Beef ham

Beef ham conquers everyone, moving from the table of only connoisseurs in the field of sausages to appetizers - and not only - within everyone's reach.

Beyond bresaola : if we had to give a definition to beef ham we could use this expression. The palates of connoisseurs undergo noticeable alterations because when we discuss beef ham, the most renowned breeds of cattle reach the podium of the ranking and never move from there again: Wagyu and Rubia Gallega , just to name a few.

Dried meats

Beef ham is a particular sausage as it hides its origins in ancient history. Once upon a time, in fact, it was customary to prepare dried meat during the autumn and then face the colder seasons with the necessary food supplies.

Preserves, sausages, products in oil: these were the key foods to which the diet of our ancestors gravitated. The cold was much more bitter than what we know today, the snow covered the fields and underneath, it was said, the wheat was hidden: a fundamental ingredient for the nutrition of animals on farms.

In short, it was necessary to prepare well in advance and refine the technique: in this vein, even today we find ourselves in the farmhouse to slaughter the pig, but the sausages can also be made from other animals. Beef, for example, offers a tasty, tasty and slightly funky ham.

Exceptions in the world

There are different varieties of beef ham in the world, each one hides a unique peculiarity that makes it particular and valuable. Dried meats hide exceptional characteristics from a nutritional point of view and allow a unique flavor thanks to the fact that, each with its own characteristics, they respond to unique environmental and feeding conditions during the animal's life.

Italy

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil , a few drops of lemon juice, parmesan flakes and... the Valtellina bresaola expresses the best of its potential.

This type of dried meat is obtained from the hindquarters of the animal and, after drying for 2 to 4 months, is transformed into bresaola . The cut of meat is rather lean and, precisely for this reason, bresaola from Valtellina is among the most popular ingredients in the Mediterranean diet.

Swiss

The Swiss excels and offers meat dried directly in the mountain air . The beef ham of our cousins ​​from beyond the Alps is produced in the canton of Grisons , from which it takes its name and requires drying that can last up to 4 months , tradition requires the shoulder to be soaked in white wine and then cleaned and salted only at a later time.

After all, there is no single protocol for producing dried meat: the country you go to, the custom you find and, above all, the dish you like!

France

The mountains of the Jura massif offer an astonishing product from a visual point of view and extraordinary from a gustatory point of view: the bresi appears on the table with an intense color and a resistant consistency, almost as if to demonstrate the importance of drying and respect for the harsh temperatures that are reached at the summit.

Türkiye

Salted, drowned in chopped spices, dried and pressed. These are the characteristics that make the beef ham from the Turkish Balkans unique: pastirma .

The drying phase lasts about a month and is then finely cut and served with seasonal vegetables, this is the side dish that maximizes the intense and fragrant flavor that Turkish ham is able to offer.

Indonesia

Padang tells a one-of-a-kind recipe and allows you to obtain a one-of-a-kind and truly curious beef ham. Drying is achieved by frying the meat , only after marinating the cut of meat in a mixture of spices, caramel and coconut .

The beef ham is a discovery

The various types of beef ham are placed alongside the most common cured meats and find ample space for those who choose to amaze by bringing a quick and easy dish to the table. However, it is possible to dry homemade meat following a procedure that requires a certain period of time, and at the same time offers a spectacular product!

The recipe for beef ham

Preparing sausages at home is synonymous with a lot of desire to do and patience, in fact, the recipe for beef ham requires a lot of time, but the result repays all the efforts.

Ingredients

• 3 kg of beef pulp
• 60 grams of coarse salt
• 70 grams of white sugar
• 1 glass of brandy
• 4 dried peppers
• spices of your choice: bay leaves, black pepper, juniper
• saltpetre

Method

Clean the meat and create a ham-like shape. Sprinkle the cut obtained with half the salt , the spices , the saltpeter and the sugar .

Place the meat in a terracotta container and add the remaining ingredients: the peppers , the brandy , use a lid to ensure that the meat remains pressed .

Help yourself with a weight , keep the meat in a dark, dry place for 8 days, making sure to mix the mixture at least 2 times a day. At the end of the period, remove the meat from the terracotta container , tie it to prevent it from falling apart with butcher's rope and place it in a new container - preferably always metal.

Store it again in a dark, dry place for at least 20 days , choose to cover it with a net to prevent insects or other animals from settling on your dried meat.

At the end of the second period, slice as if it were any sausage, or rather no, this is your homemade beef ham, just like it was done in the old days!