Jambon Blanc Recipe

Prepare brine

In a nonreactive container, dissolve 120 g salt and 25 g sugar in 2 liters cold water. Stir until fully dissolved. Add pink curing salt if using and mix thoroughly.

Add aromatics

Add crushed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and coriander seeds to the brine. Chill brine to refrigerator temperature (below 5°C / 41°F) if it has warmed.

Brine the pork

Place the trimmed pork loin in a sealable plastic bag or nonreactive container and pour the chilled brine over it, ensuring the meat is fully submerged. Weigh it down if necessary. Refrigerate for 24 hours (for 1.5 kg loin) turning once after 12 hours for even curing.

Rinse and rest

After 24 hours remove the pork from the brine. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove surface salt and aromatics. Pat dry with paper towels. Let rest in the refrigerator on a rack for 1 hour to form a tacky surface for binding.

Prepare binder

In a bowl whisk the egg white until foamy, stir in milk powder (or 2 tbs cold milk), 3 g fine salt, ground white pepper and grated nutmeg until smooth. This mixture will help emulsify and bind the meat during forming.

Trim and grind

Trim away any silver skin or large veins from the pork. Cut the pork into 2–3 cm cubes and, keeping the meat cold, pass the cubes through a coarse grinder plate once then through a fine plate if you prefer a smoother texture. Work quickly and keep meat chilled (use a bowl set over ice if needed).

Emulsify

Place the ground pork into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Add the binder mixture and mix at medium speed until the meat becomes sticky and homogenous (approximately 2–4 minutes). If you have a food processor, pulse short bursts to avoid overheating.

Bloom gelatin

Sprinkle 6 g gelatin over 30 ml cold water and let stand 5 minutes to bloom. Gently warm the 150 ml chicken stock (or reserved brine reduced and warmed) and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Cool slightly but do not let it set.

Combine and stuff

Pour the warm gelatin-stock mixture into the meat mixture gradually while mixing to incorporate evenly. The mixture should be moist but hold together when pressed. Pack the meat tightly into a small terrine mold, loaf pan or natural casing to eliminate air pockets. Press down firmly and cover with foil or a lid.

Poach

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Place the covered mold in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the mold (bain-marie). Carefully transfer to the oven and poach until the internal temperature reaches 68–72°C (154–162°F), about 60–75 minutes depending on mold size. A skewer inserted should come out clear and the loaf should feel firm to the touch.

Press and chill

When cooked, remove the mold from the water bath. Pour off any excess cooking liquid. Place a weight (a smaller pan or board with cans) on top to press the jambon blanc and compact it while cooling. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight until fully set.

Slice and serve

Unmold the chilled jambon blanc, slice thinly with a sharp knife or meat slicer. Serve cold on sandwiches, with mustard, cornichons or as part of a charcuterie platter.