Black Forest ham with less salt

Black Forest ham is allowed only produced in the Black Forest according to the specifications of the Black Forest Ham Protection Association. the Manufacturing is basically the same as it was 100 years ago, out of the tradition of rural home slaughter. The raw material, the hind leg of the pig, weighs eleven kilograms on average and is responsible for the quality of the end product. the More than 90 percent of clubs come from Germany.

When the goods are received, the temperature, freshness, colour, fat content, pH value and the correct cut are checked. The curing process begins with rubbing with salt and spices such as garlic, pepper, coriander and juniper berries. The hams are in large containers. The salt pulls the moisture out of the ham and a mother brine is formed in which the pieces rest for about five weeks. The following several days of "firing" in special "firing rooms" removes more moisture from the ham and prepares it for smoking. Traditionally, the Black Forest ham is slowly smoked over fir wood in the so-called cold smoke. The hams hang in high towers over the hearths and dry out for one to two weeks with constant smoking.
After smoking, the hams continue to mature in air-conditioned rooms for several weeks before being sold in stores after a good three months.
There is one major difference today compared to earlier years: the salt content is far lower and the ham is therefore milder.

Black Forest ham is the best-selling raw ham in Germany. According to Hans Schnekenburger, Chairman of the Black Forest Ham Protection Association, the ham specialty was able to hold its own despite the overall decline in meat consumption last year. A total of 2018 million pieces of Black Forest ham were sold in 9,4.

The Protection Association of Black Forest Ham Manufacturers is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The founding member Schnekenburger reviews the history: In 1989 there were no EU seals such as PGI = Protected Geographical Indication, PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) or TSG (Guaranteed Traditional Specialties). The gap in intellectual property rights was closed for the first time at European level in 1992, through rules "for the protection of geographical indications and designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs". Through binding specifications of the production steps and mandatory quality standards on the one hand and a geographically defined production area on the other hand, Black Forest ham has been real ever since Black Forest ham with consistent quality. "Otherwise, Black Forest ham would have »degenerated« into a generic term, such as Vienna sausages," says Schnekenburger.

Rüdiger Lobitz, www.bzfe.de

Further information: http://www.schwarzwaelder-schinken-verband.de

 

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