Make your own cooked ham

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 ½ kg pork (shoulder)
• 1 liter of water
• 100 g curing salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp red wine
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 2 cloves, whole
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest period approx. 10 days; Total time approx. 10 days 1 hour

brilliant in asparagus season, even more delicious with beef and veal

It’s finally asparagus season again, and it’s even worth making your own cooked ham to go with the delicious asparagus. It’s easier than you think. You buy a nice piece of shoulder meat; some butchers even offer raw cooked ham. You boil the water, let it cool slightly, and then add the curing salt, spices, and finely chopped garlic. Mix the brine and let it cool. For curing, we use a suitable plastic or stoneware container. Place the piece of shoulder in it and pour the brine over it. It must be completely covered. We then place the container in a cold cellar; if you don’t have one, put it in the refrigerator. After about 10 days, we take the meat out and discard the brine. If you have a hot smoker, you can greatly enhance the flavor with 20 minutes of hot smoke. Whether smoke or non-smoke, now it’s time to finally cook the meat. If you don’t have a cooked ham dish, get a roasting bag and squeeze the meat into it. Tie it up completely and place it in boiling water. A few minutes later, reduce the temperature to 80°C and let it stand for at least 2 hours. Once the cooking time is up, cool the roasting bag or cooked ham dish in cold water for 3 hours. After cooling, let it rest unopened in the refrigerator. The next day, remove it from the dish and slice it. It’s only a small effort, but the reward is a delicious taste. Tip: Even if you don’t like fatty rind, leave it on until you’re ready to eat it. It’s a big part of the flavor. Cooked ham doesn’t keep for long, so either eat it straight away or store it in portions in the freezer. If you’re using a cooked ham dish, press it down tightly and fill it with warm salted water before cooking. This will prevent the ham from drying out. For something even more delicate, use beef from the underside instead of pork. The next step is a leg of veal. With these types of meat, I omit the spices, just use curing salt, sugar, and the pre-made seasoning.