Schinkenspeck: German Ham-Bacon

[Ka Honu]

Si - I went through a period trying to make a decent schweinshaxe a couple of years ago and never did get it right.  Please post your recipe/technique.

Danke sehr.

[SiFumar]

Ko Honu...  This is my normal recipe, I usually do on rotisserie.

4 ham hocks
2 tablespoons sea salt
4 whole cloves
4 juniper berries
10 black peppercorns

Grind spices. Place the ham hocks on the rack and season all sides with the salt mixture.  Place in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours. 

When ready to cook thread the ham hocks on to a rotisserie spit.  Cook the hocks over high heat until the outsides are crisp and golden and the internal temperature reaches 190 F, about 2 1/2 hours.  Remove from the spit and rest ten minutes before serving. 

Since my rotisserie went kaput, trying in the SRG.

[Ka Honu]

Thanks.  Now officially waiting for the SRG version pics and report.

[Wing Commander]

Wait until Wing Commander sees this.

I actually did think of him while making this. I'm curious and actually a little nervous to know what he thinks of it!    LOL

I think he will be quite impressed

I am impressed, although this is not what's known as Schinkenspeck in Germany.

Yours looks like hot smoked. Schinkenspeck is classically cured and cold smoked or air dried. And usually not a shank is used for Schinkenspeck, but the hip. Take a look here what part is meant.

I love the idea of wrapping the belly around the shank, and it looks fantastic. But indeed that's closer to porchetta than to Schinkenspeck.

Anyway, if I get the time for curing I'll try to copy your version.

[TentHunteR]

Thanks Wing Commander!

Yours looks like hot smoked. Schinkenspeck is classically cured and cold smoked or air dried. And usually not a shank is used for Schinkenspeck, but the hip.

Yes, this was a non-traditional rolled Schinkenspeck from the Rytek Kutas book "Great Sausage recipes and Meat Curing." This was a version that he would get when he was stationed in the U.K.

Here is a shortened version of the recipe found in the book: http://www.sausagemaker.com/schinkenspeck.aspx

This recipe called for a wet cure, which I actually prefer anyway because I can use less salt (I have to watch my blood pressure ). I debated between cold & hot smoking because my smoker doesn't go to 135° F like the recipe says (165° is the lowest). I ended up hot smoking, but not nearly as long as regular bacon.

One other note: I couldn't get beech wood (Buchenholz) pellets, so I used Pecan for smoke because it was the most similar, and also gives a light smoke flavor.

We definitely liked this enough for me to try a more traditional Schinkenspeck.  When I do, I'll let it air dry for a week or two after smoking to let the flavors concentrate even more.

[Wing Commander]

One other note: I couldn't get beech wood (Buchenholz) pellets, so I used Pecan for smoke because it was the most similar, and also gives a light smoke flavor.

I got a big bucket full of beech wood pellets at home and I'd give them all for pecan wood pellets which seem to be unavailable here.