Prague ham

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 3 ½ kg ham (back ham with rind) raw
• 1 liter of water
• 120 g curing salt
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 10 g juniper berries, crushed
• 15 g coriander, crushed seeds
• 15 g pepper, crushed grains
• 20 g sugar
• 2 g caraway seeds, crushed

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest period approx. 18 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 4 hours; Total time approx. 18 days 5 hours

Brine or spray curing

The brine is made by boiling all the ingredients for 15-20 minutes and then letting it cool to create a seasoned brine. The ham is then cured in this for 14 days, ideally in a sturdy plastic bag in the refrigerator, which is twisted off to remove any air and sealed so that the brine surrounds the meat. The bag is turned once a day to ensure everything is evenly cured. It is then left to dry for 3-4 days to give it a deep red colour. The ham is then cold smoked until light yellow, stuffed into a net, vacuum-sealed, and scalded in the sealed vacuum bag at 75-80°C (1 hour per kg). Immediately afterwards, it is brushed with a mixture of barbecue spice, paprika, condensed milk, or cream, and baked at 180°C for about 30 minutes. It can also be spray-cured using the above brine, which has, of course, been thoroughly strained. To do this, inject approximately 15-20% of the meat’s weight of the above-mentioned brine at intervals of approximately 4 cm, then place the ham and the remaining brine in a plastic bag for 3 days, so that it is surrounded by the remaining brine. Then let it dry and smoke as described above. This is the juiciest version.