What is Dry Curing?
Country hams in salt during the dry-curing process.
Dry curing originated as a meat preservation process long before the days of modern refrigertation. This is done by the inclusion of salts and seasoning as tools for preservation, after which in most cases the meat is smoked for added flavor. It is the artisan’s delicate process of slowly reducing a product’s natural inherent moisture content (controlled dehydration) by varying the products surrounding temperature and humidity over a period of time that extends its shelf life and give the product its concentrated flavor. (Imagine a grape turning into a raisin!!!)
What is Aging?
Hams hanging up in the “aging room.”
Like wine and cheese, the longer the aging process the more robust the flavor will be, with longer shelf life due to ever decreasing moisture content.
We offer several styles of aged dry cured hams (country hams). They include:
The Virginia Ham: Aged 4 to 6 months, Cooked and Uncooked.
The Wigwam Ham: Aged 10 to 12 months, Cooked and Uncooked.
The Surryano Ham: Aged 450+ Days, Breed Specific, Certified Humane, Antibiotic Free.
Check out this video to learn more about our country hams:
