Cooked Ham with Juniper

Trim the pork leg of excess fat and sinew. Shape evenly and tie with kitchen twine if needed. Weigh the meat and measure all ingredients precisely.

Dissolve curing salt, sugar, juniper, pepper, bay leaves and garlic in 500 ml cold water. Cool brine to 4°C. Submerge meat completely in brine and weigh down to keep fully covered.

Cure the meat in the refrigerator at 4°C for 5-7 days. Turn daily. After 5 days, cut into the meat: the interior should be evenly pink. If curing is incomplete, cure for another 1-2 days.

Remove meat from brine, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack in the refrigerator uncovered for 12 hours until the surface feels slightly tacky (pellicle).

Preheat smoker to 80°C. Add beechwood. Hot smoke the ham for 2-3 hours at 80°C until a golden-brown surface develops. Monitor core temperature regularly.

After smoking, poach the ham in water at 75-78°C (do not boil!) until a core temperature of 72°C is reached. This takes approximately 45-60 minutes per kg.

Briefly cool the cooked ham in cold water, then wrap in foil and rest in the refrigerator at 4°C for at least 12 hours before slicing. Vacuum-sealed shelf life up to 2 weeks.