Rays Country Ham - 16 lb. - Whole Bone-in Country Ham - Blue Ridge Mountain Cured
Brand: RAYS COUNTRY HAM
This product is a whole bone-in Country Ham naturally dry-cured with salt, pepper, sugar, brown sugar, nitrites, and nitrates, without smoking. It is then vacuum-packed and suitable for shipping and storage for an extended period without refrigeration. It can be safely stored in a cool place at room temperature until it is prepared for use. Once the ham's outer skin is cut open, it should be packaged and stored like any other perishable food product. A benign mold found on a cured Country Ham is typical and to be expected. You should remove the mold using a brush and vigorously scrubbing the entire ham to remove the mold and any residual curing mixture.
☆ CAROLINA COUNTRY HAM ☆ – We follow the traditional methods for curing hams that our family has used for generations. The USDA requires that Country Ham be cured in salt and air-dried until it has lost 18 percent of its weight in water and contains 4 percent salt. As we gently age our hams with ambient temperatures matching the annual seasons, the once humble ham becomes what can only be called a Country Ham, with the addictive taste, aroma, and texture like no other.
☆ AGED SALT & DRY CURED HAM.☆ - Country Ham harks back to how food was preserved for generations on the family farms of the Blue Ridge Mountains before electricity. In the aging process, a benign mold on the ham is typical and expected. Mold is removed by scrubbing the ham with water and a brush. If you love Country Ham, you will find the saltiness is intense and just right. If you are new to Country Ham and don't like strong salty tastes, this Ham might not be for you.
☆ A TASTE FROM ANOTHER PLACE IN TIME☆ - Folks who grew up eating Country Ham give us five-star reviews and tell us that they have "finally found it." But our story also attracts those who are expecting their Mother's City Ham, and we are just as disappointed as they are when they don't like it. Bon Appétit Magazine says it best: "To Southerners and pork devotees, Country Ham is legendary: an exquisite dry-cured artisanal meat rivaling prosciutto in its rosy-hued perfection."
☆ SURPRISE YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY WITH A GIFT OF COUNTRY HAM☆ - Sharing of good food is our way of showing we care. When families relocate, often they can’t find the foods and tastes they remember and long for. A Whole Bone-in Ray’s aged dry-cured Country Ham will bring back that familiar aroma and taste of home we never forget.
☆ COMPLETE WITH AN “OWNER’S MANUAL.”☆ - From the day your ham arrived from our farms, we have followed the traditional artisanal methods for curing hams that our family has for used for nearly 75 years! We care so much about our hams we include with each Whole Country Ham complete instructions for how to care for your ham and the options for preparing it to be enjoyed.