Curing Pork Virginia Style

Anonymous Tue May 23 19:39:45 2006

***See Directions***

Good cures start with good meat. We raise our own hogs and fatten them on a corn based

ration supplemented by whatever is available - stale bakery products, household garbage,

etc. Garbage should not dominate the ration as the fat will be soft. Top hogs weigh 220

pounds and yield about a 16 pound ham. We like to cure hams between 20 and 30

pounds. Large hams with adequate fat layers age better and don\'t dry out as much during

extended storage. Country cured hams will keep indefinitely but achieve their full flavor after

about one year when \