I had been looking for a deal on a dry cured country ham, and I just saw and
bought a dry cured picnic, or pork shoulder produced by Smithfield. Inc. for
$2.99/lb at 99 Ranch Market in Concord. It has the brand name "PIGGY",
though it is from the Smithfield company. I thought it was a steal, so as a
certified tightwad I bought it. It is quite small, 5lb, even for a picnic,
though dry cured hams are much lighter. On the internet I can find nothing
about a "PIGGY" brand dry cured smoked pork shoulder. There is nothing on
the Smithfield.com site about the product.

Do any know what this is? Have you tried one? Is it counterfeit? Do you have
any thoughts about cooking a dry cured picnic[ham]. I know "ham" does not
refer to the shoulder, even though I'm always hearing "picnic ham" I've
tried cooking several in the past, both simmering in water and baking, and
they've ended up like little strands of ham. Can you eat US dry cured pork
raw, without cooking? They are cured in the same fashion as proscuitto.

Kent
--
,constantly struggling with my level of ignorance

Kent > wrote:

>I had been looking for a deal on a dry cured country ham, and I just saw and
>bought a dry cured picnic, or pork shoulder produced by Smithfield. Inc. for
>$2.99/lb at 99 Ranch Market in Concord. It has the brand name "PIGGY",
>though it is from the Smithfield company. I thought it was a steal, so as a
>certified tightwad I bought it. It is quite small, 5lb, even for a picnic,
>though dry cured hams are much lighter. On the internet I can find nothing
>about a "PIGGY" brand dry cured smoked pork shoulder. There is nothing on
>the Smithfield.com site about the product.

Possibly labeled for some international market?

Smithfield, Inc. is huge. They make all manner of meat products.

Steve

"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
> Kent > wrote:
>
>>I had been looking for a deal on a dry cured country ham, and I just saw
>>and
>>bought a dry cured picnic, or pork shoulder produced by Smithfield. Inc.
>>for
>>$2.99/lb at 99 Ranch Market in Concord. It has the brand name "PIGGY",
>>though it is from the Smithfield company. I thought it was a steal, so as
>>a
>>certified tightwad I bought it. It is quite small, 5lb, even for a picnic,
>>though dry cured hams are much lighter. On the internet I can find nothing
>>about a "PIGGY" brand dry cured smoked pork shoulder. There is nothing on
>>the Smithfield.com site about the product.
>
> Possibly labeled for some international market?
>
> Smithfield, Inc. is huge. They make all manner of meat products.
>
> Steve
>
>
I thought something similar to that, that this may be a product that is
directed at a specific market or even a specific retailer, like Ranch 99 in
this case. Ranch 99, the Chinese supermarket, always has dry cured hams,
usually Gwaltney, a common Smithfield brand, generally at good prices..

Kent

Is a dry cured ham what we in the South call a country ham??

On Thu, 7 Jan 2010 16:15:36 -0800, "Kent" > wrote:

>I thought something similar to that, that this may be a product that is
>directed at a specific market or even a specific retailer, like Ranch 99 in
>this case. Ranch 99, the Chinese supermarket, always has dry cured hams,
>usually Gwaltney, a common Smithfield brand, generally at good prices..

I guess you've noticed in the past that Ranch 99 carried brand name
Smithfield hams? They are obviously popular, so maybe Ranch 99 has
decided to go for a less expensive sub-brand (or whatever you call
them) to tide their customers and themselves through the current
economy. I've always held back because the Smithfield hams I saw were
so large, but a 5 pound ham is doable AFAIC. After you cook it,
please post what you did to prepare it. Those things can knock your
socks off with salt if they are not properly prepared before cooking.



--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 7 Jan 2010 22:22:04 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:
>
>> Kent > wrote:
>>
>>>I had been looking for a deal on a dry cured country ham, and I just saw
>>>and
>>>bought a dry cured picnic, or pork shoulder produced by Smithfield. Inc.
>>>for
>>>$2.99/lb at 99 Ranch Market in Concord. It has the brand name "PIGGY",
>>>though it is from the Smithfield company. I thought it was a steal, so as
>>>a
>>>certified tightwad I bought it. It is quite small, 5lb, even for a
>>>picnic,
>>>though dry cured hams are much lighter. On the internet I can find
>>>nothing
>>>about a "PIGGY" brand dry cured smoked pork shoulder. There is nothing on
>>>the Smithfield.com site about the product.
>
> Even with you killfiled, I knew this had to be a post of yours even
> with Steve's name on it.
>
> I'm betting PIGGY is used in place of the word "ham". Does it say
> "ham" anywhere on the package?

Of course it doesn't and shouldn't say "ham". The term "ham" is the thigh
muscles of the pig.

> The brand is either PIGGY or Smithfield. It can't be both. Pick
> one and stick with it. What is the exact wording?

"PIGGY" ....................." and "Smithfield, Smithfield, VA" and
"Smithfield.com" on the label

> -sw
>
Please, please, do a better job killfiling. Please!

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 7 Jan 2010 22:22:04 +0000 (UTC), Steve Pope wrote:
>
>> Kent > wrote:
>>
>>>I had been looking for a deal on a dry cured country ham, and I just saw
>>>and
>>>bought a dry cured picnic, or pork shoulder produced by Smithfield. Inc.
>>>for
>>>$2.99/lb at 99 Ranch Market in Concord. It has the brand name "PIGGY",
>>>though it is from the Smithfield company. I thought it was a steal, so as
>>>a
>>>certified tightwad I bought it. It is quite small, 5lb, even for a
>>>picnic,
>>>though dry cured hams are much lighter. On the internet I can find
>>>nothing
>>>about a "PIGGY" brand dry cured smoked pork shoulder. There is nothing on
>>>the Smithfield.com site about the product.
>
> Even with you killfiled, I knew this had to be a post of yours even
> with Steve's name on it.
>
> I'm betting PIGGY is used in place of the word "ham". Does it say
> "ham" anywhere on the package?
>
> The brand is either PIGGY or Smithfield. It can't be both. Pick
> one and stick with it. What is the exact wording? Smithfield owns
> several dry cured ham companies, but they all have their own
> *brand*.
>
> -sw
>
>
One can sure tell when you've had something to drink.

itsjoannotjoann wrote:

> Is a dry cured ham what we in the South call a country ham??

Mostly, yes.

-sw

The piggy brand is found in Trinidad. Only one supermarket. It's about 5-7 lbs and is covered with a tar paper.
It is normally boiled here. The supermarket name is I think sing Chong. Chinese outlet on charlotte street port of Spain.