And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Made it before, not anything special about it, its a hard dry cure first, in that does not require keeping below the danger line of 40 degrees F, after curing, after cure, looking at the approx weight and thickness, give it a couple weeks for "equalization" phase, lets the cure ingredients distribute through out the meat evenly, then the good part begins, rub that baby in wine, olive oil, and herbs, stuff it in a linen bag, hang it in a place without direct light, with cool even temps about 70 degrees F, here is where its difficult, first how long can you remain from being tempted from slicing into your meat? Thats the real secret with this kind of aged cure, its age, longer you wait better the quality. Piece of meat like this easy a few months, minimum, 6 months is great, a year or two lots better. Your gonna get some green mold outside, carefully trim that so you just remove it and no more. Adiing the rub ingredients frequently helps keep the mood away or minimize it. I have a dry cured ham that been hanging just over 7 years, list a couple to bone sour, but you always risk losing one or two. Another very critical element is leaving the fat, preferably with skin, much as its possible, which if you butcher your hogs yourself you can assure that, especially with a whole ham, and all the other dry hard cure parts, its almost impossible to dry cure like that without the skin left on the cut. Dont be discouraged because you can make a shorter cure and it still comes out really well. I have heard some old Virginia families do not consider a dry cured ham acceptable under 100 years. I got no doubt from my experience, but those folks have some nuances and conditions developed from a long time making hard cured meats. The Polish old timey way is to squeeze your cure between heavy timber planks, turning the screws a bit at a time over years, (thats why Polish hams come in a flat can, traditionally that is). But its all no big secrets, its about temp time and proper techniques, and a lot of reward and fine toothsome delicacies made with your labors and love. Lot of good books, but the old Morton cure booklet gives you all you need to begin correctly, straight and no BS. Thats how I got into it. Plus, raise your own hogs, learn to butcher, pigs are the easiest of all critters to home butcher, and raised well the meat quality is first rate. Another trick, learned this from my grand pop, is at every turn, do not touch the meat while butchering with your hands if at all possible, its all the difference in the world, secondly, soon as your meat animal carcass is hanging, take cider vinegar, cut it 50% with spring water, use a spray bottle, spray every part of the exposed meat. This stops almost all mold and bacteria from even getting a toe hold. Works for all meat critters, its a real good thing to do with a deer soon as you skin it out, spray it well, you end up with venison so fine it almost tastes like prime beef. and keep your meat below 40, preferably between 36-38 degrees F. Cold smoking is another excellent technique, cold smoking never never rises about 70 degrees F, fo do your cold smoke during winter, sub freezing outside temps is the best time. Its a whole world of eats nothing or anyone can tell you how good, you have to do it yourself. I self taught myself most of it, past basic quick dry and wet cure i was lucky to be raised up with. Those are simple very easy to do cures.
What kind of meat is that? I try it myself.
ReplyDeleteCIII
Iberico ham most likely
ReplyDeleteThat was my guess as well.
DeleteLooks like prosciutto. Whoever haws that full sized ham is very well heeled, it's expensive.
ReplyDeletehttps://parmacrown.com/what-is-prosciutto/
Michael in Nelson
My guess is also prosciutto. And the BEST Italian prosciutto is Santa Dinelli.
DeleteThat was my guess too. Sooo good especially wrapped around a piece of mozzarella.
DeleteDry cured ham.
ReplyDeleteThe show How It's Made had a segment on them.
ReplyDeleteOn sale at Costco, $499.
ReplyDeleteSpanish Jamon is good but pricy, $865.00, just for the hock. https://tinyurl.com/442yw3eb
ReplyDeleteJamon is fantastic ham. Staple in Andalucia and all over Spain.
ReplyDeleteMade it before, not anything special about it, its a hard dry cure first, in that does not require keeping below the danger line of 40 degrees F, after curing, after cure, looking at the approx weight and thickness, give it a couple weeks for "equalization" phase, lets the cure ingredients distribute through out the meat evenly, then the good part begins, rub that baby in wine, olive oil, and herbs, stuff it in a linen bag, hang it in a place without direct light, with cool even temps about 70 degrees F, here is where its difficult, first how long can you remain from being tempted from slicing into your meat? Thats the real secret with this kind of aged cure, its age, longer you wait better the quality. Piece of meat like this easy a few months, minimum, 6 months is great, a year or two lots better. Your gonna get some green mold outside, carefully trim that so you just remove it and no more. Adiing the rub ingredients frequently helps keep the mood away or minimize it. I have a dry cured ham that been hanging just over 7 years, list a couple to bone sour, but you always risk losing one or two. Another very critical element is leaving the fat, preferably with skin, much as its possible, which if you butcher your hogs yourself you can assure that, especially with a whole ham, and all the other dry hard cure parts, its almost impossible to dry cure like that without the skin left on the cut. Dont be discouraged because you can make a shorter cure and it still comes out really well. I have heard some old Virginia families do not consider a dry cured ham acceptable under 100 years. I got no doubt from my experience, but those folks have some nuances and conditions developed from a long time making hard cured meats. The Polish old timey way is to squeeze your cure between heavy timber planks, turning the screws a bit at a time over years, (thats why Polish hams come in a flat can, traditionally that is). But its all no big secrets, its about temp time and proper techniques, and a lot of reward and fine toothsome delicacies made with your labors and love. Lot of good books, but the old Morton cure booklet gives you all you need to begin correctly, straight and no BS. Thats how I got into it. Plus, raise your own hogs, learn to butcher, pigs are the easiest of all critters to home butcher, and raised well the meat quality is first rate. Another trick, learned this from my grand pop, is at every turn, do not touch the meat while butchering with your hands if at all possible, its all the difference in the world, secondly, soon as your meat animal carcass is hanging, take cider vinegar, cut it 50% with spring water, use a spray bottle, spray every part of the exposed meat. This stops almost all mold and bacteria from even getting a toe hold. Works for all meat critters, its a real good thing to do with a deer soon as you skin it out, spray it well, you end up with venison so fine it almost tastes like prime beef. and keep your meat below 40, preferably between 36-38 degrees F. Cold smoking is another excellent technique, cold smoking never never rises about 70 degrees F, fo do your cold smoke during winter, sub freezing outside temps is the best time.
ReplyDeleteIts a whole world of eats nothing or anyone can tell you how good, you have to do it yourself. I self taught myself most of it, past basic quick dry and wet cure i was lucky to be raised up with. Those are simple very easy to do cures.