Honey Cure for Ham
Submitted by Bethstephen
Traditional British honey-cured ham using salt, saltpeter, pepper, and honey rubbed and turned daily for a month before hanging to dry. An old-fashioned whole-ham curing method for serious charcuterie.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
0 minREADY
1 minThis is ham curing the old-fashioned British way, and it takes a full month before the ham ever sees heat.
The cure starts with a daily rub of salt, saltpeter, and black pepper for four days. Saltpeter (potassium nitrate) is the traditional curing agent that draws out moisture, preserves the meat, and gives cured pork its characteristic deep color. On day four, a full pound of honey gets rubbed into the ham, which provides sweetness and helps the cure penetrate deeper into the muscle.
After that, the ham gets rubbed with the accumulated pickle liquid twice a week for a month. Only then does it hang to dry.
This is a recipe for patience and intention. If you’re curing your own whole ham from scratch, this method produces something that no supermarket product can replicate.
Ingredients
Directions
Rub the ham all over with the salt, saltpeter, and pepper.
Put it in a salting pan. Turn and rub it well with the mixture every day for 4 days.
Then pour the honey over the ham and rub it in.
Rub the ham with the pickle twice a week for a month before you hang it up to dry.
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