A lightly sweet, precisely seasoned ham with maple, brown sugar, and a clean fruitwood-smoke finish.
CURE3–4 weeks
METHODVacuum sealed
COLD SMOKE10–12 hours
FINISHPrecision cooked
THE STORY
The formula everything else branches from.
This is the house ham: not a packet, not a guess, and not a cure measured by the spoon. Every part is calculated against the raw meat weight so the same balance of salt, brown sugar, maple, and pepper follows the ham whether the cut is two pounds or ten.
The long vacuum cure does the slow work. A dry overnight rest builds the pellicle, fruitwood smoke adds color and depth, and the final controlled cook turns the project into thin slices for sandwiches, charcuterie boards, soups, and whatever jar of relish is open.
Method
Calculate and mix.Weigh the trimmed meat. Calculate every cure ingredient from that raw weight and mix evenly.
Apply and seal.Place the ham in a vacuum bag with the cure and bay leaves. Seal and massage to coat.
Cure.Refrigerate 3–4 weeks, turning and redistributing the liquid every few days.
Rinse and develop the pellicle.Rinse thoroughly under cold water, pat dry, and refrigerate uncovered on a rack for several hours or overnight.
Cold smoke.Smoke at 80–90°F for 10–12 hours with clean, steady smoke. Apple or cherry works especially well.
Precision cook.Use a controlled, verified time-and-temperature process appropriate to the cut’s thickness; the recorded house process uses a 140°F bath and cooks the center to 140°F.
Chill.Immediately chill in ice water, then refrigerate until fully cold.
Slice and store.Slice as desired. Keep unsliced ham vacuum sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
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