i Lead Recipes

Country ham or Virginia ham is a variety of cured ham from the United States, associated with the Southern United States. It is typically very salty in taste. Country hams are salt-cured (and occasionally nitrate-cured) for a period of one to three months. They may be hardwood (usually hickory and red oak) smoked, then aged for several months to 2-3 years, depending on the fat content of the meat. Smoking is not legally mandated for making country ham. Some types of country ham (such as the “salt-and-pepper ham” of North Carolina) are not smoked. The smoking process turns the meat a much redder color than other hams.

Filed under: Pork Recipes | 1 Comment »