Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Mix the Canning Ingredients
• Part 2 of 3: Add the pickling mixture to the ham
• Part 3 of 3: Finish the salting and ripening process of the ham
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Salting ham gives it additional flavor, color and aroma. The main ingredients are salt, sugar and saltpeter (potassium nitrate), a preservative used for canning and pickling. You can also use various seasonings for salting, for example, black and red pepper or cloves. It is best to pickle the ham during cold weather, in December and January (or June and July in the Southern Hemisphere) to provide freshness and flavor.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Mix the Canning Ingredients

1. 1 In a bowl, combine 0.9 kg of non-iodized salt and 0.45 kg of white or brown sugar. Sugar compensates for the taste of the salt.
2. 2 Add about 28 g of saltpeter to help preserve the flavor of the meat. Combine saltpeter, salt and sugar.
3. 3 You can also use another recipe: mix together 8 tablespoons (118 ml) brown sugar, 2 cups salt, 2 tbsp. (29 ml) ground red pepper, 4 tablespoons (59 ml) black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon (2.4 ml) preservative.Mix all the ingredients together before using them for pickling.

Part 2 of 3: Add the pickling mixture to the ham

1. 1 Open the sinewy part of the ham. Place at least 3 tbsp. spoons (44 ml) of the preservative mixture inside, to cover the middle joint.
   • Applying a preservative to the inside of the ham will prevent bone damage.
2. 2 Cover the skin of the ham with the mixture, followed by the slanting cuts.
3. 3 Place the ham in wrapping paper. Wrap the paper tightly to keep the mixture on the ham.
4. 4 Place the ham roll in a stocking bag and hang it in a well-ventilated area. For 4.5 kg of ham, it will take 2.5 to 3 days. Depending on the size, it will take up to 40 days of cold weather to fully cure the ham to keep it from spoiling.

Part 3 of 3: Finish the salting and ripening process of the ham

1. 1 After 3 days of salting, remove the wrapping paper from the meat. Wipe off any mold and excess mixture from the ham with a cloth lightly dampened with vinegar.
2. 2 Blot the ham with a dry cloth and coat with a layer of vegetable oil to protect the meat from mold. The ham salting process usually ends in early April.
3. 3 Wrap the meat again to prepare it for ripening. Hang it in a closet, in a well-ventilated place, in the same place where the salting process took place. The ham ripens from 3 to 6 months, saturated with aroma and taste.

Tips

• After the harvesting process, you can smoke the ham if desired. To do this, unfold the meat and brush off the mold or the rest of the marinating mixture with a stiff brush, and then rinse with cold water. Smoke the ham at a temperature no more than 32 degrees Celsius, use sawdust or hardwood. Then prepare the ham for aging. * Cook the meat after the ripening process. Again, remove excess mixture and mold, then brown or roast the meat.

Warnings

• Never wrap the ham in plastic or wax paper to dry. They retain moisture and contribute to the deterioration of mold growth. Try not to store the ham in the cellar or basement for the same reason.

What do you need

• 0.9 kg of non-iodized salt
• 0.45 kg white or brown sugar
• 1 large bowl
• 28 g nitrate (preservative)
• 8 tablespoons (118 ml) brown sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoons (29 ml) red pepper (optional)
• 4 tablespoons (59 ml) black pepper (optional)
• Ham
• Wrapping
• Hosiery bag
• Piece of cloth
• Vinegar
• Vegetable oil