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What’s your opinion on cured country hams?

Our grocery has some Smithfield cured country hams (in a sack) at a very reduced price. What’s your opinion on them? Will they continue to keep well if hung in a dry location? I’ve never had or cooked a ham like this - just looking for opinions. 
Coleman, Texas
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                      YukonRon
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Comments

  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    Call me real quick brother Aggie. I don’t have time to type right now but I can take a quick call. 
    228-627-5400

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • jeffwit
    jeffwit Posts: 1,348
    Personally, I don’t care for them. Too tough and too dry for my taste. 
    Jefferson, GA
    XL BGE, MM, Things to flip meat over and stuff
    Wife, 3 kids, 5 dogs, 4 cats, 12 chickens, 2 goats, 2 pigs. 
    “Honey, we bought a farm.”
  • jeffwit
    jeffwit Posts: 1,348
    Of course, you’ll probably take it and make something magical in that cooking nirvana in your back yard. 
    Jefferson, GA
    XL BGE, MM, Things to flip meat over and stuff
    Wife, 3 kids, 5 dogs, 4 cats, 12 chickens, 2 goats, 2 pigs. 
    “Honey, we bought a farm.”
  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
    My opinion is lightly steam pieces (3-4 inches in diameter), .....place between a top and bottom of a freshly made home made biscuit. Serve with grits. Have your lady take a picture of the smile on your face. 

    To address your question (sorry for the trip down memory lane)....cut it, vac seal and freeze it in portion packs. Thaw and steam under low heat. 
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
  • tml1230
    tml1230 Posts: 237
    My opinion is lightly steam pieces (3-4 inches in diameter), .....place between a top and bottom of a freshly made home made biscuit. Serve with grits. Have your lady take a picture of the smile on your face. 

    To address your question (sorry for the trip down memory lane)....cut it, vac seal and freeze it in portion packs. Thaw and steam under low heat. 
    You got me at grits...
    Sarasota Fl. and  Lake Toxaway N.C. (and Novembers on the island of Kauai) (and April in France.... Don't hate on me for that)
    BGE  medium and minimax
    HOW  BOUT THEM GATORS !
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    It's probably uncooked.  American prosciutto, in a way. 

    They are typically very salty so need to be soaked or used where the salt is a good thing. 

    Some people love them, others not so much. 

    Half price, I would buy, you only live once.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Yes, I believe they can be stored without refrigeration, but I would follow their recommendations, and usually a dry, low humidity location is not ideal for cured meats. 
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    Some people love them, 
    We do. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • tml1230 said:
    My opinion is lightly steam pieces (3-4 inches in diameter), .....place between a top and bottom of a freshly made home made biscuit. Serve with grits. Have your lady take a picture of the smile on your face. 

    To address your question (sorry for the trip down memory lane)....cut it, vac seal and freeze it in portion packs. Thaw and steam under low heat. 
    You got me at grits...
    And me when you said place it between the top and bottom of a biscuit......
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Thanks for the advice and opinions. I think I’ll give it a shot. Then I’ll know if I like it. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • GrillSgt
    GrillSgt Posts: 2,507
    Jump on it. I’ve got a great recipe that I believe could be accomplished on the egg. I don’t care what it looks like don’t dismay, even if it has some skippers (maggots). One of America’s great foodstuffs. Smithfield is quality but tends to be a little saltier than the norm. 
  • I love em. 

    Little Rock, AR

  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    jeffwit said:
    Of course, you’ll probably take it and make something magical in that cooking nirvana in your back yard. 
    We’ll try to live up to the expectation. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    My opinion is lightly steam pieces (3-4 inches in diameter), .....place between a top and bottom of a freshly made home made biscuit. Serve with grits. Have your lady take a picture of the smile on your face. 

    To address your question (sorry for the trip down memory lane)....cut it, vac seal and freeze it in portion packs. Thaw and steam under low heat. 
    Thanks for the portioning tip. I welcome the remarks because I have zero idea what to do with the thing. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    It's probably uncooked.  American prosciutto, in a way. 

    They are typically very salty so need to be soaked or used where the salt is a good thing. 

    Some people love them, others not so much. 

    Half price, I would buy, you only live once.
    Thanks for the information. That’s the thing - so many of y’all have so much experience. The price tag was actually off when I went to get the ham. They are holding it for me until tomorrow. I expect to get it at a very reasonable price. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    GrillSgt said:
    Jump on it. I’ve got a great recipe that I believe could be accomplished on the egg. I don’t care what it looks like don’t dismay, even if it has some skippers (maggots). One of America’s great foodstuffs. Smithfield is quality but tends to be a little saltier than the norm. 
    PM me the recipe if you don’t mind. I sure have no idea how to prepare the thing. 
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    One of our favorite ways to eat country ham is to slice some about 1/4 thick and fry it 15-30 seconds per side in a dry skillet. Slap it on a biscuit for a real breakfast treat. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    I used to live in Virginia, and I had Smithfield hams (the real thing, not just Smithfield brand regular ham), and they were WONDERFUL!  A real pain in the neck, though, at least for someone like me who wasn't used to preparing a real country ham.  Smithfield hams are just a particular type of country ham, and country ham in general is heavily salted (also with curing salt, I'm sure), and then hung up to dry and age, often for a year or even more!  And the longer they age, the more powerful they get in <cough> fragrance and flavor.  They can have mold and generally look very unappetizing on the outside, and that's part of the pain in the neck part.  The instructions with the ham had you wash them, try to clean that stuff off as well as you can with a brush, then soak them in plain water overnight, scrub them a little more, maybe, finally bake them, with or without a bit of a glaze.  You slice them much thinner than a regular ham, and they are just wonderful!  It can take a bit of getting used to for some, maybe.  They're very salty, much more so than regular ham, and that "aged" flavor may not be for everyone.  One of my stepdaughters used to love country ham, but any time her mother was frying it in a skillet, she'd complain that it smelled like old stinky socks...

    If your store has any country ham in smaller sizes, like those vacuum-packed slices, for example, you could try frying some, maybe with a little water at first, and see whether you like country ham at all without having to buy a whole ham.  But my memory of genuine "Smithfield Ham" is that it's just a particular type of country ham (I think the pigs are fed on peanuts or something), but MAN they were GOOD!

    It's plenty aged now, no need to hang it and then maybe forget about it for several more years and, in doubt, throw it away.  I'd say if they're a good price, buy one and COOK it -- try to follow the directions that come with them, and it'll be worth the trouble!
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    edited January 2018
    @Theophan Thanks. I’m excited to try it. This is a link to the ham I’m talking about:https://www.smithfieldmarketplace.com/product/uncooked-country-ham/country-hams

    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,167
    As mentioned somewhere above treat it like an American prosciutto.  
    The difference between a country and "city" ham is several orders of magnitude-handling/serving process and flavor to name a couple.  Expect a heavy salt flavor and you will enjoy.  FWIW-
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    I don't know whether there's an awful lot of difference between the Smithfield "Country Ham" you're looking at and a "Genuine Smithfield Ham" that is at least somewhat different, and more expensive (link above, and photo below, from the same site you linked to).


    It looks like the "Genuine Smithfield Ham" is smoked and pepper coated, among other things, whereas the regular Smithfield country ham is not.  Again, a "Smithfield Ham," as in "Genuine Smithfield Ham" is a very specific thing, a particular type of country ham.  I honestly don't know whether it's better than a regular Smithfield country ham, and it's more expensive -- might be worth trying the more affordable one.

    On that line, though, I don't see the super low price on the one you linked to, whereas they have a version of a cooked country ham that went from $119.99 down to $59.99!  Whoa, that's quite a difference!  And you don't have to do all of that stuff to prepare it to cook, just warm it up and eat it.

    I'd say whatever you choose, it'll be good eating, so long as you're OK with very salty and a more powerful, aged flavor that many of us LOVE, but maybe for some would take a little getting used to.
  • SGH said:
    One of our favorite ways to eat country ham is to slice some about 1/4 thick and fry it 15-30 seconds per side in a dry skillet. Slap it on a biscuit for a real breakfast treat. 
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


    do this. Add a little butter and molasses and cancel all your plans for that day cuz you’ll be fat and miserable after eating a pan full of biscuits and half a ham. 

    Little Rock, AR

  • Woodchunk
    Woodchunk Posts: 911
    edited January 2018
    Be sure to scrub the ham off and rinse in between soakings or not if you want it more salty
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    Thanks again for all of the comments. I appreciate it.
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,204
    My folks used to tell a story about going to Western Kentucky to my Great Grandparents house for a holiday meal when they were first married. When it came time to prepare the meal, my Great Granddad fished a country ham out from under the bed where it had been stored for a couple years in a burlap bag. My mother was horrified as they peeled the layer of mold off the outside and prepped it for cooking. She said it was the best ham she'd ever had. 
    Michiana, South of the border.
  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,204
    These folks are relatives of mine. Too far removed for any economic advantage however.


    Michiana, South of the border.
  • SciAggie
    SciAggie Posts: 6,481
    @Teefus That's a cool story.
    Coleman, Texas
    Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
    "Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
                                                                                                                          YukonRon
  • Woodchunk
    Woodchunk Posts: 911
    Tip, after cooking and before carving, shave off some pieces of fat and save that to put up against the bare meat after slicing. Keeps it from drying out