There are two ways of curing meat – a salty brine, or just plain salt. I will share recipes for both.
Curing a fresh ham is a time-honored tradition for preserving pork. However traditional curing methods often rely on nitrates to preserve the meat and give it that iconic pink color. While delicious there are health concerns around consuming large amounts of nitrates. The good news is you can cure a fresh ham without nitrates and still achieve fantastic results!
This guide will show you, step-by-step, how to cure a fresh ham naturally with salt, time, and patience. If you want to make a nitrate-free masterpiece ham out of a fresh pork leg, read this.
Overview of Natural Dry Curing
The basic process of dry curing involves packing the meat in salt and letting time do its work. The salt draws moisture out of the cells, preserving the meat When done correctly, dry curing can make meat safe to eat raw No smoking, cooking, or nitrates required!
Here’s an outline of the natural dry cure process:
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Trim excess fat and skin from the fresh ham. This allows for better salt penetration.
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Pack ham in non-iodized salt in a container, ensuring it’s fully surrounded.
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Cure for approximately 3 days per kg weight in temperatures between 36-40°F.
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Rinse off salt cure and pat dry.
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Rest in the fridge for equal cure time.
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Coat with lard and herbs/spices for flavor
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Age in a cool, humid environment for 6 months up to 2 years.
It may seem intimidating but have patience! With a bit of time and TLC, you’ll be rewarded with a super flavorful, beautifully cured ham.
Step 1: Start with a Fresh, Untreated Ham
Look for a fresh, raw pork leg that has no prior curing or smoking. Farmers markets are great spots to source quality meat from a local farm.
For best results, choose heritage breed pork like Berkshire, Mangalitsa, or Red Wattle. The meat has more intra-muscular fat and flavor.
Aim for a ham between 12-18 lbs. Too small and it will cure too quickly. Too large and the cure may not fully penetrate.
Step 2: Trim Excess Fat and Skin
Trim the ham of any glands, skin, and excess fat. Leave a thin layer of fat intact.
This allows for better salt penetration and moisture release during curing.
Also, square off the ham shape. Remove shank bone and aitch bone for better presentation.
Pro Tip: Reserve trimmings for sausages or lard!
Step 3: Cure Ham in Salt
Curing salt draws out moisture and preserves the pork. Use a non-iodized salt like kosher or sea salt.
Pour 1-inch layer salt in a food-safe container. Place ham on salt bed.
Cover ham fully with more salt. Cure for 3 days per kg.
For a 12 lb ham, cure 36 days. For an 18 lb ham, cure 54 days.
Step 4: Rinse and Rest the Cured Ham
Rinse ham under cool water to remove salt. Pat dry with a towel.
Important: Rest ham in the fridge for the same duration as the cure time.
This allows the moisture and salt levels to equalize and normalize throughout the meat.
Step 5: Apply Protective Coating of Lard and Spices
Once rested, you can add flavorings. Apply a thick layer of lard to exposed areas.
Then roll cured ham in spices like cracked pepper, paprika, minced garlic, etc.
Alternatively, try a mixture like:
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves, crushed
Gently warm lard to blend spices in before applying.
Step 6: Age Ham for 6 Months up to 2 Years
Find an ideal aging environment: 50-60°F and 60-75% humidity.
Cellars, wine rooms, or cheese caves work very well.
Hang cured ham on a rack so air can circulate. Age for at least 6 months, 12+ months for fuller flavor.
Check periodically for any signs of mold. Wipe down with vinegar if needed.
The longer it ages, the more the flavors concentrate. Enjoy ham’s evolution as it becomes more complex over time.
FAQ About Dry Cured Hams without Nitrates
Get answers to some common questions about naturally curing hams:
Can I use pink salt instead of nitrates?
Pink salt contains nitrites, so it does not qualify as nitrate-free. Stick to regular salt for a true uncured ham.
Does the meat need to be refrigerated during curing?
Yes, maintain 36-40°F fridge temperatures throughout the salt cure.
How will flavor differ from a nitrate-cured ham?
Expect a more pork-forward, umami flavor. The taste will be more similar to prosciutto than city ham.
Can I speed up the aging time?
It’s not recommended. Dry cured meats need sufficient time for flavors to develop and make the meat safe to consume raw.
How do I know when it’s done aging?
Check for hardened outer texture but still supple interior meat. Trust your nose – aroma should be delicious!
Enjoy Your Nitrate-Free Ham
Part of the joy of dry curing is the waiting game. But once your ham is finally ready, it’s worth the wait!
Slice paper thin and enjoy the intense, porky flavor on charcuterie boards or in sandwiches and eggs. Share the delicious “prosciutto” you made from scratch with friends and family.
While it does take time and patience, dry curing a fresh ham without nitrates yields incredible depth of flavor you won’t find anywhere else. Plus, you can feel good knowing exactly what’s gone into your meat.
Have you dry cured meat before? Ask any questions below!
Traditional, nourishing, mostly primal recipes. Permaculture, homesteading, and goats, from The Nourishing Hearthfire
There are two ways of curing meat – a salty brine, or just plain salt. I will share recipes for both.
A simple brine cure recipe
This brine is enough for one leg of ham and the short bacon from one whole pig. If you remember from my last post, we roasted the meatier half of the sides of two pigs and made bacon with the other half.
For every liter of water, add 100g of salt and 30g of sugar to make this recipe bigger or smaller.
10 liters of cold water, 1 kg of unrefined, additive-free fine salt (like Himalayan salt, flossy salt, or Celtic sea salt), 300 grams of coconut sugar or rapadura (honey could also work), and a splash of apple cider vinegar.
Mix all the ingredients together in a food-safe, non-reactive container, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Here, fine salt is much more useful than rock salt, but it can be hard to find fine salt that hasn’t been mixed with anything else.
***If you can only find rock salt, you can dissolve it in boiling water by stirring it in. Let the brine cool down before adding the meat.
Place the meat in the brine. If it floats, put something clean, heavy, and non-reactive on top of it to keep it down. I think my friend used her stainless steel mixing bowls filled with stuff. Cover the containers.
Put the meat in brine and let it age somewhere out of the sun that is never warmer than 15ºC. Make sure it’s not so cold that the brine freezes solid.
Leave side bacon in for around 4 days. Take out a pork leg with the bone out after 4 days. If the bone is in, leave it for 8 days. (You can leave the meat in the brine longer, but it will taste saltier.) Our bacon was in for longer, so it’s very salty. But we soak it in water for a while before cooking, so the salt is gone. ).
Take the meat out of the brine and let it dry on a wire rack overnight or until it’s completely dry. You can then smoke it or store it as is.
