March weather has proven as fickle as ever. We have had warmth and sunshine to shift the color scheme of the farm from blankets of white to earth tones of mud and tree buds. In an effort to get our chicken back in stock as soon as possible we have chicks in the brooder who are preparing to go to the field next week. A few days ago that field was completely snow covered and we have watched with some relief as the tips of green grass emerged from the receding blanket of snow. As the extended forecast comes into view for next week, Racey and I congratulated each other on our luck with little sun icons and highs in the 60s. Spring is on her way.
We polished off the rest of the “test” packages of hot dogs in our kitchen and they have been a hit with the kids as well as the adults. Please consider filling out my hot dog survey, it only takes a few minutes. Hearing from our customers is important to me and will help me make decisions in the future. I wrote about the use of Nitrates in our food and the important role they play in keeping our food safe. Nitrates also pose some potential health issues, though how severe, how much it takes and the relative risk is still a mystery to me. For products like Hot Dogs nitrates are a necessary risk, and we rely on a certain chemical reaction either using synthetic nitrates (sodium nitrate/nitrite), or naturally occurring (celery powder). There are many instances however, where nitrates are not necessary for food safety, especially for small processors where we still do most things by hand and take care doing so. We are proud to offer Bacon, Canadian Bacon, Jowl Bacon, Kielbasa, Ham Hocks, Ham Steaks and Ham Roasts without the use of any nitrates, synthetic or natural.
How do we make our Hams?
Families and friends will be coming together with the Spring holidays fast approaching. I want to highlight our No-Nitrate Smoked Ham Roasts. Your typical ham roast is loaded with preservatives and nitrates and even “smoke flavor.” Our hams are as simple as you can get. Our friends at Eagle Bridge make these boneless hams with a simple brine of salt and sugar. Brining not only adds flavor to the roast, but also helps the meat to hold moisture. A dry ham roast is the bane of any holiday chef! The last step is called “hot smoking” where the hams go into the smoker to mingle with smoke from hickory wood and heat. Smoke flavors the meat and the heat cooks the ham to 120-130 degrees. For reference, this is the temperature of a rare pork chop or steak.
Cooking a Smoked Ham
I have to remind myself when cooking a smoked ham that unlike many other holiday roasts (whole turkeys, beef roasts, pork loin roasts, etc…) the smoked ham is already cooked. So our strategy is to heat up the meat, release some of the fat juices without drying out the roast. Our ham roasts are also sparingly flavored with salt and sugar so you can keep it simple or add a fun glaze or rub. Try a cajun rub for a fun twist or, if you’re a fan of a sweeter roast, drizzle on a maple glaze.
Basic Instructions:
- Thaw ham completely in the fridge 1-2 days prior to cooking.
- Preheat your oven to 325༠ F
- Prepare your glaze or rub.
- Get your meat thermometer ready, they really help here.
- Cook your ham to an internal temperature of 135-140.
- I have found this is about 15 minutes per lb
- The USDA says very clearly 140 F for internal temperatures for food safety reasons, but i find pork to be a bit dry at this temperature so I go to 135 F in our house. Please do what’s comfortable for you.
- Let the ham rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
As a family we had a wonderful adventure this weekend. Our family went down to Saratoga Springs to see our favorite band play. If you have never heard of the Okie Dokie Brothers, they are a grammy award winning band who are, in my humble opinion, the perfect balance of witty lyrics, musicianship and levity for both the parents and kids and an overall message that makes me proud as a parent to hear my kids singing the words. I highly recommend them.
After the show we stayed with our friends Tim and Jamielynn at Featherbed Lane Farm. Saturday is their CSA pickup day and a pickup location for us. Tory, the CSA manager, and I had a great time drawing on their chalkboards and expounding on the virtues and uses of chicken schmaltz. For those of you in the Saratoga area or are members of Featherbed’s CSA we are planning to be down there every 10 weeks. Remember we also offer delivery right to your door every week if you don’t want to wait until the next time we’re down there.
Reber Rock Farm Blog 