Black Forest Ham

Name: Schwarzwälder Schinken
Total time: 21 d
Ingredients: 28 g Nitritpökelsalz (0,5% NaNO2); 4 g Schwarzer Pfeffer, grob gemahlen; 2 g Knoblauch, getrocknet; 2 g Wacholderbeeren, zerdrückt; 2 g Zucker; 1 g Tannennadeln, getrocknet

Curing MixPorkCold SmokingHard21-28 days total15-20 °CFir + Beech

Black Forest Ham is a traditional raw ham from the Black Forest region, smoked with salt, pepper, and fir branches. The meat is first dry-cured, then cold-smoked and subsequently air-dried. Its characteristic almost-black surface comes from the fir wood smoke.

Ingredients(for 1 kg)

Curing salt (0.5% NaNO2)28 g

Black pepper, coarsely ground4 g

Dried garlic2 g

Juniper berries, crushed2 g

Sugar2 g

Dried fir needles1 g

Instructions

Dry Curing

14 days

Rub the meat evenly with the curing mixture, especially around bones and crevices. Vacuum-seal or store covered at 4-6 °C. Turn daily.

Equalization

2-3 days

Rinse ham, pat dry, and hang in cool circulating air (10-15 °C) to allow salt to equalize throughout the meat.

Cold Smoking

5-7 smoking sessions of 8-12 hours each

Smoke at max. 20 °C using beech and fir branches. Allow at least 12 hours rest between smoking sessions. The ham develops its characteristic black surface.

Air Drying

4-6 weeks

Mature in a cool, well-ventilated location at 12-15 °C and 70-80% humidity until weight loss reaches at least 25%.

Pro Tip

Add real fir branches during smoking – this gives Black Forest Ham its distinctive aroma and the typical dark crust.

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