The holidays and this article about the trending of charcuterie and butchery has us thinking about one of our favorite delicacies, lamb ham! It came to us courtesy of the world-class talent and all-around great bloke, Chef Jamie Simpson. In the end it’s a simple and patient cure, plus a good smoke. But the time and effort give you a flavor that’s incomparable, and definitely not something you can pick up at your local market…just yet.
“If you’ve never tried it, lamb charcuterie is amazing, especially with Aussie lamb. I was going for a Virginia-style holiday ham, the kind everyday families get and receive as gifts in the American South. I used a Parma-style ham cure, just enough salt and age to be perfectly balanced and juicy. The smoke is a simple hot-smoke treatment. It’s super versatile and approachable, great on its own or in almost anything.”
A couple of pro tips from Jamie:
- Leave the boneless leg in its jet net; it makes for easier handling, and will give you those “tan lines” you can then stud with spices.
- This technique is best for shorter-term cures. If you want to go longer than 4 months, Jamie recommends curing on the bone or boning it out yourself for longer-term aging.
If you’re ready to dive into charcuterie with Aussie lamb, here are some more ideas from Jamie:
“We’ve done an amazing Aussie dry aged lamb saddle – we trim the fat down a bit, and render it. Then after a two-week dry age, brush the fat back on and refrigerate. It acts like a kind of seal, softens the texture, and keeps you from losing too much yield in the process. The flavor is really intense and concentrated – definitely for true lamb fans!”
“Another fantastic lamb charcuterie we’ve done was a hot-smoked lamb salami in a massive casing – like a mortadella casing. I used a basic salami cure with a little pork fat; lamb fat has a waxy texture that doesn’t cure as well, but the pork fat works just fine. It was delicious!”
While we’re talking about Jamie, here’s another of his recipes that we love – it’s got two of our favorite bevvies at work! Scotch whiskey and a good cabernet, plus orange, clove, vanilla and cranberry, spreading the love all over the Aussie lamb shanks. Good onya chef!