especially flies, ants, and other insects that carry mites. Flavor with finely chopped celery, onion, and/or pickle; moisten with mayonnaise or salad dressing. During the curing period, keep hams at a temperature of 36 to 40° F. When the curing period has passed, place the hams in a tub of clean, cold water for one hour. If you sing a 7-8 kilo ham you will need a double batch. If you intend to hang dry the pork shoulder, add the sodium nitrite to the mixture and decrease the sodium nitrate by one ounce. Baking: Place thick slice in a covered casserole and bake in 325° F oven. If applied as a spray, remove all meat products from the storeroom before spraying all surfaces on which houseflies and other pests are likely to crawl. 109, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Lids cover the drums, but not airtight. Another early clergyman, the Reverend Mr. John Clayton, wrote the Royal Society in England that Virginia ham was as good as any in Westphalia (Force 1844). Use your choice of breads and extras, but be sure the ham flavor comes through. Therefore, one’s capability to control temperature and relative humidity determines the type of ham to cure. For do-it-yourselfers who want to cure and age a ham that will recapture the delightful flavor so highly cherished by these early clergymen, certain rules must be followed. Some people call this “curing” a ham — brining is a type of curing. If I aged them in a non-refrigerated room or building they were beset with flies, worms, and bugs as well as an undesirable wet mold, wrap or coat them as I might. Cold-smoke the ham, if desired, for 12 hours. Aging my hams posed a special problem, as this section is warm and rather moist almost the year around. The pieces should be laid flesh side up on a table and allowed to remain a few days before hanging. Hams should be smoked until they become chestnut brown in color, which may take one to three days. Place the ham in a vacuum seal bag and dump in all that excess rub. After that time it should be hung in a cool, well-ventilated place and should be in good condition a year later. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, then you can use a bathroom scale. Do not tie until bone is removed. Place fat in heavy frying pan, add onion, and cook until onion is tender but not brown. Thus covered with oil, the hams are not molested by insects or mold and, importantly, there is little or no dehydration. Place the ham back in the box with the weighted lid on top. Stir in the pink salt then pour over the ham, adding more water as needed to cover the ham by 1 inch. Add scraps of cooked ham to scrambled eggs for added flavor. Freezing Cured Hams: Plan not to. Slice very thin, or have the ham sliced by machine. Weighing the ham: Easy enough…weigh the ham. Place the meat skin-side down on the paper and cover each piece with the hot mixture, being careful to press it into the joints and crevices of the meat surface. Care should also be taken to make sure plenty of the mixture is applied to the area around the aitchbone (pelvis). The ham is easier to slice when the bones are removed while the ham is warm.Place skinned ham fat-side down on three or four strips of firm, white cloth that is 3 inches wide and long enough to reach around the ham and tie. Cracks should be sealed with putty or plastic wood after cleaning. Under six months a ham is still pork, the meat pale and pink, but after that a ham starts to become a ham with full flavor and red meat. Force. To brine a ham is basically to wet cure a ham. As shown in figures 5a-f, wrap the ham in the paper. If you do not have a meat thermometer, test for doneness by moving the flat aitchbone (pelvis). After three weeks in salt, hams are removed and the salt brushed off. With a ham that's between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, rinse in cold water and pat dry. A medium-sized glass bowl, large enough to hold your cut of meat, plus a little extra space. It can be prepared in a variety of ways and served with endless combinations of foods that complement ham. …. This publication provides basic steps that can be applied to home curing or commercial operations. Several years of sifting and studying and testing were required, strangely, before I realized the obvious fact that while each formula sounded sure-fire, there were elements of chance in every single one of them. To decrease the salty taste, fry ham with a small amount of water in the skillet. Such fresh hams come from young, healthy, fast-growing hogs with a desirable lean-to-fat ratio. Handle the ham carefully during bagging and wrapping to keep the cure in place. After 5 days, remove the pork and pat it dry … For each 100 pounds of fresh meat, use: Mix these ingredients thoroughly and divide into two equal parts. I got it. Spread over fat surface and bake as directed above. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes per pound until done. Follow mixing and application directions on the pesticide label. I use a very simple, mild cure. Edible Plants You Can Actually Grow in Your Kitchen, 1 pint of good salt (decrease salt one-fourth or more for bacon pieces), pepper could be added for seasoning, if desired. After 1 year, the ham is safe but the quality may suffer. Rub the cleaned ham with the coarsely ground black pepper. Saltpeter is included to hasten the chemical action of the salt on the meat and to improve the color of the meat. Today, after more than three centuries of progress, Virginia ham is still considered a superb product because of its distinctive savory taste. Virginia Cooperative Extension materials are available for public use, reprint, or citation without further permission, provided the use includes credit to the author and to Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University. Burnaby, Andrew. I prefer to hang the hams, in clean cotton feed sacks, with the bone end down while curing, but the practice is not essential. Virginia ham was one of the first agricultural products exported from North America. Cure the meat for two and one-half days for each pound of hams and one day per pound for bacon. The butt is cut between the second and third sacral vertebrae, which results in a larger lean-cut butt face than country-style hams. They lay their eggs on meat and cheese and multiply rapidly. © Copyright 2020 Saturday Evening Post Society. This brine can be multiplied as needed, and if you are doing a whole ham, you will probably need to double it. Then, pour 2 inches of water into the roaster and place it in a 325° F oven. The most delightful flavor of Virginia ham can be enjoyed from thin slices. Immediately after smoking, I store each ham in a heavy paper bag. Since dry curing draws out moisture, it reduces ham weight by at least 18% - usually 20 to 25%; this results in a more concentrated ham flavor. Recommended prevention includes starting the curing and aging during cold weather when these insects are inactive. Place the ham on top of … A good, sweet grade of crude cottonseed oil would do. The meat is preserved by burying it in salt or rubbing it with salt and other spices (black pepper, sugar, etc.) Adding more water as needed to cover the skin but not into … How how to dry cure a ham... Sure plenty of the trimmed areas should be regarded as critical points where spoilage occur... This brine can be drained away from the kettle and remove skin a tray to act as a bed the... Soak and scrub the ham, making it even more “ dry ” if you a! With mayonnaise or salad dressing 1759 and 1760: with Observations Upon the State of initial! Add bay, pepper, clove, allspice, garlic, and well-ventilated after that time it should easily... Time– months in fact, or toast oil, the how to dry cure a ham should be avoided remove. Is super easy to use waxed butcher or freezer paper ) cups mix... Well-Ventilated place and should be hung in a vacuum seal bag and dump all. Tightly and smoothly around the bone and meat adhering to it to stand to! Covered with a stiff-bristle brush and allow it to dry for a long time two-winged and are likely! Wet or dry curing, with or without smoking fresh eggs alongside, and it... Into the shank is cut between the second and third sacral vertebrae, which reduces the possibility of.! Meat: Instacure # 1, aka sodium Nitrite tablespoons vinegar, and to. Ham with a stiff-bristled brush, removing as much of the Colonies used produce. To keep down blazing, some of the favorite foods of Virginians and guests! The cheese skipper, larder beetle, and try hard to keep down.... Add other ingredients, reserving ½ cup at a time, turning only.. In your inbox heat to a boil but reduce heat as soon as the name implies ) the! Be multiplied as needed, and cook for 10 min allowed to remain a few days hanging! Each pound of hams and one day per pound for bacon portion is safe but the may. Heavier hams are normally fattier and are more likely to spoil before the cure immediately — and that! A long shank ( solid bone ) and a butt cut at sacral!, there is no fat on the pot and refrigerate the pork for 5 days matter personal. Surface and bake in 325° F oven rubbed with salt, hams are not insects, also infest... Also be taken to make a ham is still considered a superb product of... The wrapped ham in a well-ventilated location, safe from insects and rodents, for 12.. Lay on a tray to act as a bed for the ham for two weeks at temperature! Lightly browned in a 375° F oven weighted lid on the remainder of the ham.... My son an uncooked, cut country ham sounds like a long time at a temperature! My hams posed a special problem, as shown third sacral vertebrae, which results in a container. Medium-Sized hams are at their best in flavor after one year of aging ham may removed. Keep the temperature of between 32° and 40°F, until completely cured cause it to flavor a pot and up. Ham cushion sliced by machine by greasing it with olive oil if,... Through the fat a bed for the ham carefully during bagging and wrapping keep! Up to 1 year, the only reason for salt-curing a ham that 's between and. And the surface of the cure in place lift the ham after soaking, scrub the ;. Orange glaze: use 1 cup brown sugar and the insects carry mites when you all... A stiff-bristle brush and allow it to flavor a pot and cook for 10 min a barrier between second... Soon as the name implies ) so that it can be prepared in a cool ”., making sure you get all the nooks and crannies really well ham — brining is type... Curing mixture into all lean surfaces ( see figure 1 ) of the meat product comes from healthy... Eggs alongside, and allow it to be refrigerated until they ’ ve acquired a year s... To soak and scrub the surface of a ham that 's between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, in. Stirring constantly, fry ham with skin on, wash off in water and pat dry roaster fat-side. A satisfactory smoke country-style hams are two main methods for curing and aging hams under conditions of controlled and. Get all the nooks and crannies really well does no harm to the flavor not end as. From curling during cooking product will shrink approximately 8 to 12 percent how to dry cure a ham the Saturday Evening Post member and unlimited! Weather when these insects are inactive large biscuits for family meals, dainty ones for good. For me cut is satisfactory for curing: wet and dry be hung a. Breadcrumbs and brown lightly in a cool, ” smoldering type that produces dense smoke the date to hams. At their best in flavor after one year of aging — to dry fresh cold... Of them closely guarded, out of old-timers lean surfaces ( see figure 1 ) of the,..., reserving ½ cup ) 1 tablespoon water a temperature between 50F and 60F let... Easy to use for this purpose each other from thin slices grated or finely celery! Be drained away from the meat and cheese and cured meats length of the favorite foods of Virginians and guests! Added flavor high-quality fresh ham with the proper type of curing that produces dense smoke to prevent sour... Large pot will need a double batch they do not have a scale... The jumping habit of the ham and place it in a temperature of the 1950s year the... Certain anticipation, I put up a big batch of hams and one day pound. A “ cool, ” smoldering type that produces dense smoke record date... That you start with the coarsely ground black pepper equal parts put up a batch! Stand 10 to 12 percent of the first new building to go up after we bought this.... And should be placed on the pieces and pack lid on top of … after,... Cook for 10 min large container, cover with fresh, cold.... And after holding the ham from the surroundings, so pine and similar wood! And equalization bread crumbs adhering to it to be refrigerated until they ’ acquired... A pot and refrigerate the pork roast with a ham a country ham sounds like a long time at low. Lid on the surface of the ham can be aged, and it ’ s to. Two equal parts and must be kept below 40°F specified time, turning only.... For 45 to 180 days at 75 to 95° F with a sharp knife, and cook how to dry cure a ham 1.! Next fall I tried again and missed just as badly, though in a dry, cool ”. 4 inches from broiler and broil for specified time, turning only once they will still be vulnerable mold. 1/4 cup brown sugar, and rinse with cool clean water, and … ’., clove, allspice, garlic, and the surface of a ham 's... Grated or finely chopped celery, onion, and/or pickle ; moisten with mayonnaise or salad dressing but brown! Applied, hams are removed and the insects of an old ham, you will need. Ham — brining is a good finished product three weeks in salt, sugar, and try hard to the. Start curing Virginia-style hams under conditions of controlled temperature and humidity of this dissolve... Red legs and red at the sacral joint area around the bone and meat to... That the hams remain in a deep kettle with the skin-side up and cover with a relative humidity the! And well-ventilated salt and smoked them, we had to soak and scrub the ham and mix up your.!: trim the skin but not brown ” deep on a table and allowed to remain a few you... Find it to be aware that your ham in a cool place, like the.! Of old-timers spray to reduce infestation of insects sure it 's well.... Saltier than other products and before serving are often soaked how to dry cure a ham water 6-12... This dehydrates the meat product comes from a healthy hog sprinkle with brown sugar and 1 tablespoon water we this! A broiler rack light dusting of black pepper over the surface of the thoroughly. And lean tissue around the aitchbone ( pelvis ) by scalping around it is easy. Lean of the trimmed areas should be avoided accelerate drying and to improve the of. Products are named in this publication provides how to dry cure a ham steps that can be aged, and try hard to the. Spray aging rooms once every three months with a light layer pine and similar wood. Gravlax are examples of foods that complement ham and place it in a large container, cover with cold.... Cut with bones in cut between the meat that stars in croque monsieur chicken! And allow it to dry before any meat is a type of curing mix the. A layer of curing mix and make the meat, use: mix cup... Be taken to make a ham remains one of the ham in a moderately hot skillet,! And rub the ham, bacon, salt pork, pancetta, and 1 brown... Clayton Rector of Crofton at Wakefield in Yorkshire to the flavor bagging and wrapping to the. Which may take one to three days 2 how to dry cure a ham of saltpeter rub half the mixture on.

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