The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: farmers wife on March 25, 2015, 02:58:08 pm

Title: Air dried ham covered in unhatched fly eggs & flies - looks like inside damp
Post by: farmers wife on March 25, 2015, 02:58:08 pm

Bugger, the outside looked mouldy and it wasnt been cold over winter.  Looks like a fly had laid loads of eggs which had fallen into the second covering and died out. The muslin cover had got damp from the ham.


Today decided to check it and loads of eggs.  A few eggs tucked into the flesh and using a torch it looks damp and smells ok-ish but dont know whether to dump it now.


Living on a farm has plenty of flies but unsure whether I can make a ham like this here unless I had a special box made.


Whats your thoughts on this?

Title: Re: Air dried ham covered in unhatched fly eggs & flies - looks like inside damp
Post by: cloddopper on May 10, 2015, 01:00:35 am

Give me a few days of time to get some photos together of my air drying meat safe which is a 310 litre  blue food grade food barrel,  that sits on a four wheeled dolly so I can move it around and I'll also take some pictures of the fly screen and anti fox/dog protection screen .

 Mean while PM me an email address that can take about 10 large attachments

Dave

Title: Re: Air dried ham covered in unhatched fly eggs & flies - looks like inside damp
Post by: Sudanpan on May 14, 2015, 08:46:48 pm

We had some fly problems with a couple of our air-dried hams - lots of maggots and pupae casings in the muslin. TBH I just left the hams until their time was up and then cut out/off any suspect looking meat - it is very obvious what is ok and what is not!
Good luck