The History of Country Ham

Hello, I'm Garrett Scott. Today I will be discussing what country ham was like in the past, how it appears today and what I think it could look like in the future.  The uncured ham is referred to as a green ham, a green ham is a ham that has recently been cut off the hind leg of a hog.

The history of the country ham dates all the way back to the Native Americans. The salt cure was first introduced by the Native Americans as a way to preserve the ham so it wouldn't spoil. The Natives had a great impact on society now that some people don’t even realize. The Native Americans cured the ham by completely covering the green ham in salt for 5 days. Then the Native Americans would then replace the salt and let the ham sit in dry heat for another seven days, after that they would let air dry for two days then the ham would be ready to eat.  The Natives kept the ham to do other thing with it than to eat it, an example of that is if the kept it for 2 or 3 years in hot dry heat it would turn into a leather.

Since the Native Americans have come up with the salt cure it has innovated. For instance, it now takes almost 6 months to cure a ham. Before, it took about 12 days. Curing now is a lot safer than it was years ago. To cure a country ham, you need 1.5 cups of salt, 1 cup of brown sugar, teaspoon of black pepper, red pepper, paprika, butcher paper and ham sock you will also need a basement garage or a dry place that stays about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and most importantly your uncured ham or green ham. To get your green ham, ham sock and butcher paper. I recommend going to your local meat market or some delis in grocery stores.

First you need to lay your butcher paper out next, get your uncured ham or green ham and sit the ham on the butcher paper skin side down. Then mix all the ingredients together and aggressively rub your mixture of ingredients into the meat of the ham. Be sure to stuff the hock of the ham full of your mixture. Then fold up your butcher paper so none of the ham is showing. Then get your ham sock and make sure to have your seam of the sock across the hock of the ham, I had to learn the hard way. Then tie the ham sock around a sturdy point in your hanging place of choice.

Next wait about 6 months. After six months unwrap your ham from the paper and the sock you will most likely see mold. It is not uncommon to have a puddle of water beneath the ham after the cure. This means the ham is curing. Next put a sock on the ham without the butcher paper or the ingredients. Then leave the ham hanging in a barn for another month to make sure the ham is fully cured and all the moisture is out of the ham. This is the more current way and most common way to cure a ham.

Next cut the ham and enjoy. I like to dip my salt cured country ham into some gravy. It kind of drowns the saltiness out a little. Next, I will be talking about another method that is used today but is not very common. It is the smoke cure. The smoke cure takes place in about 4x6 metal building with a fire in the middle. The smoke cure takes about an hour and thirty minutes per pound of ham, the smoke’s temperature needs to be about 90 degrees Fahrenheit to cure properly.

Country ham became an important part of Kentucky’s food heritage in the 19th century when the state’s hilly terrain and abundant amount of resources made it an ideal location for hog farming and pork production. Kentucky farmers soon began to develop their own unique style of country ham, using locally sourced ingredients and traditional curing methods. One of the most famous Kentucky country hams is the Smithfield ham, which is named after the town of Smithfield in western Kentucky. The Smithfield is known for its sweet, mild flavor which is produced by salt sugar and the ham long curing time.

Over time, country ham became a regional specialty in the southern United States with different styles and cooking methods depending on the region. In Virgina, country ham became famous for its distinctive flavor, while in Kentucky, the Kentucky country ham was prized for its sweetness. Today, country ham is still a beloved food in the southern United States, and it also gained popularity in other parts of the country and even internationally. Some producers have modernized their methods to meet contemporary health and safety standards, but many still use traditional techniques to make flavorful and distinctive ham.

In the future, I think country ham will be enjoyed with many years to come. The preservation techniques and ease of storage ensure that it will stay around for a long time. Country ham has been and will be a delicacy for future generations. It can be vacuum sealed, frozen, or enjoyed for a holiday feast.