HAM is a staple in most Filipino Christmas tables. How ham is made and how it came to the Philippines and became a Christmas staple, Chef Mike Sarthou (aka Chef Tatung) explained:
“Ham became a result of salting meats to preserve before there were refrigerators. Salt draws out the moisture from the meat, inhibiting the spreading of bacteria that causes spoiling.
“The meat not only becomes denser because of this but also develops a deep savory-umami flavor that is very appealing even when refrigerators became popular.
“Ham is seen as special especially during Christmas. It was something that Americans put on our Christmas tables. Ham-making was not something that was popular in the Philippines prior to that because of our tropical climate. During the early American period, slabs of cured pork were sent to the country in wooden barrels (that’s where the term pork barrel comes from). So when the Americans came, it was something we eventually learned not only to love but to make ourselves.”
Chef Tatung continued: “I remember growing up, we would cure our own hams months before Christmas, and would take a bus to my great grand aunt’s (mama Teresa) place in san Fernando town to have it smoked with the use of of dried mango wood. She had a smokehouse at her backyard. The larger the leg of pork, the longer it took to cure. So sometimes, it would take us a month for the pork to cure in the pickling solution.
“Hams usually come with a sweet, sour and salty glaze perfumed with spices that remind us of Christmas such as cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon.”
For Sun.Star Cebu readers, Chef Tatung shares a recipe which, if one tries today, he will be able to have just in time to grace the Christmas table as curing time is five days.
Home-made Ham
1 ½ kilo pork loin or pork hind leg (boneless)
Pickling solution
1 tbsp accord powder (pink salt)
½ cup salt (rock salt)
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups water
2 laurel leaves
4 star anise
To cook
2 cups pineapple juice
1 bottle beer
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 laurel leaf
¼ tsp clove spice
¼ cup vinegar
4 cloves garlic (whole)
½ tsp black pepper
Cool and serve, or sprinkle white sugar and bake for 30 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius. Time for a break.