Make dry cured ham yourself – The complete guide

In this post I’ll show you how to make dry cured ham yourself. Cured ham is incredibly versatile and delicious.

Making ham is a challenge because you’re working with raw meat. But with the right help, you’ll get it done no problem.

To help you make the best ham possible, I’ve put together all the necessary information for ham making in this article. 

This article is an excerpt of my dry cured ham book. If you want to know everything about ham production + 28 other ham recipes, then definetely check out the book.

Of course, you will also find a few ham recipes and an explanatory video.

Have fun and good luck!

Dry cured ham – What do you need to make it?

I recommend that you start with pieces between 500 g and 750 g at the beginning. 

This has the advantage that if something should go wrong, you do not have to throw away so much. Also, drying and curing is much easier with smaller pieces.

The piece for your first ham can come from the leg of the pig. Preferably with fat and rind.

The equipment to make Ham

Spice grinder or mortar

Freshly ground spices taste best. Use a spice grinder or a mortar, and grind the spices completely. Ready-ground spices also work.

Vacuum sealer

For curing in a vacuum bag, you need a vacuum sealer. Dry curing without a vacuum bag is an alternative; see my guide to curing meat.

Place to dry and mature the ham

To age the ham, you need an environment where both humidity and temperature are relatively constant. There are several possibilities for this. I have already matured cured hams in the fridge or cellar without any problems.

Optional: If you want to be on the safe side, then a ripening cabinet is the best choice. My recommendation: Dry Ager DX 500

Smoker (optional)

You need a smoker if you want to smoke your ham.

Cold smoke generator and smoking dust (optional)

A cold smoke generator burns for about 12 hours, so you do not have to keep refilling the smoking dust.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1

Trim the meat

Trim away tendons, fibers and silverskin. Remove loose flaps and pockets so you have a smooth, clean piece without cuts.

2

Weigh the spices

Weigh the trimmed meat and calculate the salt, Cure #1 and spices for that weight.

3

Rub the meat

Massage the seasoning mixture thoroughly over every side of the meat.

4

Fill the vacuum bag

Put the meat in a vacuum bag. Include all seasoning left in the bowl or on the board, because the full weighed amount belongs in the bag.

5

Vacuum-seal

Vacuum-seal the meat and add a second seal.

6

Cure in the fridge

Cure in the fridge, turning every two days. Allow about 1.5 days per centimeter of thickness. A piece 7 cm thick needs 10.5 days.

7

Rinse the meat

After curing, rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove the surface spices.

8

Prepare for hanging

Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Insert a meat hook or tie with kitchen twine for hanging.

9

Dry off before smoking

Hang in a cool room at 10–15 °C (50–59 °F) or place on a rack in the fridge to dry off before smoking. Allow half the calculated curing time, rounded up to whole days: 6 days after a 10.5-day cure. After adequate vacuum curing, this stage dries the surface rather than equalizing salt.

10

Cold-smoke (optional)

Cold smoke at 15–20 °C (59–68 °F). Each session is 12 hours of smoke followed by 12 hours of rest. I recommend five sessions for a strong smoke flavor or two for a milder result.

11

Leave to mature and enjoy

Your ham is ready to eat, although I recommend further maturation for a few weeks in a cool cellar at about 15 °C and 75 % humidity. Adjust the time to your preferred firmness. Enjoy!

Making ham: the process explained

Preserving raw meat means controlling unwanted bacteria, which can cause serious illness, including botulism. Useful bacteria also help tenderize the meat and develop flavor.

• Work cleanly to avoid contamination.
• Use salt to limit bacterial growth.
• Keep the meat cold to slow growth.
• Use nitrite to control unwanted bacteria.
• Dry the meat to limit growth over time.

Sugar and dextrose also feed useful bacteria.

Step 0: Trimming

Use a short, sharp knife to remove silverskin, tendons, loose flaps and pockets. Leave a smooth piece without making fresh cuts. Hidden pockets and extra surface area let bacteria multiply and can cause spoilage.

Step 1: Curing

Curing is essential. Salt removes water while salt, sugar and spices penetrate the meat. This is osmosis. More time allows a more even distribution. Raw-cured ham uses dry curing or curing in its own brine. For the latter, calculate a minimum of 1.5 days per centimeter of meat thickness. Cooked ham uses wet curing instead because retaining liquid is important for juiciness.

Read my curing guide or ham book for more detail.

Step 2: Drying off

After curing, rinse under cold water and hang in a cool room at 10–20 °C (50–68 °F). This reduces moisture before smoking; a wet surface does not take smoke properly. After adequate vacuum curing, the salt is already evenly distributed. This stage mainly dries the surface. Allow half the calculated minimum curing time, rounded up to whole days, after vacuum curing and dry curing.

Step 3: Smoking (optional)

You can make ham without a smoker. Cold smoking adds preservation, flavor and a golden color. Smoke contains germ-inhibiting substances and creates a protective layer. The increased shelf life described here applies to cold-smoked raw-cured ham. Different smoking methods use different temperatures and equipment; my ham book also covers hot smoking for cooked ham.

Step 4: Maturing

After curing, the ham still contains plenty of moisture, making thin slicing difficult and giving it a different texture. A fixed 30 % weight loss or minimum maturation time is not the whole story: I like tender pork loin with more moisture, so I dry it for at most a week before slicing it. An Iberico ham, by contrast, can mature for three years. Enzymes and microorganisms break down proteins, fats and sugars to develop flavor. Longer maturation gives a drier, more intense ham; shorter maturation leaves it juicier and milder. Maximum shelf life is reached at about 30 % weight loss. Storing ham with too much moisture can cause problems.

Tips for making ham

Choose the right meat

Meat from older animals, over a year old, and heavier animals works best. I advise against intensively farmed meat: rapidly fattened pigs have more water in the meat, which can hinder maturation.

Keep everything clean

Keep your hands and equipment clean, follow the temperatures and monitor humidity. Otherwise mold can spoil all your work.

Start with smaller pieces

Start with pieces around 500–750 g. Smaller pieces leave less room for things to go wrong. Try thicker cuts once you understand curing and maturation.

17 + 28 more ham recipes

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How to make Bresaola

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Homemade Duck Prosciutto

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How To Make Bacon

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Make pork loin ham yourself

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How to Make Guanciale

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Homemade Coppa

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Red wine cured ham

Hams

Whiskey ham

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Make your own dry cured deer ham

Hams

Juniper ham

Hams

Wild boar cured ham

Hams

Karreespeck

Hams

Pepper pork belly

Hams

How to Make Pancetta

Hams

Homemade Lardo

Hams

Selfmade pork tenderloin ham

Cooked ham recipes

Homemade Deli Ham

The method follows the basic recipe above. I have linked detailed instructions for many varieties.

Beef ham (Bresaola)

Find my Bresaola recipe here. If you like drying beef, try my biltong recipe.

Duck prosciutto

Find my duck prosciutto recipe here. Also made with duck: smoked duck breast.

Homemade bacon

Find my bacon recipe here.

Pork loin ham

Find my pork loin ham recipe here.

Guanciale

Find my Guanciale recipe here.

Coppa

Find my Coppa recipe here.

Cold-smoked pork belly

Cold-smoked pork belly has a rich flavor and a delicious balance of fat and lean meat.

Red wine ham

Find my red wine ham recipe here.

Whiskey ham

Find my whiskey ham recipe here.

Deer ham

Find my deer ham recipe here.

Juniper ham

Find my juniper ham recipe here.

Wild boar ham

Find my wild boar ham recipe here.

Karreespeck

Find my Karreespeck recipe here.

Pepper pork belly

Find my pepper pork belly recipe here. Also delicious are onion pork belly and Mediterranean cured ham.

Pancetta

Find my Pancetta recipe here.

Lardo

Find my Lardo recipe here.

Smoked pork tenderloin

Find my smoked pork tenderloin recipe here.

Baked ham

A delicious, easy introduction to making ham. Find my baked ham recipe here. My Christmas ham is perfect for Christmas. To use up leftover ham, try deviled ham as a spicy spread.

28 more delicious ham recipes

My ham book contains detailed instructions and many more delicious recipes.

Recipe photos