5 year old dry cured ham

[seadog92]

November 2015 I dry cured a number of hams. Over the next year, my family enjoyed what I thought was all of them. We recently moved to a new home and bam! I found one that I had hung in the corner of my smoke house ante room I had missed. It's still in the sock, nice and brown from the smoke, but hard as stone. I'm not familiar enough with hams this aged and not sure how to going about preparing it. Any suggestions?

 

[chopsaw]

Sharp knife and shave it thin. I would have had to take a taste .

 

[chilerelleno]

What Chopsaw said, shave it thin.
If it passes both visual and odor tests, I'm definitely up for the taste test too.

If you don't want it, ship it to me for disposal.

 

[thirdeye]

You must have a big smokehouse. This is going to be a good experiment. I would have thought after a couple of years, something has got to start deteriorating even if it was hanging is a cellar. Just curious what is your seasonal climate?

 

[seadog92]

You must have a big smokehouse. This is going to be a good experiment. I would have thought after a couple of years, something has got to start deteriorating even if it was hanging is a cellar. Just curious what is your seasonal climate?

I'm in Washington state. Relative high humidity, warm summers, cool winters. No mold on the stocking, which I attribute to the long dry cure under refrigeration, and good amount of smoke. Actually, the 'ante' room is a small cubby where I kept bages of pellets for smoking. It hung in a corner and without a light, the poor thing got missed.

 

[seadog92]

What Chopsaw said, shave it thin.
If it passes both visual and odor tests, I'm definitely up for the taste test too.

If you don't want it, ship it to me for disposal.

Such a generous offer, but I think I'll hold on to it, find a friendly butcher with a Binford 5000 meat slicer. However, I will post photos of the results.

 

[Fueling Around]

Green River Meats outside of Auburn was a favorite of mine. He made the first thick cut jerky.
Hopefully still in business

 

[seadog92]

Green River Meats outside of Auburn was a favorite of mine. He made the first thick cut jerky.
Hopefully still in business

I'm familiar with that place although it's been years since I've been there.

 

[chilerelleno]

While I'm curious as heck, and part of me says taste it if it looks and smells good.
That part of me says, "It's only three years older than a ready for market Prosciutto or Speck."
But the more I think about it... Food poisoning is nothing to mess with.

 

[chilerelleno]

Green River Meats outside of Auburn was a favorite of mine. He made the first thick cut jerky.
Hopefully still in business

If it's this place, it looks like it's still open as of August.

Green Valley Meats & Mini Market - Auburn, WA

Specialties: A locally owned meat store specializing in smoked meats, with a full service meat counter which includes locally sourced, humanely raised, all natural beef, pork, and chicken. A variety of exotic meats can also be found in our freezer section. Established in 1982. Green Valley...

www.yelp.com

 

[seadog92]

I've read about Italian hams kept for decades. Mine certainly wouldn't qualify for that kind of quality, but I'm going to crack it open and try it. I'll report when I do it.

 

[noboundaries]

Can't hardly wait. So interested in the taste. I was once gifted a couple ounces of aged Spanish ham. I forget if it was 3 or 5 years. VERY different tasting, kinda nutty with a slightly cheesy aroma. My wife wouldn't eat it. My first bite was kinda off-putting, but I loved it before I finished the first thin slice.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Wow! What a great find. Enjoy it. Some folks would pay big bucks for a couple of Grams!

But the more I think about it... Food poisoning is nothing to mess with!

I highly doubt this Ham was Injected. Solid Muscle, Salted, Dried the first couple months in a refer or in <50°F Cold, heavily Smoked and Aged with air circulation, would not have supported Bacterial Growth during the initial drying and DEFINITELY not after drying 5 years. ...JJ

 

[chilerelleno]

I highly doubt this Ham was Injected. Solid Muscle, Salted, Dried the first couple months in a refer or in <50°F Cold, heavily Smoked and Aged with air circulation, would not have supported Bacterial Growth during the initial drying and DEFINITELY not after drying 5 years. ...JJ

Yeah, it's just that lil'corner of my mind thinking that.
The other 9/10 is saying, "I gotta try it!".

 

[seadog92]

Yeah, it's just that lil'corner of my mind thinking that.
The other 9/10 is saying, "I gotta try it!".

Correct, no injections. Salt, brown sugar, black pepper, wrapped in brown paper, refrigerated 40 days, cold smoked 48+ hours, socked, hung and sadly forgotten until now. I followed the university of Kentucky agriculture video on YouTube.

 

[SmokinAl]

I would like to have a shaved piece to try. I think it would have a funky flavor, but may be addictive!
Al

 

[HalfSmoked]

I would have no problem eating this ham. The cure sounds about what my family used in days past. I know some of the meat was at least 3 yrs old. If salty soak it in water. The way most of ours was cooked was boiling them and changing the water 3 or 4 times to reduce salt.

Warren

 

[Fueling Around]

If it's this place, it looks like it's still open as of August.

Green Valley Meats & Mini Market - Auburn, WA

Specialties: A locally owned meat store specializing in smoked meats, with a full service meat counter which includes locally sourced, humanely raised, all natural beef, pork, and chicken. A variety of exotic meats can also be found in our freezer section. Established in 1982. Green Valley...

www.yelp.com

Yep, that's the place. Haven't lived there in almost 20 years. Nice to see they are still in business. Great place.

Correct, no injections. Salt, brown sugar, black pepper, wrapped in brown paper, refrigerated 40 days, cold smoked 48+ hours, socked, hung and sadly forgotten until now. I followed the university of Kentucky agriculture video on YouTube.

I've stopped at country ham shacks in Kentucky & Tennessee. Dozens of cured hams hanging in unconditioned sheds. Don't think they were 5 years old, but all had the beautiful ebony mahogany exterior that nothing can penetrate except the slicer.

I would have no problem eating this ham. The cure sounds about what my family used in days past. I know some of the meat was at least 3 yrs old. If salty soak it in water. The way most of ours was cooked was boiling them and changing the water 3 or 4 times to reduce salt.

Warren

Yep, that was my favorite method to eat country ham.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the like Fueling Around it is appreciated.

Warren

 

[HalfSmoked]

Thanks for the like chopsaw it is appreciated.

Warren