LAMB PROSCIUTTO | traditional food security on the homestead

lamb leg

🥗Healthier: venison

💰Cheaper: pork leg

Venison provides a leaner option, while pork is more accessible.

sea salt

🥗Healthier: kosher salt

💰Cheaper: table salt

Kosher salt is often easier to use for curing.

red wine

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: grape juice

Apple cider vinegar adds acidity without alcohol.

cure #2

🥗Healthier: cure #1

💰Cheaper: homemade curing mix

Cure #1 can be used for faster curing.

Welcome viewers and introduce the leg of lamb video.

Mention that the leg of lamb can also be goat or venison.

Explain the use of a two tub system for curing, with one tub having perforations to allow fluid drainage.

State that the curing agent can be just salt or a mixture, and today a mixture will be used.

Prepare the curing mix with 1 cup of salt, 1/2 cup of sugar, juniper berries, and bay leaves.

Trim the leg of lamb, removing any bone and jagged pieces for even curing.

Place a little plain salt in the bottom of the perforated tub to prevent the meat from sitting directly on plastic.

Apply the curing mixture evenly over the entire leg of lamb, ensuring coverage up the leg.

Set the leg in the tub and store any leftover cure in a Ziploc bag or mason jar for future use.

Place the tub in a cold, dark place, ideally between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Check the meat in about five days, especially if the tub does not have holes for drainage.

After five days, check for liquid accumulation and apply another layer of cure if needed.

Continue this process, checking and applying cure every five days, up to 15 days total, adjusting based on the meat's condition.

After 10 days, rinse off the excess cure and weigh the meat to ensure it has lost 30% of its weight before hanging it to age for a few months.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: