[Geraint]

Hi everyone
We're hoping to try air dried ham at home but need some advice please.
We have a 6kg boned out leg of pork in the fridge and a big bag of sea salt.
We've read a lot about the process but wonder if we need to keep the box in the garage or is it essential to keep it at 4C as suggested by some?
Also is the addition of nitrite/nitrates essential? I have a kilo of salami curing salt with added curing product which I thought we could use in the cavity and then use the sea salt in the box to cover?
What do you think in your experience?
Cheers and thanks in advance for any help!
Geraint

[Greenerlife]

My experience is that my garage is as good as it gets for hams.  If your ham is ready to go now - it will be cool enough.  I have never used additives at all.  I am not sure why you'd need the salami cure on the insides - I always do a tunnelbined ham, and I just use salt well rubbed into the cavity.


Good luck whatever way you go!

[Geraint]

Hi Greenerlife
Thanks for the advice on this. I thought that as the salami salt had added nitrite that it would keep the ham pink and not go grey?
If you use salt does it matter what type of salt? Surely salt is salt?
I shouldn't have read so much into the topic...keep it simple might be the best way forward!
Thanks again!
 

[Greenerlife]

If you add nitrites it does keep the ham pink (like gammon you would buy from Sainsburys) but for air dried ham, I personally think it might look wrong.  i actually prefer not to add any - it doesn't look as attractive,but not sure grey is the colour of my ham! (or bacon) 


I usually use bulk salt I buy from caterers supplier.  It's just cooking salt -£5 for 25kgs.  I am sure that Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall probably uses air dried salt from outer Mongolia, rubbed into crystals on the thighs of luscious ladies, but I use ordinary! Something like Maldon salt does taste quite different to refined table or cooking salt and I expect it dissolves at a different rate, but that kind of salt is way too expensive.

[Sudanpan]

We've done air dried ham for the last couple of years now - incredibly simple method:
Rub salt (normal catering) into every aspect of the meat, as much as you can to fill all crevices.
Pack meat into a container with at least an inch of salt under, over and to each side of the meat so the meat is not in contact with the sides of the container.
Leave in salt for 3 days every kilo of meat.
Take meat out, rinse off salt with cider vinegar
Hang meat in a meat safe, or wrap in muslin and hang.
Leave for 6-9 months
Don't panic at how disgusting the resulting meat looks.........


We leave the meat in the salt in our garage, then hang in the eaves of our barn.

[Bionic]

Exactly the same as I do, even down to the garage and barn eaves

[Geraint]

Wow! Brilliant! Thanks to you all for the advice! Greenerlife; do you mind if I ask which catering suppliers you got the salt from please? I can't find it that cheap. The salt we have was £17 for 25kgs which we thought was an ok price but its coarse sea salt and free of Mongolian thighs!
 
Sudanpan; thanks, I'll be giving the pork preserving a go tonight, nitrite free.
 
Cheers

[Greenerlife]

The salt i had is branded as Glacia and i got it from a local wholesalers who let me in!

[Geraint]

Great. Thank you!

[Geraint]

Hiya
We salted the ham last night and its now sitting comfortably in the garage under a weight, picture attached. (hopefully)!
Cheers for all the advice
G

[Possum]

That's interesting. Do any meat juices leak out of the box or does the salt soak them all up?

[Geraint]

So far there has been no leaking and I think the salt may soak up most of the moisture, there is a plastic tray underneath just in case!
Since yesterday the weight has started to push the wood on the top of the salt down, so it must be leaking moisture somewhere..

[rockstar]

good luck with your ham,I am doing air dried ham for the first time this winter.Can someone tell me once it is cured and dried for 6 months can I just cut slices and eat it raw in salads etc ,will it be normal ham.

[Greenerlife]

The lovely Hugh does his in a wine box like that.  My piggy leg was too fat, and the leg didn't fit in with space for the salt.  Pretty sure the salt will absorb any spillage.  Looking good so far though Geraint. 

[Geraint]

Thanks Greenerlife
It was a Christmas present from the OH, great present I thought, I think she had thoughts on doing a ham and that was to prompt me 
It was a small leg so it fitted with enough room for the salt.
Cheers