In New England, a country cured ham is a novelty. For years we would get hams from S & H Honey Farms in Columbia, TN whenever we were down that way. Have been hearing about hams for years. The Rooster’s family was in the hog/ham business in Columbia in the late 1800′s and early 1900′s. Story goes that Rooster’s great grandfather died of pneumonia after delivering hams by wagon in the cold rain to hotels in Nashville.
20-month country salt cured ham
At Nobska Farms we started curing hams a couple of years ago. Used the method described by the University of Missouri Extension service. The results are delicious. The hams provide three basic cuts for three different purposes. The hock is used for soups (split pea is a good one!), the middle section provides frying ham for breakfast (and red eye gravy, to boot), and the major portion is for baking (and makes lots of left overs for snacking later).
Flavor of the ham brings back wonderful memories of the South … just part of what we are thankful for on Thanksgiving Day.
