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Jinhua ham is a type of dry-cured ham named after the city of Jinhua, where it is produced, in the Zhejiang province of eastern China. The ham is used in Chinese cuisines to flavour stewed and braised foods as well as for making the stocks and broths of many Chinese soups. The ham was awarded first prize in the 1915 Panama International Merchandise Exhibition. == Production == Jinhua ham is traditionally produced using the hind legs of a breed of pigs native to China known as the "two ends black" (兩頭烏), which have black hair growing on their heads and hindquarters with white midsections. This breed is quick to mature, has excellent meat quality, and thin skin.〔 Ham production begins when air temperatures drops below . The process takes approximately 8 to 10 months to complete.〔〔 Ham production is separated into 6 stages, starting in the winter and ending the following autumn:〔 #Meat preparation: Well-developed and undamaged legs are selected and the "open" side of the leg trimmed of fat, tendons, membranes and other connective tissues. The remaining blood in the legs should also be squeezed out. #Salting: Salting is done at a temperature between 5–10 degrees Celsius (41-50 degrees Fahrenheit), since lower temperatures reduces salt penetration, while high temperatures promote bacterial growth. The salt is continuously rubbed onto the meat and allowed to absorb over the span of many days, using a specialized method and mnemonic which indicates the order and the important areas of the ham to salt. The salting process is repeated 5-7 times, with an average time of 1 month. Only plain salt is used, though some producers also include sodium nitrate in the salting process. #Soaking and washing: After the leg is well salted and partially dry, it is soaked in water for 4–6 hours and then scrubbed. After the initial washing, the hams are then soaked for another 16–18 hours. #Drying and shaping: The hams are trimmed to the desired bamboo leaf shape, de-hooved, branded with an iron, and then hung up to dry in the sun. Sun-drying is terminated when the hams begin to drip liquefied fat, which usually takes a week's worth of sun. #Ripening: The dried hams are hung in a low temperature room of 15 degrees at 55–57% humidity and allowed to dry, cure and develop aromas over the 6–8 months. During this period the hams ferment through moulding, and the proteins and fats hydrolyze through endogenous enzymes. This improves the flavour by creating free amino acids and flavour compounds. #Post-ripening: The ripened ham is brushed clean of mould and dust, then a thin layer of vegetable oil is applied to soften the ham and prevent the fat's excessive oxidation. The dried hams are piled on top of one another and allowed to further ripen for 2–3 months, which allows the flavours to stabilize and intensify. New processing techniques involving adjustments in aging temperature and humidity to accelerate production and reduce the time down to 1–2 months.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jinhua ham」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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