Weining Ham

Weining Ham

　　Weining Ham is a traditional specialty of Guizhou with a history of over 600 years, long renowned both at home and abroad. Weining sits at an altitude of over 2,000 meters in the high-altitude and cold Wumeng Mountain area, where the hills are covered with abundant natural grass. Historically, animal husbandry has been highly developed here, and the local Yi people have a tradition of herding in the mountains, often raising pigs, cattle, and sheep together, resulting in high physical activity. The pig legs are well-developed, muscular, and firm, with an interplay of lean and fat meat. Local superior breeds such as the Kele Pig and Fadi Pig are also hardy and cold-resistant, with high lean meat ratios. Since the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, the Yi people here have favored smoking and curing meat for storage and consumption, which laid the foundation for making Weining Ham. The ham features a brownish-red meat color, vibrant hue, small bones, thin skin, tender texture, fragrant taste, and remains delicious even when eaten in large quantities without feeling greasy.

　　Weining Ham is made entirely using traditional methods. After slaughtering the pig, the hide is scraped off without inflating the carcass. Then, the fresh leg is trimmed into the attractive shape of a “lute leg” or “round leg,” removing stray bones, excess fat, and connective tissues, and squeezing out the blood. Without washing the meat, a mixture of fried salt at a ratio of 10:1 is applied along with a small amount of spices such as fennel and Sichuan peppercorn. The leg is then cured in a large wooden barrel or vat for 5–7 days. Afterward, the salted and bloody moisture is pressed out using stones to flatten the shape, and the leg is hung in a ventilated area to air-dry. Alternatively, some hams are not air-dried but are smoked above a fire pit using moist pine branches, moist cypress branches, and leaves from hemp plants. The smoke contains acids, aldehydes, and phenols that help sterilize the meat, enhance its flavor, and improve its shelf life. Typically, these smoked hams can be stored for five to six years without releasing oil or losing flavor, while becoming even richer and more delicious in taste.

　　Weining Ham is divided into “Aged Ham” and “Fresh Ham.” Those cured in the first year and sold before autumn of the following year are called “Fresh Ham,” while those sold after autumn are known as “Aged Ham” or “Old Ham.” The internal layers of Fresh Ham are fragrant, with distinct textures and a delicious taste. When sliced, Aged Ham shows pinkish fat and deep red lean meat, with a firm texture, low moisture content, glossy finish, and rich, savory flavor.

　　　The best and most abundant Weining Hams come from areas such as Heishi, Jinzhou, and Yazhan in Weining, and they are on par with “Xuanwei Ham” in reputation. In the past, due to poor transportation, Weining Ham was often distributed via Xuanwei in Yunnan, and a significant portion of what was then known as “Xuanwei Ham” was actually from Weining. Today, canned Weining Ham is exported as far as Japan, Southeast Asian countries, and regions like Hong Kong and Macau, where it is well received by consumers.