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What to eat in Germany? Top 5 German Cured Meats

Last update: Wed Feb 12 2025
Top 5 German Cured Meats
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best German Cured Meat Types

01
Schwarzwälder Schinken
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Black Forest ham is the best-selling smoked ham in Europe. It is made from the hind leg of the pig, spiced according to producers' own traditional recipes, and cold smoked using fir wood from the Black Forest. The spices used are salt, garlic, coriander, pepper, and juniper berries.


As a result, the ham has a dark layer of meat on the outside but a vibrant red color on the inside with a typical smoky aroma. Black Forest ham is boneless and always contains about 20% fat, and it has a nutty and spicy flavor. This ham is easily found in many restaurants, and may be eaten raw or used as an ingredient in cooked dishes.

02

Dry-cured Ham

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, Germany
4.1
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This North German ham is a specialty of the Schleswig-Holstein region. To produce this cured ham, pork meat is smoked for up to eight weeks over an open fire. With the introduction of closed fireplaces, the smoking process shifted to special smoking chambers or barns.


The aroma of Katenschinken is strong and intense, however its consistency is very delicate and its flavor is mild. The ham has a mahogany-colored appearance, and it should not be black, sooty, or brown. The original, mildly flavored Holstein ham is suitable for making sandwiches, bread rolls, and other various appetizers. 
03
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The pork used to make this ham originates from the region of Westphalia, which is known for its traditional pig farming. The recipe is guarded as a trade secret, and every step in the production process is carried out entirely by hand. The process begins by rubbing salt of a special consistency with added herbs or spices into the ham and bone, which is then left to cure and dry in aging rooms for an extended period of time.


To produce the smoked version, the hams are left in a smoking chamber over a beech and juniper wood fire. This process may take time, but it results in a characteristic dark red meat, golden-yellow rind, and a particularly mild and nutty flavor. To enjoy this delicacy, slice it thinly and serve it as an appetizer with pretzels and cheese.

04
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This is a smoked or dry-cured ham from the Ammerland region in Lower Saxony. To prepare this specialty, ham is dry-salted on the bone for weeks using sea salt and brown sugar, and it can also be flavored with pepper, pimento, and juniper. The higher the quality of the meat, the more the ham develops its own individual character without spices.


After the ham is salted, it is smoked for a few weeks over beech wood, and the total ripening period ranges from several months to more than two years for top-quality ham. The oldest Ammerländer ham smokehouse, founded in 1748 in Apen, is now home to the Ammerländer Schinken museum.

05
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This ham is traditionally produced in the Ammerland region in Lower Saxony. It is lightly smoked and features a distinctive, spicy flavor. The meat used for producing this ham comes from the Ammerländer Edelschwein pig breed, whose meat is particularly firm and strong-flavored.


To satisfy the strict guidelines set by the Association for the Protection of Ammerländer Dielenrauchschinken, each ham must exhibit a bright red color with a balanced ratio of fat to lean meat, and it must have a particular level of dryness and a typical smoky aroma. 

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German Cured Meats