Although the deli ham we refer to as “Black Forest” is mild and barely smoky, it is actually a watered-down version of the authentic Black Forest ham made in Germany. Both varieties of ham use some of the same seasonings, but the German recipes and cooking techniques result in hams with a denser texture and a more intense flavor.
Only the Black Forest, or Schwarzwald, region of Germany produces true Black Forest ham. The preparation process for German Black Forest ham, or schwarzwlder schinken in German, is based on recipes that date back a century. Hams must be produced in accordance with German standards in order to carry the name “Black Forest.” The hams must be produced and branded with a special license, “Black Forest.” “.
Adler, a well-known manufacturer of Black Forest ham, claims that the procedure takes about 12 weeks. The result is a dark, smoky ham with a blackened crust and a deep, rosy color. Despite being a raw ham, the curing and smoking process renders the meat safe to consume as is.
Common ingredients in traditional Black Forest seasoning include salt, pepper, garlic, coriander, and juniper berries. The primary component is salt, which helps with curing and gives the ham its distinctive salty, savory flavor.
A raw ham made from the hindquarter is seasoned with the mixture. The hams are dry cured, which means that all that is required to keep the meat from spoiling is salt and air. This method draws moisture from inside the ham to the ham’s surface, where it evaporates. The hams cure for one month.
In addition to serving as a preservative, curing enhances the meat’s flavor. Black Forest ham is smoked after curing to give the meat additional flavor and aroma as well as to create the ham’s distinctive black crust.
Cold smoking is the process of smoking hams over local pine, fir, or juniper branches mixed with sawdust at a low temperature. No hotter than 77 degrees Fahrenheit is used to smoke the hams for at least three weeks. The smoke oxidizes the skin to a dark gray color and flavors the meat. The hams are rested for several weeks after smoking to create the ideal flavor and texture.
Manufacturers in the US are not required to abide by European licensing regulations and are free to use the name “Black Forest” without adhering to German standards. Even though your local deli’s “Black Forest” ham doesn’t taste exactly like its German counterpart, it shares some of the same flavor notes. The cooked ham used in the American version has a milder flavor and a moister consistency.
Wet curing, also known as brining, is used to flavor Black Forest deli ham. Hams are finished in days rather than weeks by soaking them in (or injecting them with) a salty, seasoned solution. Despite the seasonings being infused into the hams, the finished ham has a milder flavor than dry-cured hams because the flavor is diluted by the liquid. Because brining by itself does not render the meat safe for consumption, Black Forest deli hams are fully cooked.
Black Forest ham was traditionally coated with beef blood. This enhanced the hams’ distinct black exterior coating. However, in order to cater to contemporary tastes and cultures, this technique has become less popular. Despite the fact that the colors aren’t very similar, manufacturers frequently try to mimic the color with spices.
After all of that, the ham is far from being ready. The ham is then taken to a smoking room for another month, accumulating its unique flavor. Authentic Black Forest ham is smoked over a fire from pine twigs and wood chips that come strictly from Black Forest trees. Another major part of the ham’s distinct flavor is from the sawdust from Black Forest trees that is thrown into the fire to enhance the flavor and color of the ham.
The ham is then ready to be consumed or packaged and sold after curing for a final couple of weeks.
Germany’s Hans Adler, from Bonndorf, pioneered the production and retail sale of Black Forest ham in 1959. From start to finish, production takes about three months. Seasoning the ham with spices such as salt, pepper, garlic, coriander, and juniper berries is the first step in making the ham. The ham is then allowed to cure for two weeks. At that point, the salt is taken out, and it is aged for an additional two weeks.
Black Forest ham, or Schwarzwälder Schinken in German, is a variety of dry-cured smoked ham that comes from the hind leg of a pig. It was originally produced in the Black Forest region in southwestern Germany. As of 1997, any ham labeled as Black Forest ham in the European Union (aka E.U.) has to come from the Black Forest region in Germany. However, this is not the case in other countries such as the United States where various types of hams are marketed as Black Forest ham.
How to Eat Black Forest Ham
The traditional Black Forest ham’s flavor, aroma, and texture are best enjoyed when it is served in paper-thin slices at or close to room temperature. The simplest preparation is to place buttered slices of dark German bread on top of shaved ham. Black forest ham also makes a salty, smoky addition to:
Black Forest ham production is subject to strict geographic limitations, but the pigs used to make the ham are not always from the Black Forest. According to the Association of Black Forest Ham’s code of ethics, ham’s quality should come before its place of origin. The best ham from all over Germany is then transported to the Black Forest where it is manually prepared after being tested for temperature, color, and pH levels. At this stage, the meat is manually rubbed with seasonings and spices like salt, garlic, pepper, coriander, and juniper berries. After two weeks of brine salting, the ham spends a further two weeks in special curing rooms. The hams are then taken to smoking towers, where they hang for an additional three weeks to develop their distinctive flavor.
The color of Black Forest ham is a distinct red, and fat streaks can be seen on it. The meat of this boneless ham is traditionally smoked when it is still raw, giving it a distinctively smoky flavor and aroma. Additionally, Black Forest ham is thoroughly salted and dried after being hung up in a cool environment, frequently in a linen bag. With this method of preservation and storage, the ham can last for months.
Julia Salgado has been writing professionally since 2007. Q Magazine and the Manchester Evening News have both published her work. Salgado graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a Bachelor of Arts in English.
The term “Black Forest ham” refers to some very particular elements of the meat’s flavor as well as the region in which it was produced. A true Black Forest ham can always be distinguished from a ham produced elsewhere because the ham is smoked raw over a fire of fir branches cut from only Black Forest trees. Only hams produced in the Schwarzwalde are properly referred to as Black Forest hams within the European Union. However, this protection does not extend to the U. S. where hams bearing the name of the Black Forest may have come from The fir tree sawdust that is added to the fire to increase the smoke plays a significant role in the ham’s flavor as well. This sawdust smoke improves the flavor and color of the meat.
Black Forest Ham is the traditional name for ham that is produced in the Black Forest region of Germany. The Black Forest is a popular tourist destination because of its traditional German Alpine setting and is situated in southwest Germany, close to the town of Freiburg and several hundred miles west of Munich. Black Forest ham, also known as Schwarzwalder Schinken locally, uses very particular production techniques to create its distinctive flavors.