Cured - Southern Country Ham

[Auszi]

It always brings warmth to my heart to hear someone succeed on quality over quantity, especially when it comes to food. I would be interested to do my own side by side comparison of European hams vs Tennessee country hams.

"This short film by Joe York profiles Madisonville, Tennessee's world-renowned bacon and country ham producer Allan Benton."

[ChenPengFi]

Very nice.

I order stuff from Father's Country Hams pretty often.
Amazing bacon and sausage etc.
The Fedex guy always has an odd look on his face because the box just reeks of amazing smoke and pork.

[taijidude]

If one likes cured hams, Smithfield is the only way to go. We always had one hanging in the basement when I was a kid

[Auszi]

I am just looking at how difficult it would be to get some of this to Oz. The cost could be prohibitive and how would I decide on which maker will represent the best of Country Ham.

Any tips on what makes a good quality country ham?

I really enjoy the old aged type. When I was in Madrid, I made a point of going to the Museo del Jamon (Museum of Ham, not actually a reall museum but a ham deli)

http://www.boquetegourmet.com/jamon-...um-of-ham.html

The Iberico ham was amazing, it literally melted in your mouth,

"The most expensive ham, jamón ibérico de bellota, comes from a free-range black pig that dines on nothing but acorns and herbs as it sashays through forests of oak. After slaughter, the meat is cured for three years, sometimes four."

[ChenPengFi]

The Southern style country hams are as a whole a bit more pungent than the European hams, prosciutto etc.

The raw country ham from Father's, for example, is quite strong and has a sharp tone to the aroma.
Quite different than the sweet smell of prosciutto, more like the tang of pancetta but even a bit stronger.

[battlefields]

Now I'm hungry, you bastards.