Smithfield Ham
Smithfield Ham is the most famous American dry-cured ham, originating from Smithfield, Virginia, and legally protected. It is made exclusively from peanut-fed pigs, giving the meat a unique, nutty flavor. The intensive smoking over apple and hickory wood and an aging period of at least one year make it a delicacy.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Three-Phase Curing
3 weeksApply the curing mixture in three stages of one week each: rub in one third of the mixture per phase. Store the ham at 2–4 °C and turn daily. Keep the extracted brine and pour it over the ham.
Drying
1-2 weeksBriefly rinse the cured ham, then hang in a cool, ventilated location at 10–15 °C until the surface is completely dry and a firm pellicle has formed.
Intensive Cold Smoking
7-10 days (6-8 hours daily)Smoke the ham daily for 6–8 hours at 15–25 °C over hickory and apple wood chips. Allow it to rest in a cool place between smoking sessions. A dark brown smoke crust is the desired result.
Long-Term Aging
6-18 monthsHang the ham in an aging net and age for at least 6 months at 10–20 °C. Mold growth on the outside is normal and desirable. Before serving, wash and scrub off any mold as needed.
Pro Tip
When cooking a Smithfield Ham, it must be soaked for at least 24–48 hours beforehand, as the long aging process makes it very salty and dry.
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