# Country Hams...Does Anyone Here Eat These?



## SeaBreeze (Feb 7, 2014)

We've only eaten regular hams that they sell in the supermarkets.  I've heard about Country Hams, and I think I've seen these in the stores wrapped in a burlap type material.

They are supposed to be really good, and coated in salt.  I think you have to soak them before cooking or eating??  Anyone here familiar with country hams?  If so, how are they?  What makes them special over the typical hams sold?


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## Anne (Feb 7, 2014)

We tried it once when we were in Memphis, and it was good but very salty.  I don't know about soaking or cooking them, tho.  Maybe OG or rkunsaw would know more about that than I.   I did like the red eye gravy, tho.

I imagine Paula Deen would have recipes for something like that.


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## jrfromafar (Feb 8, 2014)

Oh wow - few things if anything is better than a country cured ham. I have had ham like that from southern states, and is very similar but not quite the art that it is in Europe. In Italy it is called " Prosciutto crudo" 


Here are some good links that describes it:


http://giulianohazan.com/blog/you-say-prosciutto-and-i-say-jamon/


http://www.timesofmalta.com/article...Cotto-crudo-or-Parma-ham-.444143#.UvXxzH-9KSM


http://www.hamazing.com/articles/di...am-jambon-bayonne-ham-and-presunto-explained/


http://www.academiabarilla.com/italian-recipes/meats-charcuterie/prosciutto-parma-1.aspx







Now I'm getting hungry again!!!


What an experience ham is like this!!!!


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## rkunsaw (Feb 8, 2014)

Sugar cured country hams are the best. I haven't seen any around here in several years. It's the grocery store hams that are loaded with salt because they are injected with brine to increase the weight.


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## rkunsaw (Feb 8, 2014)

A quick search found these. There used to be a place near me that cured hams. I'll have to check to see if they are still around.


http://www.sugargroveham.com/


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## Jackie22 (Feb 8, 2014)

I tried it one time, didn't like it, too salty...I like the honey hams.


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## RedRibbons (Feb 17, 2014)

OMG, I love country ham with biscuits and milk gravy. I reckon you have to acquire a taste for them, as they are unlike any other type of ham. No, you don't soak them, just pan fry, but don't cook too long, or they get hard. If I were you, I would buy the kind already sliced, as I found it hard to cut them uniformly from the bone. The ham is good to cook it, and then put inside a hot biscuit, we call that Ham biscuits around these parts.  Now, you have got me wanting some, and I just bought a ton of groceries today!


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## Mrs. Robinson (Feb 28, 2014)

My dad was born and raised in Virginia,then he and my mom moved to California in their late teens. Every Christmas,my aunts would send a Smithfield Ham from Virginia. I remember it came in a burlap type bag and had to be soaked in the kitchen sink for 12?24? hours. It was a pretty strong taste (salty) for a kid but I got used to it and loved it. I looked online for them not too long ago and they were still available. Maybe they don`t have to be soaked anymore?


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## Mrs. Robinson (Feb 28, 2014)

http://www.smithfieldmarketplace.com/cookinginstructions


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