I'm trying a food experiment at home...

[statman]

I'm trying to create something like this:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nuss-schinken.htm

I've read a couple dozen different websites on how to make something like it, and I'm doing a hybrid of the suggestions. Some call it nussschinken, some call it prosciutto, some call it schwartzwaldschinken. Whatever you want to call it, I'm using a pork loin instead of an actual ham cut (some of the recipes specifically call for using the loin - including several specifically for nussschinken. Unfortunately, I don't have access to pork that's been fed only acorns or only whey. Costco pork will have to do.). I've rubbed it with lots of black pepper, garlic, and ground corriander (an essential ingredient for the german version) and packed it in salt. It'll sit in the spices and salt for about two weeks - to remove a lot of the water and to preserve the meat. Then it gets hung up in kitchen for about 3 months. Then, cold smoked for a week or two (or three or four). I'm going to have to figure the last part out - I don't have a way to truly cold-smoke meat. Maybe I'll accelerate the cold smoking process a bit with less warm smoking (~125 degrees is about as cold as I can effectively regulate my smoker) - and then letting it sit for a few days to let the smoke flavore permeate the meat. Finally, you soak it in a water bath for an hour or so to remove off all the excess salt and smoke, chill it, and use a meat slicer to cut off paper-thin slices.

In february, I hope to have about 9 pounds (it started as ~12 pounds) of really good dry-cured smoked pork that should be pretty much like nussschinken or prosciutto. I'll let you know how it turns out.

BTW - anyone know where I can get juniper berries? Maybe if I soak it in gin instead of water at the end...

[Katy Lied]

I'm really excited to follow your culinary progress here. Make sure you update us every step of the way. And take pictures if you can.

[pellegrino]

I'll be starting a similar experiment to make prosciutto, but not until the semester is over. It's not as complicated as yours but should still be tasty. I'll be interested in knowing how your attempt goes and I'll share my experience as well.

[Pheidippides]

I'm trying to create something like this:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nuss-schinken.htm

I've read a couple dozen different websites on how to make something like it, and I'm doing a hybrid of the suggestions. Some call it nussschinken, some call it prosciutto, some call it schwartzwaldschinken. Whatever you want to call it, I'm using a pork loin instead of an actual ham cut (some of the recipes specifically call for using the loin - including several specifically for nussschinken. Unfortunately, I don't have access to pork that's been fed only acorns or only whey. Costco pork will have to do.). I've rubbed it with lots of black pepper, garlic, and ground corriander (an essential ingredient for the german version) and packed it in salt. It'll sit in the spices and salt for about two weeks - to remove a lot of the water and to preserve the meat. Then it gets hung up in kitchen for about 3 months. Then, cold smoked for a week or two (or three or four). I'm going to have to figure the last part out - I don't have a way to truly cold-smoke meat. Maybe I'll accelerate the cold smoking process a bit with less warm smoking (~125 degrees is about as cold as I can effectively regulate my smoker) - and then letting it sit for a few days to let the smoke flavore permeate the meat. Finally, you soak it in a water bath for an hour or so to remove off all the excess salt and smoke, chill it, and use a meat slicer to cut off paper-thin slices.

In february, I hope to have about 9 pounds (it started as ~12 pounds) of really good dry-cured smoked pork that should be pretty much like nussschinken or prosciutto. I'll let you know how it turns out.

BTW - anyone know where I can get juniper berries? Maybe if I soak it in gin instead of water at the end...

Check to see if you have a pensyes in your area if you can't find juniper berries at the local supermarket. My local supermarket has them, but a specialty spice store will be sure to have them as well. Or you can order online.

[Portland Ute]

Check to see if you have a pensyes in your area if you can't find juniper berries at the local supermarket. My local supermarket has them, but a specialty spice store will be sure to have them as well. Or you can order online.

I've had cured German Ham. I've had prosciutto.

Neither compare to a good Jamon Iberico.

God bless Spain.

[statman]

The pork comes out of the salt tonight (three pieces of pork loin ~3-4 pounds each when I started). I'll soak them in water for a few hours, then reapply the spices - black pepper, ground corriander, etc. I'll lightly smoke it for a couple hours (smoking ribs for the BYU-UNM and TCU-UU games), and then they get hung up in the kitchen for a couple months. just prior to eating, I'll smoke them again for a day or two at a very low temperature. then it'll be a couple days wrapped in the fridge, a quick rinse, and then slicing VERY thin and eating with good bread, good cheese adn good butter...

I'll probably try one of them around christmas, then one late in january, and the final one in February @ 2, 3, & 4 months of curing & drying. If the 2 months doesn't seem t be enough, I'll bump #2 & #3 out to 4 & 6 months.