ham-msg – 1/24/11

Period ham. Modern sources. Recipes.

NOTE: See also the files: sausages-msg, roast-pork-msg, meat-smoked-msg, mustard-msg, Mustard-Making-art, p-pigs-msg, livestock-msg, pig-to-sausag-art, salt-msg.

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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 17:09:15 -0800
From: "Crystal A. Isaac" <crystal at pdr-is.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Ham

Christi Redeker (Murkial) wrote:
> Can anyone tell me if ham is period.  I don't remember seeing an exact
> reference for it, so I figured I would check with the experts.  Anyone?

Yep, ham's medieval. There's a recipe in Apicius for "Pig Newtons." You
take ham, cover it with a paste of figs and honey then cover it with a
pastry crust and bake. It's really good.

I think about any sort of salt or smoke cured meat is medieval. They
were pretty clever about figuring out ways to make meat last over winter
without making people sick.

Crystal of the Westermark


Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 23:13:07 -0500
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Ham

> Yep, ham's medieval. There's a recipe in Apicius for "Pig Newtons." You
> take ham, cover it with a paste of figs and honey then cover it with a
> pastry crust and bake. It's really good.
>
> I think about any sort of salt or smoke cured meat is medieval. They
> were pretty clever about figuring out ways to make meat last over winter
> without making people sick.

Yes, ham is period, and more or less prehistoric, I suspect. Cato's "De
Re Rustica" (or is it "De Re Agricultura"? I always get Cato and
Columella mixed up) gives a recipe that Jane Grigson has declared almost
identical in its details to relatively modern recipes for York ham,
except for the final rubbing with vinegar and oil. I'm not aware of a
whole lot of medieval recipes for curing and smoking ham, but it clearly
was eaten, and there's really no big reason to assume it was mde
differently than Cato's version, with minor differences in the case
with, say, Spanish hams which appear to have been air dried, like
Prosciutto, after curing, and not smoked.

One thing I did want to point out is that the Apician recipe for ham
baked in dough is a bit different from the description above, and I
assume that the concept of Pig Newtons is an adaptation of the original
for a secondary or tertiary source. The Apician recipe, IIRC, calls for
a smoked ham, like a Smithfield type ham, to be soaked, scoured, etc.,
to desalinate it somewhat. It is then boiled with figs, drained,
skinned, smeared with honey, and wrapped in a dough made of flour and
olive oil. As far as I know from the recipe, the figs are not eaten in
the final dish, and the pastry is probably discarded too.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be at all surprised if there was a sauce
for ham calling for a thickening of pastry crumbs. I'd have to check on
that, but it would make sense.

Why do I mention this? Not because I'm a rotter who enjoys pointing out
things like this, but rather because this is a fairly common research
foible that can cause trouble under certain circumstances. To quote
Herod Agrippa in "Claudius the God" (and probably spoken over a plate of
Apician ham) "Trust no one, little marmoset! Trust no one!" To which I
add, especially anyone claiming a recipe is Apician, without providing a
reasonable stab at chapter and verse, and especially don't trust Vehling
;  )  !

But dang, Pig Newtons sound good, I have to say...

Adamantius (a bit of an Apician ham himself)


Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1998 02:39:47 -0400From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>Subject: Re: SC - curing hamStefan li Rous wrote:> Thanks for this confirmation, Adamantius. But what is this "charcuterie"?> I assume this is some kind of ham or some kind of preserving but more details> would be useful.Close. Literally translated from French, it means "meat cookery", butgenerally means the preparation of pork products like ham, bacon,sausage of various kinds, liver pates, and just about any other product,fresh or preserved, made from pork. Ordinary raw meat is sold in theboucherie or butcher shop.
Please don't be shy about things like this, at least not on myaccount...the method for curing country hams and other charcuterie seemsnot to have changed much since the Roman Republic (except maybe for thesugar).Jane Grigson, in her book on charcuterie, draws a striking comparisonbetween the process outlined by Cato the Elder for curing and smokinghams, and the process used until quite recently for York hams.Adamantius

Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 18:33:33 -0400
From: "Philippa Alderton" <phlip at bright.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Question - Recipes for the low budget

The thing is, many of these recipes can be cooked in small quantities. I've
just been going through Milham's Platina, and reading such recipes as VI
46, entitled "Ham"

"Stick a knife into the middle of a ham (which is called "from the foot."
as pleases Varro) and smell it. If it smells good, the ham will be good; if
bad, it should be thrown away. Cook a good ham in white wine or vinegar.
Some say as much water should be added, especially Glaucus who does not
drink wine; they are certainly wrong. It is more pleasant cooked in wine
alone, or vinegar, and it lasts longer. Ham should not be over-cooked, nor
should it be taken from its juice except when it has cooled."

This one could be easily tried with a slice of ham in a frying pan, or a
whole fresh ham, imo.

<snip of boiled beef recipe>

Phlip


Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1998 21:44:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: Sharon Gordon <gordonse at one.net>
Subject: Re: SC - ham

Many people also soak the ham in several changes of water, before they
even start cooking it.  Smithfields' are very salty.  Also this ham tastes
best in very thin slices--no thicker than thin sliced bacon.

If you have some left over for modern purposes try:
1) Triple decker turkey and smithfield ham sandwich with
   lettuce and tomato and mayo.
2) Using scrappy pieces and fat to make hamspread in the blendar
   or food processor.
3) Making hambone soup with vegetables.  Including lima beans
   and potatoes as some of your vegetables is especially good.
4) Ham biscuits

For more medieval purposes, it would be good where spicy ham
or prosciutto type meats are used.

Sharon


Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1998 23:28:58 -0400
From: renfrow at skylands.net (Cindy Renfrow)
Subject: Re: SC - ham

There is a recipe in Laud MS 553 for removing the saltiness from salted
meats.  Oatmeal is bound in a cloth.  The meat, oatmeal, & water are heated
on a very low flame for a long time, & then cooled.  The process is
repeated as necessary.

BTW, I believe it was at the Daniel Boone homestead during restoration,
that a ham was discovered still hanging in the old smokehouse.  I'm told it
was delicious.

Cindy/Sincgiefu


Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 15:58:11 -0400
From: Marilyn Traber <margali at 99main.com>
Subject: SC - Apician Ham PERNAM

Well, folks, I made this several times running.

We got a great deal on pork shoulder, .49 american a pound
at the commissary on base. We bought 4, and 4 boxes of dried
caly figs.

THE HAM SHOULD BE BRAISED WITH A GOOD NUMBER OF FIGS AND
SOME THREE LAUREL LEAVES; THE SKIN IS THEN PULLED OFF AND
CUT INTO SQUARE PIECES; THESE ARE MACERATED WITH HONEY.
THEREUPON MAKE DOUGH CRUMBS OF FLOUR AND OIL. LAY THE DOUGH
OVER OR AROUND THE HAM STUD, STUD THE TOP WITH THE PIECES OF
SKIN SO THAT THEY WILL BE BAKED WITH THE DOUGH AND WHEN
DONE, RETIRE FROM THE OVEN AND SERVE.

attempt 1: Robs version
got out the pork, and figs. He cheated and used already pie
crusts. He put the pork, bay leaves and worchestershire
sauce in a stock pot, with water to cover and braised it in
the oven at 375-400 degrees fahr for about 1 1/2 hours,
until the meat thermometer read 160. He then pulled it out,
dumped the braising liquid and peeled off the skin. He cut
it into squares and soaked it in honey with a dash of
worchestershire sauce.

He wrapped the already pie crust around the trimmed and
dried off shoulder, and stuck the skin pieces back on top.
He put it back in the oven at 350 degrees fahr for about
half an hour. He went to check it out but when he opened the
oven to use the meat thermometer, the pie crust was not up
to the task and had buckled and slid off, and the surface
had started to brown. He decided that browning wasn't
desired, as the crust we figured was to keep the moisture in
and preserve the white color of the pork. We finished
roasting it, and it was very good, but a litle dry.

attempt 2:
got out the pork, figs, 3 bay leaves and the worchestershire
sauce[my garum!] and grabbed down a stock pot sized a bit
larger than the shoulder. popped in the figs, bay leaves,
about 1/4 c worchester sauce and water to cover, and covered
the pot. I popped it in the oven, set on 375-400 degrees
fahr. and watched an episode of  I Claudius to get in the
mood. After the first episode, I poked it with a meat
thermometer and found it to be 150 degrees fahr. so I
decided to leave it in for another half an hour. After half
an hour, I got out olive oil and flour, and a dash of water
made a basic mix stiff enough to be handled and wrapped
around the shoulder.

I pulled the pot out, and fished out the shoulder, and
reserved it. I put the braising liquid in a pan and reduced
it to 1/4, and thickened it with a slurry of cold water and
spelt flour. Saved it and served it on the side. It needed
salt, pepper and another dash of worchesteshire sauce.

I pulled off the skin and flensed off some of the fat layer
that was left behind, and did a bit of judicious trimming of
bits to neaten things up while the squares of skin were
floating in a bowl of honey. I also scraped off the figgy
mush bits adhering in crevaces and dried it with paper
towels. On my cutting board, I had a layer of dough patted
out to about 1/2" thick, and about 2'x2'. I wrapped the
shoulder and sealed all the seams.  I stuck the rather
sticky [and hot] pieces of pigskin to the top of the whole
mess. I put it into a shallow cake type pan with a roasting
rack in the bottom that has nifty handles to help you pull a
roast or bird out without getting burned or messy. I then
baked it at about 300 degrees fahr. for the half episode
left over, and almost all of the third one. I snuck the meat
thermometer into the beastie, which cracked the crust all to
heck, and it registered as done. We picked off all the crust
and popped it onto a platter and had refried mush with pine
nuts[vehling #299, sort of] and leeks and beets [#67] which
everybody considered a big success.

margali


Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1998 08:19:11 -0400
From: "LHG, JRG" <liontamr at ptd.net>
Subject: SC - Apecian Ham--Pernam

margali,

I have made the Pernam recipe in the past, and had very little trouble.

I think you have to look at 5 things:
1)Ham means HAM, in other words cured and smoked pork leg meat, not fresh
pork meat. The romans brought the "ham en croute" idea to britain, where it
survives to this day, so I think I'm dead-on here in suggesting you get
preserved ham, not "fresh" ham, for an Apecian recipe specifying ham.
2)Braise means to cook with a small amount of liquid. Boiled ham is one
thing and Braised ham another. One cooks with aromatic steam, and bottom
liquid and heat (braise), the other cooks with hot water (making the ham an
ineffective support for later baking, as the connective tissues have
disintegrated).
3)The figs' natural sugar gets a sort of caramelization thing going there
(be careful of scorching!), and the thick liquid is your sauce (I added
lemon juice rather than the garum you added---it needs something!).
4) Try a hot-water crust rather than a pie crust. I firmly believe that the
hot-water crust is a descendant of  excessively thick pottage, and that's
why we cannot understand, modernly, how pie crust is supposed to stand on
it's own. When you think of it as a pottage extension you should not have
too much trouble dumping in the hot liquid and melted fat to the flour.
Let it cool slightly before working and it will react like
playdough.....you can get creative!
5) This dish is supposed to resemble a baked ham when finished, at least
somewhat. Think of it as  roman double-illusion food: "Oh, look, it's ham!
Noooo, wait, there's a crust, so it must be something else.......No, wait,
It's a Ham in fig sauce!" Those romans had no sense of comedy!

Those are my observations of the dish. I'm sorry I don't have the redaction
I did so very long ago. I remember it was well received, however.

Aoife


Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 19:14:46 -0400
From: Phil & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Apecian Ham--Pernam

Hullo, the list!

With regard to Margali and her Apician Pernam recipe, I've been meaning to
ask, and this was really the first opportunity: whose translation is this? It
looks rather different from the Flower and Rosenbaum version I have here, but
based even on simply looking at it in Latin I have a few questons...

Lady Aoife Finn wrote:

> 1)Ham means HAM, in other words cured and smoked pork leg meat, not fresh
> pork meat. The romans brought the "ham en croute" idea to britain, where it
> survives to this day, so I think I'm dead-on here in suggesting you get
> preserved ham, not "fresh" ham, for an Apecian recipe specifying ham.]

This appears to be the case;  "poples" seems to refer to the anatomical
portion, and presumably a fresh pork leg, while "pernam" seems to refer to
cured ham. "Petaso" seems to be the shoulder, but it's unclear to me whether
fresh or cured is indicated.

> 2)Braise means to cook with a small amount of liquid. Boiled ham is one
> thing and Braised ham another. One cooks with aromatic steam, and bottom
> liquid and heat (braise), the other cooks with hot water (making the ham an
> ineffective support for later baking, as the connective tissues have
> disintegrated).

Yes, but the original Latin distinctly calls for boiling, which, while not
necessarily requiring a full rolling boil throughout the cooking process,
would indicate to me that it is covered by the water in which it is cooked.
I'd simmer this in water to cover, which would probably help with the salt, too.

> 3)The figs' natural sugar gets a sort of caramelization thing going there
> (be careful of scorching!), and the thick liquid is your sauce (I added
> lemon juice rather than the garum you added---it needs something!).

I'm sure there are all sorts of ways this dish can be improved upon, but I
wouldn't want to suggest that if I were starting out with a Smithfield ham,
Phlip would hurt me. It's my understanding that the figs don't appear in the
final dish. At least no further reference is made to them in the recipe, and
the pastry is stated to be wrapped around the ham. They may help absorb some
of the salt, as a potato or the little bag of meal some of the medieval
sources speak of might. There  may even be either an enzyme in figs that might
function as a tenderizer of some kind, or perhaps the sweetness might help
counteract the strong flavor of a cured ham. It's sometimes hard to say why
things are done in a particular way. Maybe the figs are eaten separately.

> 4) Try a hot-water crust rather than a pie crust. I firmly believe that the
> hot-water crust is a descendant of  excessively thick pottage, and that's
> why we cannot understand, modernly, how pie crust is supposed to stand on
> it's own. When you think of it as a pottage extension you should not have
> too much trouble dumping in the hot liquid and melted fat to the flour.
> Let it cool slightly before working and it will react like
> playdough.....you can get creative!

All this sounds like excellent advice, which may simply mean many of us are
smarter than Apicius. He advises us to make a pastry from flour and oil and to
cover the ham with it, after first removing the ham's skin, scoring the ham,
and filling the incisions with honey. I've made this dish too, according to
the Apician instructions, and found a dough made only from oil and flour to
have a rather unexpectedly odd texture: kinda like shortbread run amok, with
absolutely no gluten development. One possibiity is that freshly pressed olive
oil might have had a certain built-in water content, which would make this
more like a recognizable pastry dough.

> 5) This dish is supposed to resemble a baked ham when finished, at least
> somewhat. Think of it as  roman double-illusion food: "Oh, look, it's ham!
> Noooo, wait, there's a crust, so it must be something else.......No, wait,
> It's a Ham in fig sauce!" Those romans had no sense of comedy!

Terence? Plautus? For that matter, Caesar? No sense of comedy? Perhaps you
mean the good people of Rome, New York?

Now, although I'm a little curious as to how some of these decisions were made
(I suspect we've been Vehlinged again!), please understand that I will be
utterly shameless about inviting myself to the dinner tables of either of
these two ladies, at the earliest opportunity...

Adamantius


Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 20:51:25 EDT
From: Mordonna22 at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Apecian Ham--Pernam

liontamr at ptd.net writes:
>  1)Ham means HAM, in other words cured and smoked pork leg meat, not fresh
>  pork meat. The romans brought the "ham en croute" idea to britain, where it
>  survives to this day, so I think I'm dead-on here in suggesting you get
>  preserved ham, not "fresh" ham, for an Apecian recipe specifying ham.

>From The Random House Dictionary, copyright 1980, published by Ballentine
Books ISBN: 0-345-32298-3
"ham(1) (ham), n.  1. a cut of meat from a hog's heavy-muscled rear part
between hip and hock, usually cured.  2. that part of a hog's hind leg.  3.
the part of the leg back of the knee.  4. often hams, the back of the thigh,
or the thigh and the buttocks together."

Mordonna DuBois
Haven of Warriors
Atenveldt


Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1998 21:28:09 EDT
From: Mordonna22 at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Apple cider

phlip at bright.net writes:
>  I have just gotten access to an unlimited supply of unpasteurized, no
>  preservative added, apple cider.
>
>  Any suggestions?

Try Ras's recipe for baked ham as redacted by me:
1 ham
Apple cider
1 cloved onion
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp peppercorns

Place ham in large covered baking pan or dish, cover with apple cider, add the
cloved onion and spices.  Bake at 200 degrees F overnight.

Wonderful! !

Mordonna DuBois
Haven of Warriors
Atenveldt


Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 08:45:55 EDT
From: LrdRas at aol.com
Subject: SC - Cooking salted ham

KAPPLERR at swos.navy.mil writes:
<< First off, I have what we call a country ham sitting in the larder begging
 to be used.  >>

Rinse. Cover with water. Simmer for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. You can then
carefully remove it and brown it in the oven but it is just as tasty boiled.
This would be the closest to a period way of fixing it and instructions can
be found in any copy of 'The Boston School of Cookery' or Amish/Pennsylvania
Dutch cookbook as well as various period manuscripts. This was the most
popular way to cook salted hams for centuries up until the water injected
travesties were introduced in the modern era. The addition of 3 or 4 cloves
stuck in a whole onion, a 2 inch piece of cinnamon (cassia) stick and a 8 to
10 black peppercorns will improve the end product remarkably. Enjoy. :-)

Ras


Date: Sat, 18 Sep 1999 08:13:01 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - wild boar

Stefan li Rous wrote:
> Phlip commented:
> >I'd use pretty much the same spices you'd use for any fresh pork. Keep in
> >mind that if the boar is mature and hasn't been castrated, it's going to
> >taste a lot stronger than regular fresh ham- I'd likely soak it in salt
> >water overnight.
>
> Oops. I forgot that this pork leg was ham. Or does "ham" only refer to
> the pig leg after it has been smoked, salted or otherwise cured?

It can be used to refer to fresh or cured leg and buttock, if you will,
and not always necessarily in connection with pork (there are bear and
boar and veni --ahem-- deer hams). You'll note, though, that Phlip said
"regular fresh ham", which presumably refers to uncured leg of domestic pork.

Adamantius


Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 08:47:51 EDT
From: LrdRas at aol.com
Subject: SC - Ham

troy at asan.com writes:
<< since ham is always pork  >>

Not true.

Ham (noun) [Hebrew] : a son of Noah held to be the progenitor of the
Egyptians, Nubians, and Canaanites

ham [1] (noun) [Middle English hamme, from Old English hamm; akin to Old High
German hamma ham, Greek kneme shinbone, Old Irish cnaim bone] First appeared
before 12th Century

 1 a : the hollow of the knee

   b : a buttock with its associated thigh -- usu. used in pl.

 2 : a cut of meat consisting of a thigh; especially : one from a hog

 3 [short for hamfatter, from "The Ham-fat Man," minstrel song] a : a showy
performer; especially : an actor performing in an exaggerated theatrical style

   b : a licensed operator of an amateur radio station

 4 : a cushion used esp. by tailors for pressing curved areas of garments

As you can see, according to Merriam-Webster, a ham is many things and it's
use as a term for a type of thigh meat is not restricted to pork but is used
in particular to refer to that meat.

Ras


Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 09:24:12 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Margali butchers Rudolph the red nose reindeer

Tollhase1 at aol.com wrote:
> of species. Is not Prosciutto (Ps, spell check wants to turn Prosciutto into
> Prostitute) cooked by its processing as a salted/smoked meat unlike Steak
> tartar which only cuts up the meat Vs changing its nature by the addition of
> salt and other herbs?

Prosciutto isn't really cooked, because it's not subjected to heat or
the enzymes or pH change that would denature its proteins. It is firmer
than raw meat because it's had  a lot of its water removed. Steak tartar
is raw, but also at its full moisture content. we hope.

Adamantius


Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 02:14:21 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Ham

Mordonna22 at aol.com wrote:
> So, if I just go into some Yankee butcher shop and ask for ham, which would I
> be most likely to get?  Smoked, Salted, or Sugared?

Yes.

Probably all of the above simultaneously. You don't see too many
unsmoked hams here, although around half are without sugar, I'd guess.
If you wanted a salted-only, green kind of ham, you'd probably have to
specify Prosciutto or Serrano ham, and there are probably French and
German equivalents whose names escape me at the moment.

Adamantius


Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:06:44 EST
From: LrdRas at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Roasting meats

kerric at pobox.alaska.net writes:
<< Has anyone roasted meats using the boil first, roast second method? >>

I always do my whole hams this way. Just plopping a whole preserved ham, salt
and all into an oven before boiling is a very recent innovation which I
suspect came about through the use of canned hams.

First, I put it in water over night. Drain. Put it in a large kettle. Cover
with water (usually adding 9 peppercorns, a bay leaf, 1/2 tsp. caraway seed
and an onion with 3 whole cloves stuck in it). I boil it for about 45 minutes
to an hour (being careful to not let it get overdone and start to fall
apart). Drain. Discard boiling water or add a cabbage head, quartered to it
and cook until cabbage is tender.

Put ham in a roaster. Dump a quart or so of apple cider over it. Sprinkle
with a little brown sugar. Add a couple of whole carrots and a stalk of
celery if you wish. Roast until done basting occasionally.

I posted a more thorough description sometime ago. Perhaps someone has saved
it. This is what I always do with whole hams and they are decadently
delicious and tender. :-)

Ras


Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:09:10 EST
From: LrdRas at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Roasting meats

kerric at pobox.alaska.net writes:
<< If so, I'd
 like to know how long boiled and then how long roasted and at what
temperature. >>

Ideally? 225 deg F, covered, from midnight until the next morning. :-)
Otherwise 350 until done. The time varies according to the size of the ham.

Ras


Date: Tue, 07 Mar 2000 23:47:41 -0500
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Two Questions and Advice

LrdRas at aol.com wrote: 
> I am not saying everyone has forgotten, just that presoaking and parboiling
> before roasting is not done as often as it used to be. My observation was not
> meant to mean that it is not done in the 21st century but merely that it is
> unusual to hear of it being done.

Part of this may be due to the fact that meats are being processed with
less salt, since refrigeration is sort of assumed, and that some
Virginia hams, and others which used to require soaking, scouring, and
parboiling, are now being sold fully cooked, so all that is really
needed is reheating in many cases.

The fact is, though, that if not soaked and parboiled properly, the
older-style hams are almost impossibly salty for any kind of serious
eating (i.e. except in very small amounts with other foods), and unless
properly cooked, have a lot of rather tough connective tissue that leads
to waste of a rather expensive product.

And besides, how are you supposed to make pea soup?

Adamantius


Date: Wed, 08 Mar 2000 10:45:51 -0500
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Ham and a suggestion for Ras at the end

Seton1355 at aol.com wrote:
> I'm really intrigued with this topic.  Now, you gotta understand that I grew
> up in a strictly kosher home and live in a modified kosher home myself... so
> I have no clue when it comes to pig.

Don't worry, this will all come in handy when you get hold of a fennlaar
(Par? Nanna? Spelling?). Think mutton ham.

> Now, I want to ask some questions:
> 
> <<  (snip)  and that some Virginia hams, and others which used to require
> soaking, scouring, and parboiling, ...>>
> 
> How do you scour a ham and what are you trying to get rid of  (dirt?) The
> only thing that comes to mind is a Brillo pad. And why would you par-boil a
> ham if you were going to cook it in a dish anyway?  (In Judaism, one is
> supposed to par - broil livers before use and then you can cook them in any
> manner you wish.  This is done to get rid of the blood)  Is there any
> connection like that in par boiling a ham?  (Probly not...)

Scouring a ham is usually done with a stiff brush, and it removes dirt,
some excess salt, and opens pores in the skin of the ham to facilitate
salt transport for further soaking and parboiling.

> >>>>The fact is, though, that if not soaked and parboiled properly, the
> older-style hams are almost impossibly salty for any kind of serious eating>>>
> So in the middle ages were people just used to very salty ham or did they eat
> it only sparingly too.

The recipes would seem to suggest that, for the most part, eating a
whole ham all at once, was somewhat rare in most of Europe. There are,
however, recipes that speak of whole chunks of roast or boiled meat,
with instructions if the meat be salt, so perhaps some of these
hunks-o'-fleisch were hams.

>  AND  do you do this salt thing to all hams or just
> the bits that you are going to eat later?  Do / did people eat freshly killed
> pig.  AND, while we are on the subject  what is the difference between pork
> and ham?  (It's all treif to me!  :-)   )

Yes, people do, and did, eat freshly killed pigs. A typical farmer's
annual agenda (and I should let Mordonna or Ras talk about this, I'm the
UUY) might include several hogs being slaughtered and processed at once,
with hams, other types of bacon, sausages and puddings being made in
succesion, with hard-to-preserve-cuts like various internal organs being
eaten quickly.

The difference between pork and ham is different today from the
difference in period. Today, ham is usually, but not automatically, the
cured hind leg of the hog, but it can be fresh, too. Bacon is also
usually cured, but the fresh cuts such as belly and loin, that are
sometimes made into bacon, are available fresh.

Once upon a time, you had fresh and salted (and sometimes, in addition
to salted, smoked) pig. Salted (and sometimes y & w, um, I mean smoked)
pig sides (basically the split animal, possibly sans head, was known as
bacon. You had chines of bacon, from the loin near the spine, jambons or
gammons of bacon, taken from the leg, i.e. ham, belly bacon, etc. Some
recipes, therefore, in period, which speak of eating such-and-such with
bacon, aren't specifically referring (at least not always) to the
stripey stuff you see in the supermarket. 
 
> >>>> and unless properly cooked, have a lot of rather tough connective tissue
> 
> uh,,,, yuck!?  All this soaking and cooking softens up the connective tissue??
> (I ask tentitively.)  My bubbie  (grandma) used to buy cheap cuts of meat
> (well we were poor) She used to cook them on the stove, kind of stewing them.
>  For hours ao a low heat.  When they were done, the meat would melt in your
> mouth.   (Oh boy do I miss her now... anyway...)  is this the same type of
> cooking you would do to a connective tissue ham?

Indeed it is. Your bubbie was no fool. Connective tissue isn't
inherently a bad thing, for some cuts of eat it's downright essential
for moistness and flavor. Let's see, now, what would be a good
illustration. Okay, let's try this... you know how, when something like
flanken, or short ribs, or maybe brisket, can be really tough when not
cooked enough, but then they suddenly reach a point where they melt in
the mouth? Well, what's happpening is that collagen, part of the
connective tissue known collectively to meat eaters as "gristle" (along
with less fun things like elastin), is breaking down into gelatin, which
does good things like thickening, enriching, and flavoring gravies, and
moistening and lubricating the meat while you chew it. The connective
tissue in hams is generally akin to the connective tissue in lamb
shanks. Both are tender and yummy when properly cooked.  

>   ALSO, Those huge, net
> wrapped hams I see in the supermarket now for alot of money... are they full
> of connective tissue and salty?
> (Not for the money they are asking for them... I hope)

Salt varies according to the process used, but generally the net-wrapped
hams aren't the kind of hams, such as Smithfield, that require all that
much home processing. They may require baking and/or boiling, but many
are fully cooked. There are usually instructions, I think. The
connective tissue is a function of the cut of meat. The animal was
shockingly inconsiderate when considering its culinary future, so it had
a strange idea that it might use that connective tissue for walking. As
I say, though, there are ways around that. 
 
Adamantius


Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 18:38:41 -0000
From: "=?iso-8859-1?Q?Nanna_R=F6gnvaldard=F3ttir?=" <nannar at isholf.is>
Subject: Re: SC - Ham and a suggestion for Ras at the end

Adamantius wrote:
>Don't worry, this will all come in handy when you get hold of a fennlaar
>(Par? Nanna? Spelling?). Think mutton ham.

FenalÂr (fenalaar), that's the Norwegian version. Or Icelandic hangikjˆt -those lamb or mutton legs we smoked back on the farm would have a thincovering of soot after hanging for months high above the sheepdung fire and had to be brushed thoroughly. But they were not very salty and didn't need soaking.

Nanna


Date: Thu, 9 Mar 2000 07:13:03 -0500
From: "Alderton, Philippa" <phlip at morganco.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Ham and a suggestion for Ras at the end

Cousin Phillipa skrev:
>> How do you scour a ham and what are you trying to get rid of  (dirt?) The
>> only thing that comes to mind is a Brillo pad. And why would you par-boil a
>> ham if you were going to cook it in a dish anyway?  (In Judaism, one is
>> supposed to par - broil livers before use and then you can cook them in any
>> manner you wish.  This is done to get rid of  the blood)  Is there any
>> connection like that in par boiling a ham?  (Probly not...)

And Adamantius replied:
>Scouring a ham is usually done with a stiff brush, and it removes dirt,
>some excess salt, and opens pores in the skin of the ham to facilitate
>salt transport for further soaking and parboiling.

Let me add here, too, dear cousin, that some hams, like my beloved
Smithfield, are aged so long that they'll grow mold on them, just as an aged
cheese will. This mold is not particularly harmful, but it isn't very tasty,
so removing it is a good idea.

A Smithfield ham is supposed to be salted well, then smoked over a fire of
corn cobs, then aged for a year before use. It is also only allowed to be
called a Smithfield if it is made in Smithfield, Virginia- any ham like it
must use the term "Smithfield-like" or just "Virginia" ham. The last time I
bought one, in Virginia, it was about $70- this is actually a pretty
reasonable price for an excellent piece of meat.

Traditionally, what you do with them, is cut off pieces as you need them,
and clean and parboil the pieces as necessary, while storing the rest of the
ham in a cool, dark, dry pantry, not a refrigerator. There is nothing you
can do to hurt a properly cured Smithfield or Smithfield-style ham, short of
dropping a nuclear bomb on one, or letting it get, and stay, wet. The
coolness and the darkness simply help them retain their wonderful flavor.

I've told the story before, but some of you may not have heard it, so I'll
repeat it. Several years ago, I bought a Smithfield ham, and had it stored
hanging from a hook in the bedroom, that being my best option for a cool,
dark, dry place. A couple years later I went to get it to take to Pennsic,
and I couldn't find it, so I asked my ex where it was. He said, "Oh, it was
getting old, so it wasn't any good so I threw it out." You may now know why
he's my ex.

Phlip

Philippa Farrour
Caer Frig
Southeastern Ohio

Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 07:48:04 MST
From: Tzviatko Goranov <tzviatko at mail.mtt.govrn.bg>
Subject: Prosciutto making
To: "Mark.S Harris (rsve60)" <rsve60 at email.sps.mot.com>

Hello Stefan,

Thank you for forwarding my message to a mail list. Meanwhile I found a very
useful site (http://www.baygourmet.com/pig.html) which doesn't describe in
detail the process of prosciutto making, but gives information on curing and
air drying which are its two main elements. In addition the site contains
links to other useful web pages.

Tzviatko


From: grizly at mindspring.com
Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 22:52:20 -0400
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] question of Italian meats

They aren't exactly substitutes as pancetta is a dry cured belly product re=
lated to American bacon (distant), but is not at all smoked.  Prosciutto is=
 a hung dried ham that is only salt cured, if memory serves, and is a produ=
ct originally  of Parma.  So, they are both pork, but one is belly and the =
other is ham.  I suspect you will want to use less of the prosciutto as it =
is a good bit stronger, and add a little fat from another source to enrich =
it if so desired.  A closer substitute would be plain, raw belly if you hav=
e a good market nearby. Hard spot to be in with no pancetta to buy . . .

pacem et bonum
niccolo difrancesco
(laridum dominari)

>>>>>>
I'm working on precook for Egils this weekend (it looks like I'll be
feeding 12! Ack!) and I have a question. Two of the recipes I'm using
are from _The Medieval Kitchen_ and call for pancetta. The deli at
Safeway didn't have any and I'm not minded to go running all over town-
I don't have time or energy and I have to just get these done. So I got
som prosciuttio instead. Will this work? Anything I should know about
substituting?

'Lainie
<<<<<<


Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 00:01:22 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] question of Italian meats

"Laura C. Minnick" wrote:
> I'm working on precook for Egils this weekend (it looks like I'll be
> feeding 12! Ack!) and I have a question. Two of the recipes I'm using
> are from _The Medieval Kitchen_ and call for pancetta. The deli at
> Safeway didn't have any and I'm not minded to go running all over town-
> I don't have time or energy and I have to just get these done. So I got
> som prosciuttio instead. Will this work? Anything I should know about
> substituting?

Pancetta is a bit like the fattier side of the slice of prosciutto; it's
cured pretty much as prosciutto is, but made from side or belly meat, so
it looks like a rolled pinwheel of streaky bacon. I believe it is also
sometimes cooked with the rind on, so it contributes a gelatinous aspect
to sauces and such in addition to a salt-cured tang.

Adamantius


Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 08:07:17 -0700 (PDT)
From: Chris Stanifer <jugglethis at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] question of Italian meats
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

Proscuitto should be a good substitute for pancetta.
At least, it's a better substitute than modern bacon,
which has a totally different flavor and texture than
pancetta.  If possible, though, you could ask your
butcher to cut you a slab of raw, uncured/unsmoked
bacon, and that would be an even better sub than the
proscuitto.  As far as the actual cooking is
concerned, the proscuitto will tend to come out a lot
drier than the pancetta, since there is not nearly as
much fat in it.  I would suggest layering with manteca
under the proscuitto, but that's just me...

Balthazar of Blackmoor


Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2001 20:26:32 -0700
From: Susan Fox-Davis <selene at earthlink.net>
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Subject: Subverting Romans was Re: [Sca-cooks] what is your project?

Here's one suitable for subversion, one of my favorites from Apicius [Vehling
translation].  I served this one for the court luncheon at the coronation of
King Guy I of Caid, about 11 years ago, nicknamed "Pigs 'n' Figs".

Book VII, Chapter IX
PERNAM

"The ham should be braised with a good number of figs and some three laurel
leaves;  the skin is then pulled off and cut into square pieces;  these are
macerated with honey.  Thereupon make dough crumbs with flour and oil.  Lay the
dough over or around the ham, stud the top with pieces of the skin so that they
will be baked with the dough and when done, retire from the oven and serve."

I would use good pork shoulder in bite-sized pieces and good small figs in a
proportion of 2:1 or 3:1 since the pork will cook down more than the figs
will.  Laurel Leaves are also known as Bay Leaves of course.  Braise in honey
to taste and a little water, the figs will soften first so take them out while
they still have some cohesion, then cook the rest until the pork is actually
done.  cover with broken-up pie dough in a sort of streusel crumb way, and bake
until browned.

The fast cheater way is to procure slices of Honey-Baked Ham, chop them up
including the honey ham-candy rinds, put it into a pie shell, etc. as before.

Selene
Altavia, Caid


Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2005 18:15:36 +0200
From: Volker Bach <carlton_bach at yahoo.de>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Mainz Ham
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Am Samstag, 30. Juli 2005 17:04 schrieb Sam Wallace:
> I am looking for a source or recipe for Mainz ham. All I have so far is
> that it is ham that has been soaked in wine lees (or brandy, if I remember
> right) before curing. I have a couple of mentions in late period recipes,
> but have not been able to find more,

> Guillaume des Pyrenees

The only reference I found is the Larousse Gastronomique:
"Mainz ham is brined, desalted, soaked in brandy or wine lees and  
smoked for a long period"

But the matter is sufficiently mysterious for a regional paper to devote an
article to the search for the exact recipe. Apparently, the Mainz butchers'
guildmaster doesn't know himself.

http://213.187.75.204/ressorts/freizeit/essen_und_trinken/
marktfuehrer/?sid=d2a40f9b7045af131e42cad0bf3d650b&cnt=684256


Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2005 17:30:53 -0400
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius"
	<adamantius.magister at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks]Wine Lees was: Mainz Ham
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

On Jul 30, 2005, at 3:05 PM, Radei Drchevich wrote:
> Please.  What is wine lees??
> radei

The dregs or sediment. Basically, when you ferment the wine, you
convert  sugar, which is dense, to alcohol, CO2, and various other
goodies, but since much of the CO2 escapes, you're left with a less
dense and viscous liquid. It's thinner. So, all sorts of suspended
proteins and impurities fall out of it like rain, and land on the
bottom of the container. To clarify it, the best and least intrusive
way is to let gravity do that work, then rack the wine off of the
dregs, leaving them, and a little of the liquid part, behind. That
sludge evidently has some valuable "industrial" uses, like for
pickling hams, for example.

I vaguely remember some reference to the Romans pickling stuff in
wine lees.

Adamantius


Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 19:55:51 -0500
From: Elaine Koogler <ekoogler1 at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Pork leg shank?
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Terri Morgan wrote:
> I just learned that the HUGE pork leg shank (I think that's what it is -
> it's not labelled) that was donated for our upcoming event is probably not
> cured. I've never cooked an uncured pork shank, especially not one bigger
> than a 25lb turkey. Does anyone have any pointers or suggestions? I know it
> should probably be roasted and reach 170 degrees but beyond that (and I
> don't actually have an idea of roasting temp. 325?) I'm at a loss. I'm
> tempted to let it thaw and then hack it into smaller and more  
> manageable pieces.
>
> Hrothny the Perplexed
> That is one BIG leg o'pig!

Actually, what you have is a wonderful thing...a fresh ham.  Yup...it's
called a ham even if it's not cured.  You would cook it just as you
would cook any other roast...325 sounds about right.  So far as
seasonings are concerned, granny smith apples are good, as are any other
standard pork seasonings.

Kiri


Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 14:10:07 +1300
From: Adele de Maisieres <ladyadele at paradise.net.nz>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Pork leg shank?
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Terri Morgan wrote:
> I just learned that the HUGE pork leg shank (I think that's what it is -
> it's not labelled) that was donated for our upcoming event is probably not
> cured. I've never cooked an uncured pork shank, especially not one bigger
> than a 25lb turkey. Does anyone have any pointers or suggestions?

Yum!  OK, a simple method is:

Score the skin well, rub the shank with salt and sprinkle it with pepper
and mace, and put it in a roasting pan.  Roast at 450F for fifteen
minutes, then turn the oven down to 325 and continue roasting 'til done,
basting occasionally.   Serve on a plate.  (actually, it's especially
good with cameline sauce or freshly-made sauerkraut).
-- 
Adele de Maisieres


Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 20:22:29 -0500
From: "Carol Smith" <Eskesmith at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Pork leg shank?
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Apples, prunes, and onions combined are delicious with pork.  Modern  
Scandinavian.

Brekke


Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2006 20:26:25 -0800
From: "Nick Sasso" <grizly at mindspring.com>
Subject: RE: [Sca-cooks] Pork leg shank?
To: "'Cooks within the SCA'" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

This is the stuff of huge barbeques.  Low and slow for hours and hours will
give you lots of collagen melting, and really rich tasting meat.  Or, the
temp you suggest could be just fine for oven roasting.  I'd consider
researching if 300F would be safe . . . low and slow.

At 170F internal temperature, though, it will be close to shoe leather.  Get
some pork cooking temps . . . what you are saying will do for turkey, but
probably way overkill for a fresh ham.  Remember that this huge "heat sink"
will continue to cook for a while after you remove from heat.  Take off a
bit before final target temperature to prevent overcooking.  Much more of a
challenge in larger hunks/cuts.

Seasoning . . .I am partial to more traditional Mediterranean spicing with
salt, black pepper, oregano and garlic.  Consider brining this piece of
beast before you roast it.  Give you some deeper seasoning, and more  
cushion for moist end product.

niccolo difrancesco


Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 06:35:57 -0500
From: "RUTH EARLAND" <rtannahill at verizon.net>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Re: Pork shank
To: <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

You've got a fresh ham.

Other posters are right about "low and slow," but cooking at temperatures
below 325 is not recommended by the USDA. I'm not sure what they have  
to say about smokers.

This link
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art15883.asp

recommends 325 for 18 to 20 minutes per pound, but I'd go with 20-22.

Another thing you might consider is boiling it. Get water  or a wine/water
mix up to a rolling boil add the pork, bring it back to a simmer, and let it
go until cooked. You can finish it in the oven at a very high temperature
for a little while to crisp the skin.

Fresh ham has a nasty habit of drying out. You can mitigate this by brining
it first. Use 3 cups kosher salt per gallon. I would recommend brining for 2
days. Boiling will also keep it from drying out if you go that route.

Berelinde


Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 06:41:26 -0500
From: "RUTH EARLAND" <rtannahill at verizon.net>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Re: Pork shank 2
To: <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

These days, they're saying pork is safe to eat at an internal temperature of
140, but that's very pink, unappetizing, and goes against everything we've
been trained is right about pork since childhood.

Cooking it to  an internal temperature of 160 is much more pleasing.  Take it
out of the oven when the temperature is 155 and let it stand until the
temperature hits 160.

Berelinde


Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 08:05:40 -0500
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius"
	<adamantius.magister at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Re: Pork shank 2
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

On Jan 17, 2006, at 6:41 AM, RUTH EARLAND wrote:

> These days, they're saying pork is safe to eat at an internal
> temperature of 140, but that's very pink, unappetizing, and goes
> against everything we've been trained is right about pork since
> childhood.

What we've been trained is right for pork since childhood is based
upon the imperative to avoid trichinosis. That's all she wrote. This
is so much the case that there are people who become alarmed if the
cooked pork displays even a sign of juice, and why, out of all the
meats we commonly eat, it is [marginally] second only to turkey in
the variety of sauces traditionally associated with it. They tend to
be necessary. Now, I agree that rare pork is a little alarming (and
it remains rare even after it's been brought to an internal
temperature of 140), but if you bring it to 140 in the center, and
it's a decent-sized cut, by the time you actually serve it, the
internal heat will have distributed to the point where it reaches the
medium to medium-well stage by the time you're ready to serve it: it
certainly won't be very pink, nor confused with a rare steak.

> Cooking it to  an internal temperature of 160 is much more
> pleasing. Take it out of the oven when the temperature is 155 and
> let it stand until the temperature hits 160.

A fresh ham of the kind of weight we've been talking about will go
significantly higher than 160; more like 170 in about 15 minutes. Of
course, a fresh ham also has a lot more fat and connective tissue
than, say, a loin, so cooking it to 160 is probably a good idea for
tenderness. I'd just be concerned about using that as a hard-and-fast
rule for all pork.

Adamantius


Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 05:44:40 -0800 (PST)
From: Honour Horne-Jaruk <jarukcomp at sbcglobal.net>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Re: Sca-cooks Digest, Vol 32, Issue 49
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

>> From: "Terri Morgan" <online2much at cox.net>
> Subject: RE: [Sca-cooks] Pork leg shank?
>
> I just learned that the HUGE pork leg shank (I think that's what it is -
> it's not labeled) that was donated for our upcoming event is probably not
> cured. Does anyone have any pointers or suggestions? I know it
> should probably be roasted and reach 170 degrees but beyond that (and I
> don't actually have an idea of roasting temp. 325?)
>
> Hrothny the Perplexed

Respected friend:

It is perfectly safe to cook pork at 275 degrees, and
for a big piece like this I heartily recommend it. The
lower temperature will, of course, mean a longer
cooking time- on average, about 1/3 longer than at 350
degrees- but you won't believe how much better your
result will be; as much as 1/3 less shrinkage, no
drying out, more even cooking, and a plumper,'prettier' roast.

I always used powdered Grains of Paradise with roast
pork- even mundanely. It retains the juices in pork
and reduces shrinking and drying as nothing else can,
has a great peppery taste that's not too obtrusive,
and is a classic meat spice in our period. It works
either plain or as part of a good Poudre' Forte.
Please consider roasting it whole. One of the things
we don't do that they almost always did was to have
lovely large hunks of meat carved on a table in the
middle of the hall, in front of the High table. (So
that the highest ranking people could say "That bit
right there"? Hmm...) It would be great theater, which
I consider very nearly equal to the flavor of the food
in making or breaking a feast. In fact, In my
experience, really good medieval ambiance, including
such things as servers in livery and pages with
washing-bowls, can replace expensive ingredients in a
feast with not one person the wiser. A few people
remember good flavors a year later. _Everybody_
remembers good theater.

Yours in service to both the Societies of which I am a member-
(Friend) Honour Horne-Jaruk, R.S.F.
Alisond de Brebeuf, C.O.L. S.C.A.- AKA Una the wisewoman, or That Pict


Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 11:10:03 -0500
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius"
	<adamantius.magister at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Re: Pork shank 2
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

> RUTH EARLAND <rtannahill at verizon.net> wrote:
>>    Take it
>> out of the oven when the temperature is 155 and let it stand until the
>> temperature hits 160.

> And what do you do when it hits 160 and is still rising?  Drop it
> in icewater?
>
>   Mordonna

I'd think slicing and serving it would be the thing to do in that
case -- that tends to stop the tide of the most egregious carry-over
cooking. But ideally, with a little experience, you can judge how
much it'll carry over based upon weight and other variables.

Adamantius


Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 23:33:42 -0500
From: "Terri Morgan" <online2much at cox.net>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] About that pig leg...
To: "'Cooks within the SCA'" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

    Well. I soaked the pork leg in brine (it was very odd to use "kosher
salt" on a pork cut, let me tell you) for 5 days rather than 3 thanks to an
event weekend getting in the way and then prepared to cook it for the
recommended 16 or so hours at 225F. I popped it in the oven at midnight -
this was good and bad. Good because that way I thought I would be awake and
alert when it reached an internal temp of 155 and bad because it didn't need
to cook for *nearly* as long as we thought and it's very strange to be woke
up by the sound of a thermometer alarm buzzing against the oven. Perhaps
because I was so sleepy that I didn't score the flesh so it may have acted
as a sealant, the whole 26.5lb thing was done by 4:30am. I let it cool
completely and then we proceeded to slice. I should say, my husband sliced.
I watched while he wrestled. There was a lot more fat on it than I had
expected but we got at least 14 pounds of meat, maybe more, and it was
succulent, oh yes... :)

    The meat nearest the bone in the inside of the "hip" of the cut was still
far more red than I was comfortable with but I have saved the drippings and
on the day of the event I'll heat up all the slices in a sealed pan with the
drippings poured back on to keep them moist. That should take care of any
fears about it being under done. All the rest of the meat was - ham-like
rather than pork-like, if that makes sense.

    Thank you, everyone, for your advice and support. The cooler worked
wonderfully to brine the meat and cleaned up like a champ. I learned that
the pork leg does not need to be covered, nor does one necessarily need to
score the outside, either. And I can see, by the amount of fat on it, why
Smithfield Hams decided to forgo selling it... must have been a very
pampered pig in its day.

in happy relief,
Hrothny


Date: Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:25:38 -0400
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius" <adamantius1 at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Mail Order ham? (OOP)
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

On Apr 7, 2009, at 9:11 PM, chawkswrth at aol.com wrote:
<<< I would like to send a ham to family for Easter, but I am stymied.  
You have no idea what you get when you google "ham". I don't need an out-of-work actor.

By any chance, has someone had any experience with a decent, tasty  
and reliable mail-order company?

Helen >>>

Burger's Smokehouse is pretty good... they're based in Missouri, I  
believe, and produce both city and country hams, fully cooked and  
sliced, or raw...

http://www.smokehouse.com

Adamantius


Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 20:38:46 -0500
From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at att.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Mail Order ham? (OOP)
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

<<< has someone had any experience with a decent, tasty and 
reliable mail-order company [selling hams]?

Helen >>>

I use Cusack Meats in Oklahoma City http://www.cusackmeats.com/catalog/ for 
gift boxes of steak.  Those are top quality, as are the lamb and pork chops 
I got for myself.  I've been using them for about 10 years and never had a 
complaint.

I haven't done business with these two, but if you are into Smithfield hams, 
you might also check out:

The Smithfield Collection 
http://www.smithfieldcollection.com/category/3?gclid=CLLSoZeR4JkCFRBbagodOl90VA

Smithfield Hams http://www.smithfieldhams.com/

Bear


Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 22:10:48 -0400
From: Saint Phlip <phlip at 99main.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Mail Order ham? (OOP)
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

"Burger's Smokehouse is pretty good... they're based in Missouri, I
believe, and produce both city and country hams, fully cooked and
sliced, or raw...

http://www.smokehouse.com

Adamantius"

I happen to very much enjoy ham, and am familiar with them.
Adamantius' source is good- he sent me one. It was particularly nice
for me, because it was packaged in a couple slices apiece in cryo
paks, taken from obvious slices right on down the ham. Very tasty, and
less to deal with than the Smithfield ham. Not as salty, however, and
requires refrigeration.

Smithfield hams are excellent- I've never had better, however, I've
never ordered one by mail, either. Last one I got, Rob and Margali
gave me, and it lasted for a couple years (again, just me eating it).
However, while I know enough to work with it, please be careful who you
send one to. When properly aged, they get a layer of mold on the
outside, and those that don't know to just scrub it off, soak the ham,
and then use it as you will might just throw the whole thing away.
-- 
Saint Phlip


Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 19:44:42 -0700
From: "Celia des Archier" <CeliadesArchier at cox.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Mail Order ham? (OOP)
To: "'Cooks within the SCA'" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

As a Southern expatriate living in San Diego, I order my country ham from Sam Edwards, Virgina Traditions, and I've been happy with
their Country ham and their delivery.  I haven't had their "city ham", but I expect it to also be good quality, and they get good
reviews.  


Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 23:18:10 -0400
From: Elaine Koogler <kiridono at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Mail Order ham? (OOP)
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

There is a great company in Virginia, Padow's Hams
<http://www.padows.com/>...they
do a Virginia ham that's similar to a Smithfield ham.  they provide
instructions as to how to cook it when you get it.  Yes, there is a special
trick to it if you get a straight Smithfield or country ham.

My husband's mother tells of giving a Smithfield ham to friends of theirs
who were not familiar with the beastie.  When they inquired of the friends
how they liked the ham, they were told that it was just awful...they had to
throw it away because it had mold on it!!  She had no idea that you scrub
the mold off, soak it overnight in vinegar and water, then parboil it,
finally dressing and baking it.  Sigh.  I really hate to imagine all that
wonderful ham being thrown away!

Kiri


Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:56:55 -0500
From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Depictions of Hams ?

On Nov 12, 2009, at 10:08 AM, jenne at fiedlerfamily.net wrote:
<<< Heralds are looking for pre-1600 depictions of hams (I don't think it
matters whether they are smoked or not). We've turned up a few Dutch
representations in the 1600s, but I'm not having much luck in my limited
time. 
-- Jenne Heise / Jadwiga Zajaczkowa
jenne at fiedlerfamily.net >>>

Raw hams or cooked hams? Hanging hams?
Scappi was mentioned--
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/node/9451
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/h?pp/PPALL: at field%28NUMBER+ at 1%28cph+3a50553%29%29
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Italienische_K%C3%BCche.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:13-alimenti,carni_suine,Taccuino_Sanitatis,_Casanatense_4182.jpg
-----
Try the Web Gallery of art and look for these artists
------------
BEYEREN, Abraham van
Banquet Still-Life undated but 17th century

http://www.wga.hu/support/viewer/z.html
----------
HEDA, Willem Claesz does a number of hams on plates
HEDA, Willem Claesz
Dutch painter (b. 1594, Haarlem, d. 1680, Haarlem)

Ham and Silverware
1649

HEDA, Willem Claesz.
Still-Life
1651

HEDA, Willem Claesz.
Still-Life (another one)
1651
------------
At the Pierpont Morgan Library, here are some mss illuminations

Description of MS M.1001 fol. 94r:

Miniature:
Male figure, seated astride pig, onions tucked into belt, raises flask  
held in right hand to mouth, spilling contents on himself. He holds  
ham under left arm. Label inscribed GLOTONIE identifies him as  
Gluttony. Figure within room decorated with patterned hanging.
Lower margin:
Winged devil, identified by scroll held in his left hand inscribed  
BERICH, indicates figures, representing gluttony, seated at table  
laden with vessels, knives, platter with meats, and loaf. Woman holds  
head of man vomiting on floor. Other figures reach for food or drink  
from vessels.

http://utu.morganlibrary.org/medren/SearchResults.cfm?imagename=m1001.094r.jpg&page=ICA000121414&subject1=ham&totalcount=120&current=14

-------

Gluttony might be a great term to search.

--

This is another late one but worth looking at because it includes  
mustard

from Matters of Taste pp 48-49
 Maerten Boelema "de Stomme" active 1640-1644
Carved Ham, silver mustard jar and glasses
I've not found it on the web as yet; it's listed as "private  
collection" in the book.

Another of his with a ham is A Breakfast Piece
http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Maerten-Boelema-De-Stomme/A-Breakfast-Piece.html

I'll keep looking.   Hope this helps

Johnnae or Johnna (note spelling)


Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:08:13 -0300
From: Suey <lordhunt at gmail.com>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Serrano hams

Stefan wrote that I said:
<<<(Of course I am referring to Serrano ham. The pigs are raised in the
holm oak forest and only eat acorns in Huelva, Spain and of course the
best hams had black paws from digging for acorns.)>>>

Oh! I'd heard of "Serrano" hams before, but didn't know any details. I thought it was a common occurance in the Middle Ages for pigs to be let run free in the forest and for them to eat acorns. I hadn't realized they dug for the acorns. I thought they were just eating what they found on the surface of the ground. But I've heard of "pigs rooting around", so this makes sense.

I thought pigs dug with their front legs but hams cam from the back legs. Am I off here?

Is it just eating the acorns that make/made the Serrano hams desired? Or do/did they do something special in their processing?  I guess originally I was thinking "Serrano" hams had something to do with "Serrano" peppers. >>>

    The Spanish "serrano" means "from the mountains" so we have that 
kind of ham. That from Huelva (southern Spain from where Columbus said 
to America), in particular is called "pata negra," meaning black foot 
for the best serrano ham in Spain. The pigs have black feet from the 
dirt they pick up roaming the forests. They are amazing animals in that 
they smell which acorns are bitter and which are sweet. They reject the 
bitter and only eat the sweet. Friends of mine who lived in Spain during 
the Spanish Civil War lived on diets of acorns and have informed me of 
this difference about which I did not know. I just deleted the word 
"alambrar" from the draft of my book which literally means wool but 
actually is the ring in the pig's snout to prevent him from making holes 
in the ground with his snout. Yes, if the acorns were underground the 
pig would dig them up. Pigs can be very obnoxious about digging things 
up. It turns out that they the best hunters for truffles but they do not 
leave them to their owners if they find them! They are very piggish 
about that so as truffles are worth a fortune today we have rings in all 
the noses of our pigs!

    Back to the theme - no we do nothing but leave the pigs on the 
estates to find their acorns in the forest and when it is time for the 
slaughter the slaughter man cuts the aorta and we hang them from a tree 
to get the remaining blood out. Then the slaughter man cuts off the hind 
legs and men helping us prepare the meat cut the fat off on the back 
part of the leg to manually press the artery and squeeze out any 
remaining blood. (I cannot do that as I am too small and do not have the 
muscles.) Then we weigh the hind legs and place them in a bed of rock 
salt in a drying room. If the leg weighs 9 k. we use about 25 k. of 
salt. Its no problem is we overdo it as the leg only absorbs what it 
needs. The legs are left in the salt beds for two days for each kilo, 
i.e. 18 in this case. Then we hang them from the rafters in the drying 
room which is ventilated. Remember we kill the animals from the saints 
day of Saint Martin on, i.e. November 11th  - In the Canary Islands is 
is not done until the last Thursday in January. This was done to reduce 
the livestock that have to be stabled during the winter months and to 
provide food for the family while plants are not being harvest.

    Hams are normally hung from six months to two years. The longer 
they are hung the better they are and the more you pay at the market. 
There is nothing more to it then that.

    Now in our slaughters I use front legs for sausage meat. I never 
thought about salting them put it is possible.

    An interesting note is that contrary to our method of salting 
serrano hams is that in Granada the hams are buried in snow not salt. 
Surprised? So was I when I learned that. The hams are taken to the 
mountains outside of the city where my children and I ski in the winter. 
In Granada one skies in the morning and goes to the beach in the afternoon!

    I can hear J. Isreal Katz telling me to shut up and stop talking 
about that dirty prohibited meat! - Its my passion! I love serrano ham!!!

Suey

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Edited by Mark S. Harris	ham-msg	Page 27 of 27