We got behind on our lamb prosciutto experiment, so we didn’t get around to taking down the last leg on the day after Easter.
First, the recap.
Leg 1.
Jan 2, Starting weight: 2.098 kg
Recipe 1: 160g (90g salt [4.2%]) rub for one week in fridge.
Jan 9. Salt box dredge without weighing for 9 days.
Jan 18. Second weight 1.80 kg, (14.2% weight loss).
Aging Day 1:
Hung 1/18/2024 @ 60 degrees F, 50% humidity.
Target weight: 1.47 kg
Weight after 40 hours:
1.70 kg.
Weight after adding strutto: 1.85 kg.
New target weight: 1.62 kg
Day 6: 1.80 kg.
Day 10: 1.77 kg
Day 12: 1.74 kg
Day 16: 1.70 kg
Day 23 (Feb 10): 1.65 kg
3-4 more days!
Day 36 (Feb 23): 1.565 kg.
Eaten at day 38.
Leg 2.
Jan 2, Starting weight 2.080 kg
Recipe 2: 105g (52g salt [2.5%]) rub for one week in fridge.
Jan 9. Salt box dredge without weighing for 9 days.
Jan 18. Second weight 1.85 kg, (11.0% weight loss).
Aging Day 1:
Hung 1/18/2024 @ 60 degrees F, 50% humidity.
Target weight: 1.46 kg
Weight after 40 hours:
1.70 kg.
Weight after adding strutto: 1.85 kg.
New target weight: 1.61 kg.
Day 6: 1.75 kg.
Day 10: 1.79 kg.
Day 12: 1.77 kg
Day 16: 1.74 kg
Day 23 (Feb 10): 1.695 kg
8-10 more days!
Day 36 (Feb 23): 1.635 kg.
Day 52 (Mar 11): 1.56 kg
Day 59 (Mar 17): 1.54 kg
Leg 3.
Jan 2, Starting weight 2.030 kg
Recipe 1: 55g (31g salt [1.5%]) rub for one week in fridge.
Jan 9. Salt box dredge without weighing for 9 days.
Jan 18. Second weight 1.85 kg, (8.9% weight loss).
Aging Day 1:
Hung 1/18/2024 @ 60 degrees F, 50% humidity.
Target weight: 1.42 kg.
Weight after 40 hours:
1.65 kg.
Weight after adding strutto: 1.85 kg.
New target weight: 1.62 kg.
Day 6: 1.80 kg.
Day 10: 1.785 kg.
Day 12: 1.77 kg
Day 16. 1.75 kg.
Day 23 (Feb 10): 1.7 kg
8-10 more days.
Day 36 (Feb 23): 1.63kg.
Day 52 (Mar 11): 1.555 kg
Day 59 (Mar 17): 1.54 kg
Day 94 (April 21): 1.35 kg.
This is by far the best leg of the three. The difference in texture is astounding, firm and uniform in color all the way through. The taste is stronger, lamb-ier, and a bit saltier.
It pairs beautifully with farm fresh eggs of a morning…
Or a hard cheddar with fresh bread and butter and a dark beer.
Lessons learned:
- Plan for the prosciutto. Don’t wing it at the last minute. Both recipes we used were delicious, and could be made more cheaply buying spices in bulk from Winco.
- Better butchering. Cut the legs flat across, remove the Aitch bone, carefully trim the fat and silver skin.
- Humidity controlled aging chamber to slow down the drying process. We have an old refrigerator now that we can use.
- Wrap with cheesecloth before coating with strutto. That stuff is a pain to get off.
- Let it age longer. The longer the better. Next time we will shoot for at least 90 days.
Now to acquire more sheep and do it again! Next time, all the (hind) legs are getting dry cured.
Little Farm in the Big City 