Russian-Style Pork Ham
A traditional Russian-style cured pork ham, brined for days and then gently poached to a juicy, thinly sliceable loaf.
🍳 Cook: 105 min
Ingredients
| 1100 g | pork | |
| 1 l | cold water (brine) | |
| 25 g | sea salt | |
| 25 g | curing salt (nitrite) | |
| 4 | garlic cloves | |
| 3 | bay leaves | |
| — | black peppercorns | |
| 3 | allspice berries | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | marjoram |
| 2 l | cold water (for cooking) | |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | salt (for cooking) |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | marjoram (for cooking) |
| 2 | allspice berries (for cooking) | |
| 3 | bay leaves (for cooking) |
Instructions
- Dissolve the sea salt and the curing salt in the cold water, then add the garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice and marjoram. Submerge the pork in this brine, cover and cure in the fridge for 3-4 days, turning the meat 3-4 times.
- Pack the cured pork firmly into the ham maker (or tie it into a compact log), compressing to force out the air.
- Prepare the cooking liquid: heat the 2 l water with the salt, marjoram, allspice and bay leaves. When it reaches 90 °C, lower the meat in.
- Bring the water down to 82-85 °C, reduce the heat and hold it at 82-85 °C. Cook until the core of the ham reaches 75 °C — about 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Shock-chill the ham quickly in cold water (in a roasting or waterproof bag), then rest it in the fridge for several hours before slicing.
- Oven method (alternative): set the meat on an oven rack with a tray beneath to catch the juices, start at 50 °C and gradually raise to 80-85 °C; the core must not exceed 75 °C. Use a kitchen thermometer.