Air Dried Ham - Time of Truth!

We have been busy felling a few trees that were growing dangerously close to the house, which look even more threatening since we put our precious solar panels on the roof. The job entailed cutting the timber down to firewood size and storing it in the wood shed. Hanging in there are two tantalizing salt cured air drying hams. With each wheel barrow load our curiosity grew as to whether or not the meat was a success. Strictly speaking, we had decided to cut one down at Christmas and see if it had worked, or gone rotten. One of the hams is much smaller than the other, and by the end of the third day I decided to mention what we were both thinking to Dan. Sure wouldn't it be better to try the smallest one now, and if the experiment hadn't worked, then at least we wouldn't be disappointed at Christmas!

Full of excitement we cut down the smallest ham. It did smell meaty but our untrained noses couldn't tell if it was off. We tentatively opened up the three layers of muslin which was mottled with black patches of mildew. When the meat itself was revealed our excitement was deflated by further confusion. The meat did not look in the slightest bit appetizing,  instinct told me to throw it in the bin. There was even a small collection of maggots on the flesh, although they had not done much damage. The fat was waxy with black, white and pink blotches. The flesh was slimey in parts with a greenish tinge. We were fairly devastated it hadn't worked.

Before resigning it to the bin we sought out Hugh Fearnley Whittingstalls chapter on the subject. He was adamant that there would be a very distinctive and off putting smell if the meat was rotten, which wasn't noticeable on our ham. We decided to press on and so gave it a few scrub downs in apple cider vinegar .... with removal of 8 maggots and the covering slimes, the meat began to look more appetizing. I sliced off the outer flesh and oh my gosh when we saw and smelled the translucent ruby red ham inside my mouth began to water involuntarily. Yet still instinct told me not to eat it, so I just ate a tiny sliver, and Dan refrained incase he was needed to bundle me to the nearest doctor with food poisoning the following day!

24 hours later and I couldn't wait to eat more, my stomach was still intact! This time Dan also indulged and the taste experience was out of this world. Slicing wafer thin slivers of our very own home reared free range organic air dried ham was out of this world. Its an indulgence for late at night after the children have gone to bed, to savour with fine cheese and a full bodied glass of red wine, and a roaring fire. Next time we will have the confidence to air dry several hams.

Comments

[Maddy]

Rebecca that is the best story, and I can't believe you waited 24 hours to see if you got sick, too funny!

[Wild Rose]

Hi Rebecca,

How exciting to have your own home-cured ham. It looks delicious ~ now that you have removed the slime and the maggots!! I dream of tasty ham ~ all of it is smoked here and I really miss the taste of ham minus the smoke!

Enjoy!

Marie x

[Conor O'Neill]

Fantastic! I'm so glad this worked out for you. Looks amazing.

[Darla]

Now that's what I call an adventuresome accomplishment if the world of food. Good for you! It's highly unlikely that I'll every have the opportunity to cure a ham. Still, if I should, at least I'll know not to be put off by a first look.

Yes, save this as an adult treat after the kiddo's go to bed.

Darla

[Debs]

Have recently discovered your blog and love what you are doing. The adventures of the ham tasting are very amusing!

[mary lou]

i love the before and after pix, but I'm not going to zoom in on the maggots!

[Holly]

Wow, what a story. I was riveted. The grossness of the first bit and the gorgeous pics of the final ham. What a joy to eat! Patience is a virtue. Right?

[englishroseinkuwait]

Yum Yum! I dream of ham like that. well done for having a go, and for mission accomplised.

[hedgewizard]

Blimey, and I thought I was brave with the mushrooms! Well done Rebecca, fab to hear about your success.

[lorna]

Stunned that you should only air-dry these hams - didn't think they would be safe. As I recall, my relatives going back three or four generations would always hang salted hams on big hooks in the smoke of a large fire for months. This cured them good and proper. I think they also marinaded them in stout first, but on this I can't give advice because, again, it's a question of doing it safely, and I don't know the method.

[Vallen Queen]

Oh, the places you go and the things you achieve! What a treasure! I'm so glad there was a happy ending to this piggy tale.

[Blanche]

wow! so glad I stumbled upon your blog. i love the line: "Slicing wafer thin slivers of our very own home reared free range organic air dried ham was out of this world." I can only imagine and dream of doing it one day ourselves!!!!

[Lisa at Greenbow]

This reminds me of a story I read long ago about the old Chinese practice of burying eggs for long periods of time and then eating them as a delicacy.

[mikey]

Just a quick question, do you rinse all of the salt off after the salting period, even whats in the inside cavity?
Mines been in for two days and im not sure if im gonna have to unstitch it, rinse the centre then stitch it back up before i hang it so there isnt a very salty product.

[Jim@ shed plans]

Very interesting, but if you think of it, this is how they do it in the old days, a well tested process.

[Suzy waldner]

Where can I buy that ham?