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Black Forest ham, or Schwarzwälder Schinken as it’s known in German, is a cured and smoked ham that can only be produced in the region of the same name to qualify as the real deal. Perhaps surprisingly, the pigs themselves don’t have to be from the region – or even from Germany, for that matter. Black Forest ham is the most widely sold type of smoked ham in all Europe.
The product we know and love today was born in 1959 when Hans Adler from the village of Bonndorf started selling a product he created based on a traditional recipe well over a hundred years old. Its method of preparation gave the product a long shelf life, and part of the company’s business was serving customers by mail order.
Just like Lubeck’s marzipan and Nuremberg’s gingerbread, Black Forest ham enjoys PDO, or Protected Designation of Origin status within the European Union, which means that any product sold in the EU and labeled as Black Forest ham must come from that region. (Beware this distinction does NOT apply to ham products labeled Black Forest that are sold in the U.S.)
What makes Black Forest ham so special is both its seasonings and its long prep time — up to three months. Spices used to season it include garlic, coriander, pepper, juniper berries and other secret ingredients. The fir branches used to smoke it also play an important role in its flavor profile. The boneless, low-fat ham is traditionally consumed sliced on a piece of rye bread, as an ingredient in dishes such as a Schupfnudelpfanne, Rösti hash browns or as a topping on a Flammkuchen.
Bacon lovers should reach for the product known as Schwarzwälder Speck — but it’s not meant to be fried. The pork rind, which is too hard to eat, often finds its way into soups or lentil stews, to which it lends a pleasing, smoky flavor.
Travel tip: in June of 2013, the Black Forest Ham Museum opened in the Feldberg Tower. The former broadcasting tower sits high atop the Feldberg, the highest mountain in the Black Forest. Feldberg is the site of a ski area and year-round recreational facilities. The Black Forest Ham museum itself offers multi-media stations, displays and tasting possibilities. Entry is free with the purchase of an entry ticket to the tower, which is open to visitors from May through October.
