Ardennes Ham
Ardennes Ham is a Belgian-Luxembourgish product with protected geographical indication, traditionally cold-smoked over oak wood. It is cured with an aromatic mixture of thyme, bay leaf, and juniper berries. The result is a tender, mildly smoky ham with a fine herbal aroma.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Dry Curing
10–14 daysFinely mix all curing ingredients and generously massage into the ham. Wrap the ham airtight in cling film or a vacuum bag and store in the refrigerator at 4 °C. Turn every two days so the curing liquid is absorbed evenly.
Soaking & Equalization
1 day + 2 daysSoak the ham in cold water for 12–24 hours to remove excess salt. Then dry well and hang in the air at 10–12 °C for 2 days until the surface is completely dry and slightly parchment-like.
Cold Smoking over Oak
7–10 days (8 hours daily)Cold smoke over well-dried oak wood at 15–20 °C. Smoke for 8 hours daily with at least 16 hours of rest in between. Fresh thyme can be added to the smoking wood. The ham should develop a golden-brown to mahogany-brown color.
Maturation
3–6 weeksAllow the ham to mature in a cool place at 12–15 °C and 70–75% humidity. The ham is ready when it has lost 20–25% of its original weight and has a firm but slightly yielding consistency when pressed.
Pro Tip
Fresh thyme can be added directly to the smoking material to enhance the herbal aroma of the Ardennes ham. The oak wood pieces should be dried for at least one year to produce an even, mild smoke.
Save this recipe to your smoking journal?
With Curination you can scale recipes, track projects, document by voice and browse over 1,269 recipes.