Westphalian ham

Westphalian ham (German: Westfälischer Schinken) is a ham produced from acorn-fed pigs raised in the forests of Westphalia, Germany.[1][2] The resulting meat is dry cured and then smoked over a mixture of beechwood and juniper branches.[1][3][4][2]

The hams are prepared for consumption solely by the process of smoking, which preserves them, and are typically eaten thinly sliced in their preserved state without additional cooking.[3][5][6][7][8]

Westphalian ham has been regarded as famous and as a delicacy food by some food writers.[3][4]

History

During his travels in Germany, Thomas Jefferson (April 13 [O.S. April 2] 1743 – July 4, 1826) documented the production of Westphalian ham and aspects the hogs used to produce it.[1]

In the early 1900s, there were three varieties of Westphalia ham: kugel cut, boneless and rolled, and regulation ham.[9]

In the early 1900s, significant quantities of Westphalian ham was being exported from Germany into the United States.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hayes, Kevin J. (2008). The Road to Monticello: The Life and Mind of Thomas Jefferson. Oxford University Press. p. 363. ISBN 0199758484.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods - Michael T. Murray, Joseph E. Pizzorno. p. 616.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Daily Consular and Trade Reports. Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of Manufactures (U.S.). 1912. p. 55.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Swindled: The Dark History of Food Fraud, from Poisoned Candy to Counterfeit ... - Bee Wilson. p. 11.
  5. ↑ Processed Meats. p. 344.
  6. ↑ German Cooking - Marianna Olszewska Heberle. pp. 166-167.
  7. ↑ The Boston Cooking-school Cook Book - Fannie Merritt Farmer. p. 238.
  8. ↑ Handbook of Poultry Science and Technology, Secondary Processing. p. 218.
  9. ↑ Rivers, Frank (1916). The Hotel Butcher, Garde Manager and Carver. Hotel Monthly Press. pp. 45–46.

Further reading