Ham. Help.

[Salsaboy]

Once it's cured do you need to cook it, or can you just slice it straight into sanrnies?

[Annette Curtain]

The dry cure is the "cooking" as it were, it draws off the moisture & preserves the meat at the same time. If done well it can last up to a year.

( fat chance in my house, a month or two maybe )

I can be sliced for sarnies or just plain ol' ham-guzzling with a nice Manzilla or a Sherry. It ends up like Serano or Parma ham, quite firm and very delicious.

The wet brined Ham method is eventually lightly boiled & then peeled of it's skin, the surface checkered, dotted with cloves, glazed & baked to a crust. This ham or slicing gammon is more like the Ham & Eggs/Tom & Terry type ham, if you catch m'drift.

I love them equally, so i've made both.

The one slight draw back is this.

I have many lovely friends who visit us, we sit and chat in the evening. At some point the conversation turns toward "What you got curing or hanging at the moment" which inevitably leads to much drinking and ham/ bressola/ venison eating that evening. If you're working the next day, take heed. It can be quite indulgent ( which is also why I make two at a time )

And then there's a whole world of cold or hot smoking the hams, beef, cheese, venison, sausages, etc etc....

* lays down in a darkened room *

NETTE:)