The Best Way To Salt A Gamon

This recipe hails from the 1600s to 1700s, a period when salting was the primary method for preserving meat through the long winter months. Large joints of pork, especially the prized gammon, were salted after the autumn slaughter to provide food into spring. Bay salt, harvested from salt flats and shipped from the Bay of Biscay, was considered superior to common salt for preservation. The described process reflects the homely ingenuity of early modern English households, combining science (saltpetre’s preservative qualities) with everyday practicality. Hanging meat in the chimney to dry not only cured it but subtly flavored it with woodsmoke—a flavor synonymous with country kitchens of the era.

Back in the day, the key tools included a large brining tub or barrel, a wooden ladle or stirring stick to mix the brine, and a simple egg for density testing. A heavy stoneware cheese press, or a wooden press weighted with stones, was used to expel moisture. Strong cloth or linen bags cradled the gammon during pressing and hanging. Finally, the kitchen hearth or chimney, with its constant airflow, served as the traditional place for drying meats.