Jinhua ham

Jinhua ham(Chinese:金華火腿) is a type of specialtydry-cured hamnamed after the city ofJinhua, where it is produced, inZhejiangprovince,China.Thehamis used in Chinese cuisines to flavor stewed and braised foods as well as for making the stocks and broths of manyChinese soups. The ham was awarded first prize in the1915 Panama International Merchandise Exhibition.
Jinhua ham is traditionally produced using the hind legs of a breed of pig native to China known as the "two ends black" (兩頭烏), which have black hair growing on their heads and hindquarters with white midsections. This breed is quick to mature; it has excellent meat quality and thin skin.Ham production begins when air temperatures drop below 10 °C (50 °F). The process takes approximately 8 to 10 months to complete.
Ham production is separated into six stages, starting in the winter and ending the following autumn:
New processing techniques involving adjustments in aging temperature and humidity can accelerate production and reduce the time down to 1–2 months.
The earliest recorded mention of the Jinhua ham processing technique is during theTang dynasty(618–907 AD), and this method of dry ham production is reported by some to have been in turn transmitted to Europe byMarco Polo.However, in Italy the preserving of pork leg ashamhas a much longer history, with traces of production of cured ham among theEtruscan civilization,as early as the 6th and 5th century BC; as forancient Rome,Catoin around 160 BC, in hisDe Agri Cultura,describes the process of salting the pork leg, in the way known today in Italy as "prosciutto crudo" (raw ham). Moreover, there is still aRoman roadcalled "Panisperna" (panis= bread and perna= pork leg).
The nameJinhuawas bestowed by the first emperor of the southernSong dynasty.It is highly regarded inChinese cuisine,and may be eaten as part of a cold meat dish or used in producingsoupstock, imparting its unique,umamiflavor to any dish. Jinhua ham is an important ingredient in the dishBuddha jumps over the wall. The ham has been lauded inChinese literature, and was prominently featured in theQing dynastynovelDream of the Red Chamber, when the cuisine of the nobility was being described.
The ideal ham should have certain physical characteristics, such as a shiny and smooth yellow outside, a rounded shape in the style of abambooleaf, small joint andhoof, a thin and slender bone, an abundant layer of fat surrounding dark and red toned meat, a pronounced but not unpleasant odor, 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 ham's flavor.
The taste of Jinhua ham arises from the high concentration of freeamino acidsandnucleotidesin the ham, more specifically,glutamic acidand 5'-inosinic acid. Although the total amount of amino acids is not different from the uncured ham, the high proportion of the free compounds from the long curing process allows for the highly umami taste of the ham. The taste is also contributed byfermentation, due largely to the molds and some yeasts present on the ham.
The aroma and the aroma compounds of Jinhua ham are similar to that of dry-curedIberian hamsbut different from light Italian andParma hams. This is likely due to the longer aging and environmental exposure of both Jinhua and Iberian hams. The fragrant compounds consist ofaldehydes,sulfurcompounds such asmethanethiolanddimethyl disulfide, and branchedalkenes, which are derived from the breakdown and rearrangement of amino acids and fatty acids caused by auto-oxidationand fermentation.
In 2003, Jinhua ham was the center of a controversialfood safety incident in China. In the incident, several small producers of Jinhua hams operated out of season and produced hams during warmer months, treating their hams with pesticides to prevent spoilage and insect infestation.The hams were soaked in the pesticidedichlorvos, which is a volatileorganophosphateinsecticide used forfumigation.The incident strongly affected legitimate makers of the ham and caused a sharp drop-off in market demand.
Chinese hams