Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Kentucky Country Hams

salt it then smoke it

This is a great thread.

Greg in Tenn

You ever cooked a whole one in a lard tin submerged in coca cola or Dr pepper? You have nub the hock a little

A "real" country ham, not a commercial one, is going to be about a year old before you would eat it. These are the ones that all the rural folks used to put up. Hogs were usually killed around Thanksgiving, or thereabouts, when it got cold enough. The commercial hams, like Clifty Farms for example, are usually ready to sell in about 4 months. The flavor from a "real" country ham really outshines the commercial ones.

I think the reason Coke or Dr. Pepper are added is in an attempt to add flavor. You don't have to do that to a genuine one.

The old folks used to hang them up and leave them like you said. Till they be covered in green mold.

Thats right just dont eat the mold . I like it sliced about 1/8 inch thick .

Or both, it seems, based on the Newsome Country Ham link I provided. In Spain all of the hams are salt cured but not smoked. It is the way I like it, thin sliced. I wonder what the USDA label says about that in the U.S. Costco sells the Iberico Spanish ham.

Costco Iberico Spanish Ham

I remember visiting this old hermit back in the bush when I was a little kid with my dad. I was admiring his outhouse sized smoke house he says have a look in side I got a couple geese in there.
Opened the door there’s two plucked geese hanging by their heads all green and half decayed by the looks of it. He says the screen keeps the flies out they’re almost done see how the heads about to break off another week they’ll fall off the hook and ready to cook 🤢🤢