Pork And Bacon - 2
from Italian Traditional Food

More about Pork and bacon

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Continuing the short article on pork and bacon

Cooking a bacon joint

All joints benefit from being soaked in cold water before cooking to remove excess salt. The time varies between 2 and 24 hours according to the size of the joint and whether it is smoked or unsmoked.

All joints are best cooked with root vegetables in the water to flavour - in some country districts a wisp of hay is added. With large joints use the back of a knife to scrape the rind and underside to remove any "rust". Most small joints are sold boned, but gammon and hams are not.

Skinning joints

All boiling joints should be skinned before serving. If serving cold first allow the joint to cool in the liquid, then lift it out and peel off the skin. Coat the skinned fat with raspings (browned crumbs). If serving hot, skin in the same way and use joint according to recipe.

The ease with which the skin can be peeled off is a test of how cooked the bacon is.

Bacon joints for boiling

Various parts of the baconer are used as joints for boiling. Gammon joints, which are taken from the hind leg, are best, and are usually cooked and served as ham.

Gammon differs from prepared ham: for the latter the thigh is removed from untreated side of the bacon and cured separately. Ham is rounded, not cut squarely from the carcass like gammon. The weight of a gammon varies from 12-16 lb and can be divided into the following four joints:

Corner gammon: The average weight is 4-5 lb. A good lean joint with a nice rim of fat; it is best boiled and can be served hot or cold. Gammon rashers are cut from this joint.

Middle gammon: The average weight is 5-6 lb. Like corner, but can be divided into joints of 1-2 lb, so it is convenient for a small family. Boil it and serve hot or cold.

Gammon hock: The average weight is 5-6 lb. This joint is especially suitable for partially cooking by boiling, then baking, well sprinkled with brown sugar and basted with cider. Compared with other gammon joints hock has less cut surface and more outside fat, so the flesh is less inclined to dry. Gammon rashers are cut from this joint.

Gammon slipper: The average weight is 2 lb. Suitable for a small family for one meal. Boil it and serve it hot or cold.

Page 3 of this Italian Traditional Food article on pork and bacon can be found on the next page.

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