How to pickle Jinhua ham? Pickling steps of Jinhua ham

Jinhua ham originated in the Tang and Song dynasties in ancient China, and has a history of hundreds of years. It is now an intangible cultural heritage of Zhejiang Province and a traditional Chinese delicacy sold all over the country and even overseas. Jinhua ham has tender meat, sweet and fragrant taste, and rich nutrition. It is hard to forget after eating it. So what is the pickling method of Jinhua ham? How is it processed and made? Let me share with you.

1. Choose materials

The selection of materials for pickled Jinhua ham is very important. You must choose the pig hind legs with thin skin, thin feet, plump legs and clean blood and hair. Only such pig hind legs will have the most tender meat. The weight of the pig hind legs should be between 2500 and 3000 grams, and the leg shape should be slightly trimmed, especially the fat on the edges should be removed.

2. Salting

Salting is the most important step in the production of Jinhua ham. When salting, prepare a large porcelain basin, then put some clean bamboo strips on the bottom of the basin, put the prepared pig's hind legs in, with the skin facing down and the meat facing up, and the skin on the legs cannot touch the bottom of the basin. Apply edible salt directly on the surface of the pig's hind legs, apply it evenly, wait 2 to 3 days and apply it again. At this time, the blood flowing out of the bottom of the basin should be removed in time. Apply more salt to the thick fat, bones and skin, and rub it repeatedly. It takes 20 to 35 days from the beginning of the part-time to the completion of the curing of Jinhua ham, and edible salt should be applied repeatedly six to seven times in the middle.

3. Wash and dry

After the Jinhua ham is pickled, it should be soaked in clean water, and the residual salt and moisture on its surface should be brushed off with a soft brush. Then it should be hung in the sun to dry. In winter, it usually takes 3 to 5 days to dry. After the pig is dried, oil will seep out of the surface of the buttocks, and the lean meat will change color to rose red before it can be stored.

4. Air-drying and fermentation

The last step of curing Jinhua ham is air-drying and fermentation, which means hanging the dried Jinhua ham in a ventilated and dry place. As the temperature rises, the surface of the ham will begin to ferment naturally, and some green or green-gray bacteria will grow on its surface. Their appearance is a sign that the Jinhua ham is well fermented. After a period of time, the Jinhua ham will be fermented, and the whole ham will emit a special sweet and mellow fragrance.