China, On The Tip Of The Tongue--JinHua Ham

Jinhua ham is traditionally produced using the hind legs of a breed of pigs native to China known as the “two ends black” , which have black hair growing on their heads and hindquarters with white mid-sections. This breed is quick to mature, has excellent meat quality, and thin skin. Ham production begins when air temperatures drops below 10 degrees Celsius. The process takes approximately 8 to 10 months to complete.


Ham production is separated into 6 stages, starting in the winter and ending the following autumn:
1.Meat preparation: Well-developed and undamaged legs are selected and the “open” side of the leg trimmed of fat, tendons, membranes and other connective tissues. The remaining blood in the legs should also be squeezed out.
2.Salting: Salting is done at a temperature between 5–10 degrees Celsius (41-50 degrees Fahrenheit), since lower temperatures reduces salt penetration, while high temperatures promote bacterial growth. The salt is continuously rubbed onto the meat and allowed to absorb over the span of many days, using a specialized method and mnemonic which indicates the order and the important areas of the ham to salt. The salting process is repeated 5-7 times, with an average time of 1 month. Only plain salt is used, though some producers also include sodium nitrate in the salting process.

The earliest mention of the Jinhua ham processing technique is recorded in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), and this method of dry ham production is reported by some have been in turn transmitted to Europe by Marco Polo. The name Jinhua was bestowed by the first emperor of the southern Song dynasty. It is highly regarded in Chinese cuisine, and may be eaten as part of a cold meat dish or used in producing soup stock, imparting its unique and umami flavour to any dish. Jinhua ham is an important ingredient in the dish Buddha jumps over the wall. The ham has been lauded in Chinese literature, and was prominently featured in the Qing dynasty novel Dream of the Red Chamber, when the cuisine of the nobility was being described.

The ideal ham should have certain physical characteristics, such as shiny and smooth yellow outside, a rounded shape in the style of a bamboo leaf, small joint and hoof, a thin and slender bone, an abundant layer of fat surrounding dark and red toned meat, a pronounced but not unpleasant odour, a fine textured meat with high levels of intramuscular fat, and a taste that is highly salty, umami, and sweet. The outside of the ham may have small amounts of mold, but this is considered normal and thought to contribute to the flavour of the ham.
3.Soaking and washing: After the leg is well salted and partially dry, it is soaked in water for 4–6 hours and then scrubbed. After the initial washing, the hams are then soaked for another 16–18 hours.
4.Drying and shaping: The hams are trimmed to the desired bamboo leaf shape, de-hooved, branded with an iron, and then hung up to dry in the sun. Sun-drying is terminated when the hams begin to drip liquefied fat, which usually takes a week’s worth of sun.
5.Ripening: The dried hams are hung in a low temperature room of 15 degrees at 55–57% humidity and allowed to dry, cure and develop aromas over the 6–8 months. During this period the hams ferment through molding, and the proteins and fats hydrolyze through endogenous enzymes. This improves the flavour by creating free amino acids and flavour compounds.
6.Post-ripening: The ripened ham is brushed clean of mold and dust, then a thin layer of vegetable oil is applied to soften the ham and prevent the fat’s excessive oxidation. The dried hams are piled on top of one another and allowed to further ripen for 2–3 months, which allows the flavours to stabilize and intensify.
New processing techniques involving adjustments in aging temperature and humidity to accelerate production and reduce the time down to 1–2 months.