A full-sweet brown-sugar-and-maple cure with a clean cold-smoke finish.
CURE3–4 weeks
METHODVacuum sealed
COLD SMOKE10–12 hours
FINISHPrecision cooked
THE STORY
The sweeter branch of the ham project.
The house formula is balanced and restrained. This one deliberately moves in the other direction, building a much stronger brown-sugar and maple presence around the same long cure, pellicle, cold smoke, and controlled finish.
It is still deli ham, but it leans toward the holiday platter: glossy edges, a sweet first bite, and enough smoke and pepper to keep the sugar from becoming flat.
Method
Calculate and mix.Weigh the meat, calculate each ingredient, and mix the cure thoroughly.
Apply and seal.Add the meat and cure to a vacuum bag. Seal and massage until evenly coated.
Cure.Refrigerate 3–4 weeks, turning the bag every few days.
Rinse and dry.Rinse thoroughly, pat dry, and refrigerate uncovered on a rack for several hours or overnight to form a pellicle.
Cold smoke.Smoke at 80–90°F for 10–12 hours with a clean fruitwood smoke.
Precision cook.Use a verified time-and-temperature process appropriate to the ham’s thickness; the recorded method uses a 140°F bath and cooks the center to 140°F.
Chill.Immediately chill in ice water, then refrigerate until cold.
Slice and store.Slice thin. Keep vacuum sealed under refrigeration for up to 2 weeks or freeze.
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