My Old Kentucky (Country) Ham

I think of Country Ham as particularly unique and a bit mysterious. Cooking this regional specialty from hook to table takes some time and attention. Still there is nothing quite like the delicious flavor of a country ham. In the end, the outcome is well worth the extra effort.

Regional Peculiarities

It’s that time of year again….when the azaleas and dogwoods begin to blossom and strains of Stephen Foster start running through my head.

The Kentucky Derby sounds off like an alarm clock in my brain. It is an inescapable mark on my internal calendar. It is a special day that reminds me of those regional peculiarities that are ingrained in my psyche from childhood.

That alarm clock usually makes me hungry. Memories of growing up on the banks of the Ohio are braided with culinary traditions from fish fries to family picnics and include Sunday dinners, southern style. Though I was always a picky eater my memories remain rich with many fond flavors. Some of those flavors take a bit of extra effort to recreate.

Unique Cuisine

Among those flavors I think of Country Ham as particularly unique and a bit mysterious. As a girl I was wary of its dark color and dense texture. My grandmother sometimes served Country Ham Steaks with Red Eye Gravy when we gathered at her house for our Sunday meal. 

Country Ham slices were also a breakfast favorite. They could be found on the menu at diners my Dad enjoyed in small towns across the state. For breakfast country ham came with eggs, biscuits and grits. Country Ham was also considered fine party fare, cut into thin slivers and nestled in the heart of tiny Rosemary Biscuits that were then piled on a platter.

I liked ham in general and was willing to give Country Ham a try but the strong and complex flavor of a well-aged ham was more than my palate could truly appreciate at the time. I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt but limited my indulgence to a bite or two at a time, food for thought when years as well as miles would eventually separate me from such traditional fare.   

Looking Back

My brother, who moved out west even before I did, once shared his thoughts on Country Ham:

It isn’t often we see country ham out here.Wal-Mart Superstores sometimes have a brand from Arkansas in the meat section of their groceries, though I haven’t noticed it lately. Cracker Barrel restaurant usually has some to sell in their store section but I’ve never tried cooking one and don’t know where it is from.  Smithfield Hams from Virginia are supposed to be especially good but I don’t think we’ve ever had one.  Kentucky Hams are the best I’ve cooked…

Most folks out here don’t seem to have heard of country ham or know how to cook it. If you throw it in the oven and treat it like a regular ham it must be dreadful. We do the long soak method, with multiple changes of water to reduce salt content. Then you boil the ham until done before a final baking in glaze to make it smell wonderful and sweeten the taste.  A really well aged old ham, sliced paper thin and eaten on a beaten biscuit with unsalted butter, is up there with really great caviar, sushi, whatever. I’ll take a bite then suck in air to fill my palate with the savoury aroma and taste elements. It is divine. It is all in how you eat and prepare it.

Another thing with leftover country ham is to fry up a slice. Then add coffee to the drippings in the skillet. That makes Red-Eye Gravy to serve for breakfast with fried eggs and grits. I think I ate that at the Melrose with you one time. I certainly had it there on occasion. There really isn’t any magic to it, other than leftover country ham and good black coffee for the gravy. But that again is something folks don’t seem aware of out here.

Hanging a Ham

His comments sparked my interest. As I remembered those small bites from childhood I wondered how that salty cured ham would taste to me now. I decided to order one for myself. After considering several sources I settled on Finchville Farms. They use only a few natural ingredients to preserve the ham according to a traditional recipe. The business is Kentucky based and family owned.

My ham arrived neatly wrapped in white cloth. Swaddled inside this pristine packaging was a joint of meat. I thought of unwrapping it to get a better look. The only problem was my doubt that I would know how to rewrap it securely.  I thought of cooking it but….this was a whole ham. It weighed 15 pounds. I thought it better to wait for the right time, a good dose of courage and plenty of company before diving into that process. 

Instead I hung it in the garage as suggested. My intention was to cook it for a summer party. But then the summer was late showing up. By the time it finally arrived I had lost all social inclination. The ham waited, hanging on its nail for the better part of a year, dripping a little from time to time. My sons occasionally complained of hitting their head on it when the reached for a soda from the refrigerator nearby.

Unwrapping the Mystery

Though my social aspirations never returned my curiosity finally got the better of me. After a year of dodging the ham as I passed through the garage I took it down from its nail. Opening the wrappings, I exposed a ham that was not as scary as I had sometimes imagined. 

From hook to table was a long and sometimes primitive process. Once I discarded the wrappings, I took a stiff brush and scrubbed the hard skin of the ham. This step was meant to remove all mold and debris.

The next step was to soak the ham for a good long while. Various sources suggest anywhere from overnight to several days as the optimal time for soaking. Change the water several times in the process to reduce the saltiness of the meat. 

Then, after soaking, the ham is boiled or baked. Next you cool it and strip the skin before trimming the fat as desired. Finally, just before serving, score and glaze the ham in a slow oven. This sweetens both the flavor and the final presentation.

White Flecks

After slicing my ham I noticed white specks that I hadn’t expected. At first I was a little concerned. Then after looking into it I learned that these are actually a prized feature of a well-aged ham.

From Out of Kentucky Kitchens by Marion Flexner,

“When sliced the meat will be of a dark reddish-brown color, flecked with white. (Strangers have thought such hams spoiled and refused to eat them. But they were wrong, for the white specks are medals of merit. By them you can tell the genuine article.)”

Another source, Country Ham by Dan Gill, explains,

“During the aging process, proteins are broken down by enzymes and other natural processes into flavorful peptides and amino acids. Free glutamates give hams the savory and appealing “umami” qualities and over time, enough of the amino acid tyrosine is released to crystallize into the deposits that my father referred to as white flecks.”

In summary, the white specks are a good thing.

Enjoy!