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Jinhua ham () is a type of specialty dry-cured ham named after the city of Jinhua, where it is produced, in Zhejiang province, China. The ham is used in Chinese cuisines to flavor 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.
New processing techniques involving adjustments in aging temperature and humidity can accelerate production and reduce the time down to 1–2 months.
The name Jinhua was bestowed by the first emperor of the southern Song dynasty. It is highly regarded in Chinese cuisine, and may be eaten as part of a cold meat dish or used in producing Asian soup stock, imparting its unique, umami flavor to any dish. Jinhua ham is an important ingredient in the dish Buddha jumps over the wall. The ham has been lauded in Chinese literature, and was prominently featured in the Qing dynasty novel Dream of the Red Chamber, when the cuisine of the nobility was being described.
The ideal ham should have certain physical characteristics, such as a shiny and smooth yellow outside, a rounded shape in the style of a bamboo leaf, small joint and hoof, a thin and slender bone, an abundant layer of fat surrounding dark and red toned meat, a pronounced but not unpleasant odor, a fine textured meat with high levels of intramuscular fat, and a taste that is highly salty, umami, and sweet. The outside of the ham may have small amounts of mold, but this is considered normal and thought to contribute to the ham's flavor.
The aroma and the aroma compounds of Jinhua ham are similar to that of dry-cured Iberian hams but different from light Italian and Prosciutto. This is likely due to the longer aging and environmental exposure of both Jinhua and Iberian hams. The fragrant compounds consist of , sulfur compounds such as methanethiol and dimethyl disulfide, and branched , which are derived from the breakdown and rearrangement of amino acids and fatty acids caused by auto-oxidation and fermentation.
Chinese hams
Culture
The earliest recorded mention of the Jinhua ham processing technique is during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD), and this method of dry ham production is reported by some to have been in turn transmitted to Europe by Marco Polo. However, traces of pork leg as ham have been found in Italy's Etruscan civilization, as early as the 6th-5th century BC. Salted pork leg similar to modern prosciutto was also mentioned by Cato the Elder.Marcus Porcius Cato, Libri de Re Rustica, M. Catonis, M. Terentii Varronis, L. Iunii Moderati Columellę, Palladii Rutilii, Lutetiæ, 1533
Chemical analysis
The taste of Jinhua ham arises from the high concentration of free and in the ham, more specifically, glutamic acid and 5'-inosinic acid. Although the total amount of amino acids is not different from the uncured ham, the high proportion of the free compounds from the long curing process allows for the highly umami taste of the ham. The taste is also contributed by fermentation, due largely to the molds and some yeasts present on the ham. - [1] - Profile
Pesticide scandal
In 2003, Jinhua ham was the center of a controversial food safety incident in China. In the incident, several small producers of Jinhua hams operated out of season and produced hams during warmer months, treating their hams with pesticides to prevent spoilage and insect infestation. The hams were soaked in the pesticide dichlorvos, which is a volatile organophosphate insecticide used for fumigation. The incident strongly affected legitimate makers of the ham and caused a sharp drop-off in market demand.
See also
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