How much $ have you spent?

 

Wyane

 

p.s. 6 more days to go......

 

My budget is to add 800.00 to food, on fruit and canned vegetables and cheese and meat.  200.00 on radios and 200.00 to paper products.  qnd 500.00 to water. and another on 500.00 on solar panels and 200.00 on seeds and small greenhouse for starting plants in . 

 

 

 

Hi newprepper,

I also read that and emailed the company to ask, because I needed to know if refridgeration is necessary. It is not as long as it is a salt cured ham, Having said this, it will mold, which is not harmful, you just take a stiff bristle brush and scrub it off then rinse. I didn't save the email, but I did print it on another thread. Salt cured hams need to be soaked (changing the water at least twice) for 24 to 48 hours, which removes a good portion of the salt and then just don't salt whatever you add it to, in my case beans. I hope this helps, but you can always email them like I did and they are quick to answer your questions. Jo

 

Here is a link to another company I have used which states no refigeration needed. Jo

 

Make sure you are getting the uncooked salt cured ham. The cooked ham does have to be refrigerated.

Yes, I ordered two and got two slabs of salt cured bacon as well. I knew about salt cured hams from my mother, they used to get them when she was young (she is 82) and is it is a true salt cured ham (processed 6-9 months) they do not need refrigeration.

 Just hang in a cool, dry place in a pillow case or breathable fabric, It may grow a coating of mold, this is natural and it should be scrubbed of with a stiff brush before the next cutting. It is basically shelf stable indefinately, but the recommend use within a year.

 The pioneers did not have refrigeration, their biggest job was to keep insects off the meat.(hence the pillow case) The salt is what preserves it, it is rubbed with salt and hung to dry in a curing house. This process takes a long time.(up to a year, depending on the brand)

 The genuine Smithfield hams are only processed in smithfield county from the long shank ham.The reason I emailed them for clarification was because it stated to refrigerate after cutting on some sites.  Jo

This is off of the web site below:

Cooking your country ham: Our Virginia hams are salt-cured, thus requiring no refrigeration. It is the nature of the Virginia cured hams to be salty even after soaking. In order to enjoy your Virginia country ham to the fullest, you will need to soak the ham in water for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water every 4-6 hours.

This will remove a lot of the salt, but the hams will still maintain a salty taste. And if you've never cooked a Virginia country ham before, there are instructions on the back of the cloth package.

http://www.vapeanuts.com/virginia-country-hams-bacon.html

 

This is also a great place to look, I actually got my hams here:

 

Glad you're back. I am prepping for my husband, self and 2 grown kids, 4 grandkids (theroretically, but we may have up to 6 more mouths to feed) to last a year. I am not sure as others are, that after the first wave, or even the second that the distribution system will be up and running to be able to re-supply and /or if it will be within our reach (may be very expensive for the smallest things) to obtain. In addition to the two salt cured hams, every time I am at the dollar store, I pick up a couple of cans of (small round) ham (6 oz) as well as a couple of the beef (12 oz) and chicken (10 oz) too.The ham is 1.00, beef is 1.50 and chicken is 2.00.

 

The salt cured hams should make about 40 4oz servings (taking into account for the weight of the bone) but you could use less if you were not counting on the protein, just the flavoring.

I ordered the 12 to 15 ln size on both of mine, just figure 2 lbs will be bone (which will make flavorful soup, but without the meat) and then you can divivde the poundage by the ounces you want per person to get your serving amounts. The hams will come in a mesh "sock", but you can put them in a pillowcase

to keep buggies off) and hang. Hope this helps, Jo

 

Here is the email I sent and the reply I recieved back: