Deliciously tasty ham, fresh bread and colourful eggs are a must for the festive table. We have learned this since childhood. But it doesn't always matter what kind ham we will offer. If you don't want to be disappointed, choose the best and rely on the knowledge of professionals.
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How a good ham is made
It is on the table in almost every household and there is a wide range of different hams. A from premium quality to the simpler varieties. In general and traditionally is mostly made from raw shoulder or pork shoulder. Of course, to really get the quality you want, there is still a lot to do. From raw material is first salted and then subjected to various processes, which can take several weeks. It is cured, smoked and then matured for several months to achieve the right texture and flavour.
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Beware of fast hams: we are not lacking in flavours, but they are mostly artificially created. Quickly cured meat is injected with a marinade to make it last for weeks or months. These products are recognisable by being more succulent and are usually sold in packaging, whereas real hams, which are really made over months, are sold without packaging.
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A good quality ham is characterised by the fact that after pruning, the flesh leaves are of a uniform burgundy colour, are not visibly moist and do not show the so-called „ham blemishes”. A good quality ham is clean and hairless on the outside. You can check the quality of the ham by pressing it with your finger and if it is neither too soft nor too hard and no moisture is present, you have probably made a good choice. Good advice for those who really good If you want a quality ham on your festive table, it's worth reading the label, as it will tell you. Choosing products with the terms „quick-cured” and „smoked flavour” will not be suitable for them.
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One of the best quality hams in the black-forest ham
As there is a huge choice of hams, especially at Easter, it's a good idea to be informed, or at least to choose a safe choice. If you're not a ham expert but want to be on the safe side, we recommend black forest ham. You can't really go wrong with this. With black forest hams, the higher price also means higher quality. This is because they are only made from pork hams that are actually of the highest quality and are cured and smoked for a long time. These are the products that are really prepared over a period of months to ensure that the ham is of the highest quality, even at Easter.
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Good advice for cooking ham
A basic rule known to many is to start making it the day before cooking. You do this by putting it in cold water and leaving it there. On the day of cooking, you drain the water off and cook it in fresh cold water over a low heat. Interestingly, the cooking time is determined by the number of hours for which the ham itself weighs as many kilos. The safest method is, of course, to use a meat knife. Keep checking it while cooking, and if you can poke it in easily but it doesn't „slip” in straight away, then it's good! Another advantage of ham is that it is safe to eat for up to 4-6 days if stored in the fridge at around 6-4 degrees.
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