What is a Virginia-Style or Country Ham?
A country ham is meat taken from the hind leg of a pig and processed using a dry cure. It may or may not have been smoked, but it is aged. Country hams are often rubbed with a mixture containing black pepper, molasses and brown sugar for extra flavor. A country or Virginia ham may have either a long or short shank. The long shank ham is long cured, meaning that it has been aged for six months or longer. Long shank hams are full flavored and may require soaking before cooking (see chart). However, many prefer the pungent flavor of the unsoaked, long cured ham and enjoy their ham carved in very thin slices. Short shank country or Virginia-style hams are short cured, meaning that they have been aged less than six months. Hence the flavor is not as strong.
