How do you....

[Paul Kribs]

After 33 days in cure, 3 days hanging by the emersion tank and well over a week hanging in the workshop 59%-66% RH, temp 16�C-20.5�C.. I note that it has a pronounced 'cheesey' whiff around the exposed end of the femur. I do know that with some parmas/serranos there is a chance of spoilage with the bones turning the flesh sour. I also know that these hams are tested with a sliver of horses shin bone inserted, withdrawn and sniffed to detect it.
Does anybody know what the smell is like of a sour bone ham??
I have made smaller joints of parma before but they have all had the bone removed. I can't decide wether to cut it open to see if there is anything wrong.

Regards, Paul Kribs

[akesingland]

Hi Paul

I think because you do a lot of posting, I think people (like myself) look to you for answers. Do you think there is any chance to get all the parma ham stuff under one section, moderators? Have you seen my stuff re: brine cure? Had no joy from Franco. Why you not driving a train anyway, or is that a night thing, like the web site by the way.

Cheers
Adam

[saucisson]

I left the bone in my hock joint and I do seem to recall worrying about it in the early drying stages as having a fishy/cheesey smell. Now it is either odourless or smells the same as the rest ie parma hammy, so it may be worth persevering with it. On the other hand you wouldn't want to lose a whole ham...

Edit: Could you stick a skewer in it down to the bone and give it a sniff, if it was going off I'm sure it will stink! If it's just the end of the bone ponging a bit as it dries out you may be OK.

Dave

[Fallow Buck]

Paul stick with it,

Mine has done a similar thing to startoff with then it settled down.

As long as it doesn't smell rotten you should be fine.

I took mine down last week and it still needs more drying. My mate gave me a half leg that his dad made though and it smelt very mushroomy... (if that's a word) Tastes fine and I have used it in pasta stir in sauce and aso raw so I don't think the smell comes from anything harmful.

Do you hang yours near salamis? I hung mine next to them and I think the mould from the ox bung caused some of this type of smell.

Good luck

FB

[akesingland]

Hi All

The only smell I have ever had is the smell of the original cure, though I am boneless . Mold and mushrooms are more or less the same thing, I think?

Cheers
Adam

[Paul Kribs]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I will leave it and see what occurs, if it festers then so be it.. I will give it to my manager at work I am only alarmed because I have not encountered this smell before with the boned hams or the lomo.

Adam
I have only been at this just over a year now so am still pretty much a novice. I post a lot to try to help others by telling of my triumphs and failures, it's how we all learn. If I learn and master something then I will share that success. I can't profess to know the ins and outs of curing, it all seems a bit too scientific for me, I am more a 'hands on' person, so I tend to follow recipes on that subject.. I did see your post re: brine cure. It all gets a bit confusing. After reading your post I visited Len Poli's site and had a look at his brined ham recipes.. am now even more confused. As I say in that particular thread, the recipe changed from when I got my brine mix to when Rik got his.. hence more confusion. Oddley is a very learned man regarding nitrates and nitrites, but as he states, he doesn't know the composition of Franco's mix.

Regards driving trains.. pffft. I will be getting up at 0430 in the morning to drive some scrap metal trains... just to appease you

Regards, Paul Kribs

[aris]

akesingland,

Where do you buy your meat from?

[akesingland]

Aris

I just had 1/4 of an Iron age pig from Weatherall Foods (www.blackface.co.uk) which I must say in the cooked uncured state was very tasty. My Tamworth leg that is drying for Parma was from the Ginger Pig, Borough Market. Generally I buy my pork from a few fellas at Pinner Farmers Market which is every Sunday 10-2. There is one guy there in a white traliler he sells middle white crosses and does the butchery and does not give you the meat pre packed.

Cheers
Adam

[pokerpete]

After 33 days in cure, 3 days hanging by the emersion tank and well over a week hanging in the workshop 59%-66% RH, temp 16�C-20.5�C.. I note that it has a pronounced 'cheesey' whiff around the exposed end of the femur. I do know that with some parmas/serranos there is a chance of spoilage with the bones turning the flesh sour. I also know that these hams are tested with a sliver of horses shin bone inserted, withdrawn and sniffed to detect it.
Does anybody know what the smell is like of a sour bone ham??
I have made smaller joints of parma before but they have all had the bone removed. I can't decide wether to cut it open to see if there is anything wrong.

Regards, Paul Kribs

From what I can gather the 'pong' could be caused by bone marrow. After 60 years of scientific? contributions from acadaemia there is no definitive conclusion to the problem.