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Author Topic: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please  (Read 8752 times)

Sudanpan

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • West Cornwall
    • Movement is Life
Re: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please
« Reply #15 on: October 30, 2013, 05:43:02 pm »
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.


Yup that's exactly what you can do - you need to slice it as this as is humanely possible (so you can practically see through it) as this really does make a HUGE difference to the taste.
Just think parma ham, that's what you are producing.


Though a word of warning..... you will need to get past all the mould and rock hard outer layers before you get to the divine stuff on the inside, but don't be deterred, it is absolutely worth it.  :thumbsup:

Geraint

  • Joined Oct 2009
Re: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please
« Reply #16 on: November 16, 2013, 11:48:29 am »
Hi everyone
Thanks for all the support and help on this topic so far..
It's roughly that time now..the leg has been in the salt now for three days for every kilo and it's time to unearth it.
One question I have is do I have to rinse off all the salt from inside the cavity or leave it in there?
Looking forward to seeing what it looks like, will post a photo if I remember.
Thanks in advance.

Sudanpan

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • West Cornwall
    • Movement is Life
Re: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please
« Reply #17 on: November 16, 2013, 05:43:33 pm »
We rinse all the salt off from everywhere - basically the salt should have done its job of drawing out the moisture and disrupting the bacteria, now it's a question of the the meat drying out.
If you leave the salt in the cavities I think you will get some incredibly salty meat which will be inedible.

benkt

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Cambridgeshire
    • Hempsals Community Farm
Re: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please
« Reply #18 on: November 16, 2013, 05:52:59 pm »
I rub some white wine vinegar on the outside of mine after washing and wrap in a couple of layers of cheese cloth. Not sure about insides as I always leave the ham on the bone when air-curing.

Greenerlife

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Leafy Surrey
Re: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please
« Reply #19 on: November 16, 2013, 08:02:05 pm »
We rinse all the salt off from everywhere - basically the salt should have done its job of drawing out the moisture and disrupting the bacteria, now it's a question of the the meat drying out.
If you leave the salt in the cavities I think you will get some incredibly salty meat which will be inedible.
Well - i was waiting for that answer!  I have always tunnel boned hams and rubbed salt into the cavities, then washed the outside only.  My hams have always been salty in that cavity (which obviously gets compressed) although far from inedible.  I like it - but next time I will definitely wash it out.  thank you.

Geraint

  • Joined Oct 2009
Re: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please
« Reply #20 on: November 16, 2013, 09:09:19 pm »
Thanks everyone
We washed the salt off and vinegared all over. It had got a lot harder and the meat is very dark but looks great.
We have hung it up in a thick cotton bag in the garage. Should we worry about leaking juices/smells?
Fingers crossed now  ;D
Cheers again

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please
« Reply #21 on: November 17, 2013, 09:27:31 am »
Geraint, we never had any leaks or smells but then ours was hanging outside and maybe we wouldn't have noticed. It was hanging too high for foxy to get at too.  ;D
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

Geraint

  • Joined Oct 2009
Re: First time at air dried ham at home. Advice needed please
« Reply #22 on: November 17, 2013, 09:34:29 am »
Thanks and fingers crossed we won't either  :)
Tried to upload a pic but it was too large (the picture not the pork)

 

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