Creative Cure from Meacham Hams

A third type of country ham has landed on our porch: Meacham Hams of Sturgis, Kentucky! I fried up two small slices, and we tried them.

The raw ham scared me a little. I am used to country ham smelling a certain way. A little bit like bacon. A little smoky, if smoke is used. A fermented umami smell which is hard to describe. Sort of like a Slim Jim.

The slices I bought from Meacham didn’t smell much at all. When I used to buy Gatton Farms hams, I could tell there was ham in the boxes before I opened them.

The slices I bought today had an aroma that surprised me. It was just a little bit like dog poo.

I wasn’t disturbed. I know nobody cures hams with dog poo, and I have had hams that smelled like manure and mold.

There was also a faint odor that reminded me of maple syrup. Maybe it has something to do with the sugar in the cure.

I put a small amount of water in a pan and boiled the slices for around 45 seconds per side. The purpose of this is to cut the salt and make the slices moister, but my grandmother used to slice and fry, period.

Important to point out up front: the fried slices did not smell like dog poo.

This is a mild ham. It’s mild by country ham standards, not Oscar Mayer standards.

On the saltiness scale, it is below Newsom’s and the Broadbent’s slices I bought. If Broadbent’s is a 10 and Newsom’s is an 8, I call this a 6. Still very salty, as it should be, but toward the lower end of the country ham spectrum.

I consider this a good thing, because this ham should not need any water in the pan, and that saves time. Also, water probably carries off some flavor.

It’s not tough at all. It’s easy to chew, but it has the texture of a true country ham. It’s not like a canned ham. It’s not dry, either.

The texture of Newsom’s made me think of cheese for some reason. It sort of collapses between your teeth like the center of an aged prime rib eye. The Meacham slices don’t have as much of this quality.

It has a nice, acidic country ham flavor, but I would say it’s a little less pronounced than Newsom’s. The Broadbent’s slices didn’t have much flavor.

On the whole, it has a flavor all its own. Newsom’s produces hams with a very well-executed typical country ham flavor. This one is just a little different.

At first, I thought I liked Newsom’s better, but this ham grows on you. I stopped eating, and then I kept going back to finish it.

Here is my conclusion: this is a great ham, but if you want perfect textbook country ham just like your granny’s, you will prefer Newsom’s. If you are open to something a little distinctive but still completely authentic, Meacham is something you should try.

If you like country ham, but you are tired of dealing with excess salt, and you want a flavor that is slightly less intense, Meacham is probably ideal for you.

In terms of quality, I think there is no difference.

The price can’t be beat. Nobody else will send you a year-old proper country ham for this kind of money.

I think this is an excellent product that fills a need. Not everyone wants a hard core ham, but if you try to find something a little milder, you are likely to end up with a fake made for New Yorkers and Californians. Meacham makes a mild ham, but it’s for real. Also, the unique flavor gives people a new option without going outside the genre.

Anyone who likes country ham should try Meacham Hams. They deserve credit for doing their own thing.

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I sliced my Newsom’s ham and soaked it in water for two days under refrigeration. Today I tried it.

I was afraid I was ruining it, but it’s better. It’s slightly less salty, and it’s juicier. I recommend this approach.