Ammerländer Schinken – or Ammerländer Knochenschinken – is a type of dry-cured and smoked ham produced in the Ammerland Rural District of North Germany. Ammerländer Knochenschinken contains the bone, is heavily spiced and has a dark smoked color. Ammerländer Schinken is boneless, lightly spiced and lightly smoked. Historically, the ham was made from Ammerländer Edelschwein, a local breed of pigs. Today, the ham can also be made from pigs bred or fattened in the Ammerland Rural District.[1] Both types of ham have PGI status under EU law.[2]
The raw meat used in its production is cured for three weeks by being rubbed with a dry mixture of sea salt and brown sugar, and sometimes a spice mixture of juniper, pepper and allspice. The ham is then cold-smoked over beechwood for several weeks, and finally aged for a period of up to two years.
The oldest Ammerland ham smokehouse was founded in 1748 in Apen. It is now a museum named the Ammerländer Schinkenmuseum.[3]
European Commission: Geographical indications and quality schemes explained