Dear Editor:
I recommend Gatton Farms, Fathers’ Country Hams. These are the best hams I have ever tasted. If you have never had one, you are missing out , it is not like any other ham in the world.
The hams that store are the Uncooked variety. I would inquire of them about storage temp and humidity requirements as well as aging out time. The mold continues to grow on the exterior on the rind as part of the aging process and may have to be arrested at some point before it detracts from the meat quality.
Additionally you cannot just pop them in the oven. Here is a quote from the Gatton Farms recipe section for country hams:
“Clean ham with hot water and stiff brush to remove mold; if mold is very heavy scrape with knife. Ham may be soaked overnight to help reduce salt taste. Cut off about 3 inches of hock, which may be used for seasoning in cooking other foods. Remove the skin (easier done after cooking while warm); weigh the ham in order to calculate cooking time”.
You have to cover it with water in a tub and soak at least overnight otherwise it is much too salty.
It takes a little practice to remove the skin after cooking when warm, it is fairly thick. The first time I did this it slipped out of my hands and shot out onto the floor leaving a huge pork fat slick in it’s wake! It really was the “catching a greased pig ” moment for me, and the pig won! I could not pick it up either. I was not smart enough to just stab it with a fork, I tried to grab it again and it slipped away even further across the floor, I slipped and fell as well. At that point I had to stop laughing at my own stupidity before I could get ‘er back on the counter. The memory although 25 years old still makes me laugh, I was young and embarrassingly inexperienced as well as covered in warm pork fat
However, once on the platter surrounded by roasted, cinnamon stuffed, whole apples and pears it is the most incredible meat since man has been given divine permission to eat animals after worldwide Flood ( Genesis 9:3 ). I know some folks would argue that pork is forbidden even for Gentiles, but…
It is a good recommendation for a storage addition if it has an extended shelf life out of the farm’s locker. I will be considering and researching proper storage conditions for my own “larder”, pardon the pun. – Ann H.