Ham Before Science

Doug Kanter said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved) before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

Yes. Tons of salt. You had to boil or soak them to make 'em edible.
Some country hams are still made with just salt and a little molasses.

Bob

"Doug Kanter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved)
before the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

Yes. I recall reading that some salt deposits contain traces of nitrates and
nitrites and that over time this salt was prized as being a better
preservative.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

Doug Kanter said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved) before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

and smoke, yes. Salt is an excellent preservative. Ever heard of
sauerkraut or kosher dills? 🙂

--

saerah

http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/

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"sarah bennett" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Doug Kanter said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved)
before the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

and smoke, yes. Salt is an excellent preservative. Ever heard of
sauerkraut or kosher dills? 🙂

Pickles? Those things in jars? Nope. Never heard of 'em. :-) I *am* very
familiar with bacalao, though.

Doug Kanter said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved)
before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

On my grandfather's farm, when I was growing up in the '50s, ham was
preserved with salt and smoke. I remember the butchering all took place
around the same time, then the meat was smoked and left hanging in the
smokehouse until needed.

--
To email, replace Cujo with Juno

On Wed 01 Feb 2006 08:54:40a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it L, not -L?

Quoted message said:

Doug Kanter said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved)
before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

On my grandfather's farm, when I was growing up in the '50s, ham was
preserved with salt and smoke. I remember the butchering all took place
around the same time, then the meat was smoked and left hanging in the
smokehouse until needed.

At my grandfather's, too. I really loved those hams and bacon. We soaked
hams in milk overnight before rinsing and simmering in a big pot until
tender. Then baked them with a glaze.

--
Wayne Boatwright Õ¿Õ¬
________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!

Doug Kanter said:

Question: How were hams made (and preserved) before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

Of course salt. Only thing curing powders do differently is impart a
more attractive appearance/color.

Salt occurs naturally (has since before life began), many, many foods
are still preserved with only plain NACL.... and brine.

Even before salting foods were preserved by dehydration and/or
freezing, the oldest forms of food preservation... still, obviously.

Many foods are preserved by a combination of methods, drying,
salting/curing, smoking... think pepperoni.

Sheldon said:

Doug Kanter said:

Question: How were hams made (and preserved) before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

Of course salt. Only thing curing powders do differently is impart a
more attractive appearance/color.

Curing also adds a flavor component. If you cure a ham with just
salt, it will taste very different then one cured with salt +
nitrites.

Quoted message said:

Salt occurs naturally (has since before life began), many, many foods
are still preserved with only plain NACL.... and brine.

So, you're finally accepting the fact that a brine can used to
cure meat?

-sw

zxcvbob said:

Yes. Tons of salt. You had to boil or soak them to make 'em edible.
Some country hams are still made with just salt and a little molasses.

Picked up a Smithfield ham a few years ago, and couldn't wait to try
it; it was so salty, I ended up throwing it out! Perhaps I should have
soaked it first. I suspect salt, salt and more salt was the recipe
back then...

--
Karen MacInerney
Kitchen experimenter, family chauffeur, and culinary mystery author
www.karenmacinerney.com

Doug Kanter said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved) before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

Salting and/or drying and/or smoking.
'Curing salts' have been known for a long time, without the specifics of
nitrates/nitrites being identified.

Doug Kanter said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved) before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

Salt will work, but some of the 'curing salts', like saltpeter, have
been in use a looooong time.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

Steve Wertz said:

Sheldon said:

Doug Kanter said:

Question: How were hams made (and preserved) before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

Of course salt. Only thing curing powders do differently is impart a
more attractive appearance/color.

Curing also adds a flavor component. If you cure a ham with just
salt, it will taste very different then one cured with salt +
nitrites.

Quoted message said:

Salt occurs naturally (has since before life began), many, many foods
are still preserved with only plain NACL.... and brine.

So, you're finally accepting the fact that a brine can used to
cure meat?

-sw

Curing in brine? Why would anyone question that? The writings of
yesteryear are filled with references to barrels of brined meat.
Recently, in a collection of 'receipts' from the mid 1800's, I read a
technique for restoring a 'tainted' barrel of brined meat.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure or you wanna cook?

Doug Kanter said:

Or something like that. Question: How were hams made (and preserved) before
the arrival of miracles like sodium nitrite? Tons of salt?

Salt is naturally occurring in the earth and the sea. It has always been
here.