What is country ham? A country ham is a piece of meat, specifically the hind leg of a pig that has been preserved using salt. It is not cooked, but preserved by the cure. Country hams are dry-cured, meaning the meat is rubbed down with a mixture of salt and sugar, white or brown. Sometimes other spices such as black pepper, red pepper and paprika are included in the rub mixture. But the primary ingredient is always salt.
Country hams are aged for at least three months, some as long as 12 months, and may be smoked after aging. As the ham ages, salt and sugar move to the inside of the meat and water is lost. This combination of low moisture and high salt content inhibit bacterial growth and make the ham safe to be stored at room temperature without refrigeration.
Country hams are very different from their common cousin the “city ham”, which is a wet cured ham. Country hams have a complex, unique flavor. It is more than just a salty flavor. The flavor profile depends on the dry rub used and the length of time the ham has been aged. If the ham is smoked after it is aged, the flavor will be even more complex depending on the woods used for smoking.
The texture of a country ham is unique as well. It is not like other hams because of the low moisture content. It will definitely be drier and less tender than the city ham.
The majority of country hams are cured in family-owned and operated facilities where they have perfected their flavor profiles and techniques over the years. Kentucky, along with Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia, is part of the ham belt, an area of the United States where the temperature and humidity are ideal for dry curing meats.
The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service can guide you through making your own country ham with the publication titled How to Make a Country Ham ASC-213. Contact the Morgan County Extension Service for a copy of this publication or to inquire about making your own country ham. It is a great project for all ages and 4-H offers a youth project on country hams as well.
What do I do with a Country Ham? How to handle, cook and enjoy.
Why can country hams be stored without refrigeration? Country hams must have lost at least 18 percent of their green weight and contain at least four percent salt. The vast majority of the 18 percent weight loss is water, which bacteria need for growth and survival. In addition, very few bacteria can grow in a four percent salt concentration. The combination of lower water content (referred to as water activity) and high salt concentration makes country hams shelf-stable. Basically, country hams are a bacterial desert that cannot support life.
Cooking Country Hams ~ Before cooking, a country ham should be thoroughly cleaned to remove excess cure and mold. There are about as many recipes for cooking country ham as there are country hams. Specific country ham recipes may be found on the internet; however, there are some basic cooking methods that will work well for home-curers.
Whole Hams – Once the ham has completed the summer sweat, length of time is personal preference, it is ready for the dinner table. Some people prefer cooking a whole country ham for a large party or a family get-together. Whole country hams may be cooked two different ways: baked or boiled.
Baked Country Ham
1. Clean the ham to remove excess cure and mold.
2. Place the ham in a container and cover the ham with tap water and change the water every eight to 12 hours for the next 24 hours. This process will help pull some of the salt out of the ham. Tip: Ice chest type coolers with drain plugs work best for soaking country hams.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the ham in a large roasting pan and fill the container with water, leaving one to two inches at the top of the pan and cover with aluminum foil. Tip: Large disposable aluminum pans work best, and instead of water you may use apple juice or soda.
4. Cook for 30 minutes to one hour at 350°F. Reduce the temperature to 300°F and cook for another one and a half hours.
5. Turn the ham over after step four is complete and insert an oven safe thermometer into the thickest part of the ham. Cook for an additional one and a half hours or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
6. Allow the ham to cool for 30 or more minutes before slicing thin and enjoy.
Boiled Country Ham
Follow steps one and two for baked ham.
3. Place the ham in a large pot and completely cover with water.
4. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the container. Simmer the ham for 20 minutes per pound. Tip: Do not boil, simmer.
5. Once cooked, remove the container from the heat and cool.
6. Once cool enough to handle, remove ham from water, remove the rind, fat and bone.
7. Slice the ham and serve, or cool overnight then slice.
Sliced Ham
Fried country ham has a different flavor and texture compared to baked or boiled hams. For experienced connoisseurs, this is the only way to enjoy country ham.
1. Clean the ham to remove excess cure and mold.
2. Slice the ham. Some grocery stores will slice the ham for you.
3. Fry in a cast-iron skillet, 45 seconds to one minute per side, then serve.
Tip: Try frying country ham slices on an outdoor grill.
Slicing Country Ham
Some meat processors and grocery store meat departments will slice whole country hams upon request; however, very few are allowed to do so because of government regulations. Slicing a country ham can be a challenge, but the job is easier with a meat hand saw and a deli slicer. Both items can be purchased from the internet or an outdoor sportsmen’s store.
Food provides nutrients for life. It is a source of comfort and the focus of celebrations. Food often identifies a culture. Kentucky and the Southeast’s food cultures include the country ham.
Traditionally, country hams were ambient cured and relied on Mother Nature to provide refrigeration and heat. Today they may be cured in an artificial environment using mechanical refrigeration to create the desired temperatures.
No matter what method is used, do-it-yourselfers who want to start their own family traditions will find that with a few easy-to-find ingredients and a secure storage area, country hams are not difficult to make. Enjoy this tradition with family. This was once a family tradition for most families. Ask grandparents, great grandparents, moms and dads to share their stories.
