Fermented ham? Was, Re: SC - don't cringe too bad....

[Brian L. Rygg or Laura Barbee-Rygg]

Yes, it does.  The first and only time I had country ham as opposed to
sugar-cured ham, I thought it had spoiled and sent it back to the kitchen.

Raoghnailt
> The smoking of ham is primarily designed to keep out insects (creosote
> and other tars repel flies and such, as does pepper in the cure) but the
> salt is intended to draw off excess water and kill or prevent the
> breeding of pathogenic bacteria. It does not, however, eliminate _all_
> bacteria and molds, and, well, as the ham ages, it gets kinda tangy,
> doesn't it?
>
> Adamantius