Classic pork ham jamon
It's time to surprise your guests with an interesting and unusual dish - pork jamon.
Ingredients:
- pork ham – 4 kg;
- sea salt – 12 kg.
Preparation:
- Trim excess fat from ham. Sprinkle well with salt.
- Place in a basin and put in the attic for two weeks. To ensure that the piece is evenly salted, turn it over periodically.
- Wash off the remaining salt. Hang the ham from the ceiling.
- Leave to ripen for six months. If possible, once a week it is necessary to increase the temperature by one degree. This will help the ham sweat. Excess moisture and fat will be released from the pork.
- Transfer to a cool place. You can go to the balcony. Hang from the ceiling and leave for three months.
General information
Spanish jamon - cured pork belly
This is a dried pork ham prepared according to an old recipe in a special way. It is both very simple and very complex. On the one hand, there are only two components - the ham of a young pig and salt.
On the other hand, it can take up to two years for the meat to reach readiness, and many different conditions must be observed so that everything is prepared according to the rules and the meat turns out tender and tasty. Due to the difficulties associated with preparing jamon, this delicacy has a fairly high cost.
The price in Russia starts from 7 thousand and can vary up to 100 thousand for one ham
But gourmets and connoisseurs of Spanish cuisine who can afford such luxury do not waste their money - jamon not only has a subtle, memorable taste, but also has a number of other undeniable advantages. For example, jamon meat is prepared in such a way that it contains almost no cholesterol, so it can be classified as a low-calorie meat delicacy.
Traditional spanish recipe
You can make jamon at home, but you need to be patient. The main product after a piece of meat is salt, which is a preservative and helps pork acquire a special taste.
Ingredients:
- pork ham – 5 kg;
- sea salt – 20 kg.
Preparation:
- Trim the fat from the ham. Add salt, which must be coarse. Place in the cellar, can be stored in the refrigerator.
- To ensure that the salt is evenly distributed, absorbed and displaces excess moisture, the ham is salted for two weeks.
- Rinse the piece of meat and leave it for three days in a room with a temperature of at least 30 degrees.
- Move to a dark place where the temperature does not exceed 10 degrees. Next, the temperature and humidity are gradually increased. It will take at least six months to keep the ham in this room. When the ham is completely dry, move it to a room with an air temperature of eight degrees and leave it to dry for 9-25 months.
When is the best time to start preparing the delicacy?
It is recommended to start preparing homemade jamon in the last days of winter. With this approach, it will not be difficult to meet some important requirements. One of their requirements: in the process of drying the ham, the temperature should be gradually increased by one to one and a half degrees every week, and the air humidity should be gradually reduced.
These conditions are not difficult to maintain in central Russia, since these are normal natural conditions for this time of year. The starting temperature of the process should be 4 degrees.
Cooking with lamb
Lamb jamon is an unusual appetizer that can completely replace sausage from the store, not only on a regular day, but also on a holiday.
Ingredients:
- salt – 4 kg for the first salting;
- leg of lamb – 2 kg;
- salt – 4 kg.
Preparation:
- Place foil on a baking sheet. Add half a kilogram of salt. Place the leg and cover with the remaining salt for the first salting. Place in a cool place for a day.
- Remove salt that has been saturated with juice. Shake your leg to remove any remaining salt. Add two kilograms of salt. Leave for two days.
- Remove the salt and add two kilograms of salt. Leave for a week.
- Remove all salt and hang for a week in a well-ventilated room. Place a basin under your foot so that the juice that will be released does not drip onto the floor.
- The meat will take on a beautiful dark color. Store the finished product in the refrigerator.
Fly protection
Lard: recipe at home, cooking features and reviews
An important point is the fight against flies. With warming, it is necessary to begin an active fight against these insects. You also need to protect the meat from touching. We recommend using a mosquito net with a minimum mesh size; you also need to prepare wire for making the frame.
Preparing a protective cocoon net for the ham
To make a shelter from a mosquito net and wire you will need a nylon thread and a needle for stitching. You must make a protective cap and put it on the meat piece, but it is advisable not to come into contact with the product.
Rotting may form in places of contact with meat, which will lead to spoilage of the entire finished product.
A mosquito net cocoon protects the product from flies, wasps and other insects
Hamon in an accelerated way
If you do not have the opportunity to age the ham in the attic or basement, we offer a very quick cooking option.
Ingredients:
- pepper mixture;
- pork loin – 1 kg;
- curry;
- salt – 2 kg;
- basil;
- sugar – 1 kg;
- bay leaf - 2 leaves, chopped.
Preparation:
- Dry the loin. Sprinkle with salt and sugar. Place in a bowl, preferably an enamel one. Place oppression on top. Leave for three days. Turn over several times during this time so that the piece is salted evenly. Also regularly drain the liquid that comes out of the meat.
- Take a paper towel and dry the piece. Rub with spices. Wrap in gauze and tie with thick thread. Hang from the ceiling for five days. Preferably on the balcony.
- After five days, the pork is ready to eat. But we recommend that you be patient and turn the brisket into a real delicacy. To do this, let it hang for a month. This meat can be stored for more than a year.
Useful tips and tricks
There are several secrets that will help you prepare delicious jamon:
- the use of nitrite salt rather than ordinary salt allows not only to prevent the process of rotting meat, but also to preserve its appetizing shade;
- spices and salt must be rubbed into the product very intensively so that it does not turn out bland;
- the finished ham should reduce in size by approximately 30%;
- if the pork fat is white after drying, it means that the snack is prepared correctly and is not spoiled.
Today there are more than 15 successful recipes for making jamon at home. Among them are classic, as well as accelerated, spicy, from different parts of pork carcass, beef and poultry.
With herbs
You don't have to buy a large ham to cook it. A good quality loin will do.
Ingredients:
- ground black pepper;
- vinegar – 100 ml (6%);
- salt – 550 g;
- chopped bay leaf – 1 teaspoon;
- spices;
- sugar – 250 g;
- loin – 2100 g.
Preparation:
- Add sugar to salt. Add herbs and pepper. Mix.
- Rub the resulting mixture onto the loin. Place in a container, preferably an enamel one. Sprinkle with vinegar. Place oppression. Place in the refrigerator for three days.
- Turn the piece over every day to better salt it.
- After the specified time, wipe with a paper towel. Rub with herbs again and wrap in cheesecloth. Hang it on the balcony. If you cook in the warm season, then put it in the refrigerator for the day and hang it out again at night. It will take a week to prepare.
How to store jamon at home
To store the ham you will need a dry room with a stable temperature of about 15-20 degrees. If there are frequent or sudden temperature changes, the meat will spoil faster.
For longer storage, hang it with the hoof up, having previously coated it with fat on all sides. Fat can be replaced with olive oil.
The appearance of mold on the surface is the normal limit. The fungus indicates that the product is natural and the technological preparation conditions have been met.
After cutting off the pieces of meat, place a strip of fat over the cut area and cover with natural fabric.
What to serve cooked meat with
This delicacy must be presented correctly. Can be served as a stand-alone snack. To do this, place the meat slices on a dish and garnish with herbs, which will not spoil the taste of the delicacy. It is recommended to place on a warm dish or wooden board.
The refined aroma and taste of the dish is ideally emphasized by wine and various fruits. Salty slices go perfectly with sweet melon. Fruit slices are wrapped in thin slices and placed on skewers. Place on a plate and decorate around with olives, herbs and cheese.
