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I've just started to make a Parma style ham. I will keep you posted on the progress. I have adapted a recipe that should make a ham that is ready to eat in around 65 days.

I bought a leg from my local meat wholesaler for �14, bone in, which I thought was good value, it weighed 7.5 kilo.

I couldn't decide wether to make the ham with or without bone, in the end I plumped for boneless, I have just boned it and once I got going it was pretty straightforward, I suggest that if anyone else tries it for the first time to find a diagram of the bones in a pig's leg, it should make it easier.

I used a 7 inch boning knife and stayed close to the bone at all times. i went at it from both ends and this seemed to work well.

I have just put the first cure on it which will stay on for 15 days.

Franco

Sounds awesome Franco. Please keep us up to date.

Can you describe your curing/drying area specifically, with humidity levels and temperatures please?

thanks
jason

A friend of mine in the Forest of Dean runs his own business called www.wyevalleysausageandbacon.co.uk he also makes HAMS his name is Mr PALMER . I wonder if the Italians would like that?

Hey Franco,

How about taking some pictures showing the progress of this lovely parma ham you are making?

Not only that, but a whole start-to-finish accout would be great. I would love to have a go at that this autumn.

Aris, is there some way to add the photos of the process on the forum?

Franco

Hi Franco,

Just add a line which looks like this:

Code: Select all

<IMG SRC=http://forum.sausagemaking.org/templates/subSilver/images/logo_phpBB.gif>


And it will include the image like this:

<IMG SRC=http://forum.sausagemaking.org/templates/subSilver/images/logo_phpBB.gif>

You just need to put the images online somewhere.

I have a 12lb ham that has been drying for 5 weeks after 16 days in salt. I was worried that it would suffer as it is hanging in my garage and over the 5 weeks the tempreture has been all over the place. it has had a small fan blowing on it constantly.
Had my first look at it today. It looks and smells great no sign of rot or other nasties.
Roll on christmas

Fantastic, please tell us your method. When you say it was '16 days in salt' exactly what did you do? Did you just rub in salt and leave it in the fridge or did you bury it in loads of salt (i've seen this on TV).

Hi
It has been easy so far, I used a large plastic storage crate (Make sure it has a few drainange holes in) with 2 inches of salt on the bottom. I then got a 12lb tunnel boned pork leg, stuffed salt into the cavity, put it in the box covered in salt, burried about 2 inches deep.
On this I placed about 30lb of weight. I was advised to leave it in the salt for 3 days per kilo.
It came out looking like a ham and had lost 40% of its weight.

I added a couple of dozen peppercorns and a couple of pinchss of saltpeter to the salt.

I intend to try it christmas eve.

Did you leave the skin on the leg, or was it skinned?

What type of conditions did you store the pork while it was in the salt? Temperature? Humidity?

After salting - where did you hang it?

Yes please more details! What conditions are in your garage? Temp, humidity please. I know you said temp is all over the place, but is it in the teens or twenties or what?

thanks!
jason

Franco wrote:I've just started to make a Parma style ham. I will keep you posted on the progress. I have adapted a recipe that should make a ham that is ready to eat in around 65 days.

Franco - I'm new to this site but this is exactly what I'm after. Keep posting. Richard

I left the skin on the leg, but the way they are butchered provides a great deal of skinless surface. The curing was carried out in my garage. the heat and humidity would have been not much use as the fan distorted both.
regards

Franco,

I suspect your parma ham should be ready about now - did it come out OK? How about those pictures you promised?