There’s something deeply satisfying about preserving food the old-fashioned way—slowly, patiently, with care and tradition guiding each step. This fall, I finally set out to make German Schinken, a smoked and dry-cured pork loin similar to Prosciutto, using a method passed down through generations.
German Schinken and Italian Prosciutto differ mainly in preparation and flavor. Schinken can be smoked or air-dried, leading to a broader range of flavors, including robust options like Black Forest Ham. In contrast, Prosciutto is exclusively air-cured from the hind leg of the pig, resulting in a milder, sweeter taste with a delicate texture. Overall, Schinken offers diverse styles while Prosciutto is celebrated for its pure, silky elegance.
I usually start early November, so my Schinken is ready for Christmas. The process takes several weeks. However, the result was worth every moment. The beautifully cured, smoky, pink-red slices rival anything store-bought.
I have a Masterbuilt Smoker that we bough at Sam’s Club a while back, and additionally bought a cold smoke attachment. Cold Smoker attachment and can be bought here on Amazon.
You need Prague Powder #1 curing salt that you can buy right here on Amazon
🛒 Day 1: Curing Begins
I started with three large pork loins I bought at Sam’s Club warehouse—my go-to source for quality meat. Each loin was cut into three pieces, perfect for making Lachs- or Nuss-Schinken. I prepared a wet cure marinade using 2 gallons of water, Prague Powder #1, kosher salt, crushed juniper berries (or bay leaves), black peppercorns, brown sugar, herbs of Provence, and garlic. I submerged the pork in a food-safe container and tucked it away in a cool spot to cure for seven days. For thicker cuts, you can extend this step up to two weeks. Another option is dry curing the Schinken, and then vacuum pack for several days before smoking
Temperature and humidity play an important role in curing meats and involves the preservation of meat through the use of sugar, salt, herbs and spices to draw out moisture.
💧 Day 7: Soaking and Rinsing
After a week in the cure, the pork was ready to be washed. I rinsed each piece thoroughly and soaked them in fresh cold water, changing the water five times to remove excess salt. Then I left the meat to soak for 48 hours in a cool, dark place. This step is essential—it balances the flavor and prepares the meat for drying. I used a cooler with ice packs to maintain the right temperature.
🌬️ Day 9: Air-Drying
Once the soaking was complete, I patted the pork dry with paper towels and hung the pieces in a cool, airy space to dry for three days. Ideally, the temperature should stay between 45°F and 55°F. I don’t have a basement. Instead, I used a window air conditioner with temperature control in the spare room. This helped to create the right environment. The meat began to firm up and take on a beautiful texture—this was the first glimpse of what was to come.
🌫️ Day 11: Cold Smoking
Cold smoking is where the magic happens. I set up my Masterbuilt smoker with a cold smoke attachment and chose a mix of Alder, Cherry, and Apple wood chips. Hickory, while popular, can be overpowering for Schinken. I smoked the meat for 8 to 12 hours on the first day, then let it rest overnight in the smoker. The next day, I smoked again for a full day. You can continue this for up to four days, but I found two days gave me the perfect balance of flavor and aroma.
🪝 Day 15: Hanging to Cure
With the smoking complete, I hung the Schinken on meat hooks in a cool, airy space to dry and cure for 4 to 6 weeks. Maintaining a steady temperature between 45°F and 55°F is crucial, along with a humidity level of 65% to 75%—70% is ideal to prevent the meat from drying out too quickly. This stage requires patience, but watching the transformation is incredibly rewarding. Over time, the meat deepens in color and develops its signature texture.
The Temperature is important for curing meat It allows the enzymes in the meat to break down proteins and fats, creating the flavors we love in the Schinken and Prosciutto.
The cold smoking technique goes back a long way, and was often used to preserve meat through the winter when food was otherwise scarce. In Germany, farms and homes in villages often included a Smokehouse, a separate building for the purpose of smoking and storing meats.
🔪 The Final Reward
After 4 to 6 weeks, the German Schinken was ready. I cut of a piece with a large knife. I used my food slicer to slice the Schinken very thin, revealing a gorgeous pink-red interior. The flavor was rich, smoky, and perfectly balanced—far superior to anything I’ve bought in stores.
I vacuum-packed the thin slices and stored them in the refrigerator, where they’ll keep beautifully for up to six months.
Final Thoughts
Making Schinken at home is more than a recipe—it’s a journey. It connects me to my Bavarian roots, to the rhythms of the season, and to the joy of crafting something with care.
If you’ve ever wanted to try curing meat yourself, I encourage you to take the leap. With the right tools, a little patience, and a lot of love, you’ll be rewarded with a delicacy that’s truly your own.
Since I usually start smoking Schinken or Speck, and fish like Salmon or Mackerel early November, I had a lot of smoked goods as gifts for Christmas. I vacuum pack, so it will last least 6 month in the refrigerator. It taste great with my Bauernbrot
Homemade Schinken or Prosciutto
Ingredients
- 3 large Pork loins, cut in 3 pieces (Sams Club)
- Wet Cure marinade ingredients:
- 2 Gallons of water.
- 5 tbsp Prague Powder #1 curing salt (Amazon)
- 3 cups Kosher salt
- 6 Juniper berries (crushed), can be substituted with 3 bay leaves.
- 6 Black peppercorns (crushed)
- 3 tbsp sugar, preferable brown
- 3 tsp Herbs of the Province, or Italian seasoning
- 4 large garlic cloves, halved
- Wood chips for smoking, use Alder, Cherry, Apple wood (can be mixed)
You will need: Curing Salt, Pink Prague Powder #1
Instructions
- Day 1: Curing: Immerse the pork pieces in the cure marinade for 7 days (up to 2 weeks for thick pieces) in a food safe plastic container or a cooler.
- Day 7: Wash the meat and soak in water, changing into fresh water 5 times at the beginning. Leave it soaked in fresh cold water for 48 hours in a cool dark place.
- Day 9: Remove from soak, rinse again and dry off with paper towels. Hang up to dry in a cool, airy place for about 3 days (recommended temperature 45 to 55 F). If there is no basement and the room is too hot, maybe a window air conditioner can achieve this with a temperature control.
- Day 11: Cold smoking: Prepare smoker by attaching the cold smoke attachment (see Amazon). Cold smoking actually means 55 F to 77 F. Choose a day where the heat does not exceed this temperature. I used Alder, Cherry, Apple wood chips. Mix or use alone. I found Hickory too strong.
- Smoke 8 to 12 hours. Let rest overnight in the smoker, then smoke again all day, and the next up to 4 days. (I only smoked for 2 days).
- Day 15: Hang to dry and cure on meat hooks for 4 to 6 weeks in an airy cool place at 45 to 55 F.
- While hanging to dry, the room humidity should be 65% to 75%. (70% is the sweet spot to prevent the meat from drying out too quickly).
- Slice thin, It should have a nice pink-red color.
Notes
After 4 to 6 weeks of hanging and drying the Schinken should have a nice pink-reddish color. I have a food slicer that cuts meats very thin. Can be stored vacuum packed in the refrigerator for up to 6 month.
Recommended online source?
I found YouTube only, but they were in German. Search Google under „Schinken räuchern“