SC - Kvass.

[Decker, Terry D.]

When the hams are cut from the carcass, you must trim them well.  Loose
morsels of meat
can get infected and spoil the taste of much of the ham.  

For salt cured ham, leave as much of the skin attached as you can and still
leave a neat
package.

For sugar cured ham, or smoked ham you can leave the skin on or remove it
neatly.

SALT CURED HAM

After the ham is neatly trimmed, clean it well using clean salt water.  Take
pure salt, (not
iodized) mixed with an equal amount of pepper and firmly pat it into all
exposed areas. 
Then pack the ham in enough salt to cover all surfaces to a depth of at least
1/2 inch. 
Allow it to cure in the salt for ten days to two weeks.  Every two or three
days check to see
if there are any damp patches on the surface of the salt.  If there are, add
more salt.  After
you have allowed it to cure in salt for enough time, brush the surplus salt
off with a clean
cloth.   Wrap the ham in a clean white cloth, and hang in a cool, dry space.
Ham will keep
like this for around six months in cold weather, if it does not freeze.  In
warm weather, it
only lasts around three months at the most.   In spring, we usually cut the
ham down and
cut it into meal sized pieces then soaked it in clear water for 12 to 24
hours, then put it in
the freezer.  You should always soak the ham to remove most of the salt before
cooking,
unless you prefer briney meat.

My husband’s family prefered salt cured ham to sugar cured ham.   We did not
often sugar
cure it, so I do not remember the exact ingredients or proportions, but the
technique is
much the same as the salt cured ham, except you use a mixture of brown sugar
and suitable
spices in the place of salt.

Smoking hams, sausages, and bacon is the same as any other meats.  Use your
favorite
technique.  My personal preference is Hickory wood, but you can use any good
flavored
wood.  Mesquite is another good choice. Some of the fruit woods lend
interesting
variations, but be careful with cherry.  Wild Cherry wood can have poisonous
fumes.  .  I
certainly would not use any resinous wood, such as pine.

Mordonna

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