📝 About This Recipe
Transport your senses to the Black Forest with this masterclass in traditional German meat preservation. This Schinken is a labor of love, balancing the deep salinity of high-quality pork with a complex bouquet of juniper, bay, and peppercorns, followed by a cold-smoke finish that imparts a hauntingly aromatic depth. The result is a silky, ruby-red delicacy that celebrates the patient art of 'slow food' at its most refined.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat
- 5 kg Pork Leg (Top Round or Silverside) (high-quality heritage pork, skin-on preferred)
The Cure Base
- 175 grams Kosher Salt (calculated at 3.5% of meat weight)
- 12.5 grams Curing Salt #2 (Prague Powder #2) (essential for long-term dry curing)
- 50 grams Brown Sugar (to balance the saltiness)
Aromatic Spices
- 25 grams Juniper Berries (crushed to release oils)
- 15 grams Black Peppercorns (coarsely cracked)
- 6-8 pieces Dried Bay Leaves (crumbled)
- 10 grams Garlic Powder
- 5 grams Dried Thyme
- 5 grams Mustard Seeds (yellow or brown)
- 3 grams Allspice Berries (ground)
Smoking Components
- 2-3 kg Beechwood or Hickory Chips (for cold smoking process)
- 1 handful Dried Spruce Needles (optional, for authentic Black Forest aroma)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Thoroughly clean the pork leg, removing any loose bits of fat or ragged edges, but keeping the main fat cap intact. Pat the meat completely dry with paper towels.
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2
In a medium bowl, combine the kosher salt, curing salt #2, brown sugar, and all the aromatic spices. Mix well until the cure is uniform.
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3
Vigorously rub about two-thirds of the cure mixture over the entire surface of the pork, ensuring you get into every fold and crevice.
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4
Place the pork in a vacuum-seal bag or a tight-fitting non-reactive container. Add the remaining cure mixture on top. Seal the bag or cover the container tightly.
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5
Cure the meat in the refrigerator (3-4°C / 38-40°F) for 3 weeks. Turn the meat every 2 days to ensure the developing brine redistributes evenly.
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6
After 3 weeks, remove the pork from the bag. Rinse it thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess surface salt and spices.
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7
Pat the meat dry and place it on a wire rack in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 24-48 hours. This develops a 'pellicle,' a tacky surface that helps smoke adhere.
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8
Set up your cold smoker. The internal temperature must stay below 25°C (77°F) to prevent the fat from melting or the meat from cooking.
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9
Smoke the ham using beechwood or hickory. Perform 3-4 smoking sessions of 8-12 hours each, allowing the meat to rest in a cool, breezy spot between sessions.
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10
Once smoking is complete, hang the Schinken in a cool (12-15°C / 55-60°F), humid (70-75%) environment to age for an additional 2-4 weeks.
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11
Monitor for any 'bad' fuzzy mold (green/black). White powdery mold (penicillium nalgiovense) is normal and beneficial.
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12
The ham is ready when it has lost approximately 25-30% of its original weight and feels firm to the touch.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use a digital scale for curing salts; precision is vital for safety and flavor. If you don't have a dedicated curing chamber, a wine fridge with a bowl of salt water for humidity works wonders. Never skip the 'equalization' phase after smoking; it allows the salt and smoke flavors to migrate to the center of the muscle. If the meat develops a hard outer crust (case hardening), increase the humidity in your drying area immediately. Slice the finished Schinken paper-thin against the grain to appreciate its delicate texture.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve on a platter with dark rye bread (Pumpernickel), sweet butter, and sharp German mustard. Pair with a crisp Riesling or a malty Doppelbock beer to cut through the richness of the fat. Accompany with pickled cornichons and radishes for a traditional 'Brotzeit' board. Wrap thin slices around white asparagus (Spargel) for a classic seasonal German delicacy. Dice the ends into a rustic lentil soup for an incredible boost of smoky umami.