It is a very lean, mild tasting, pink-coloured ham, with no salty-taste at all.
It is made in Bavaria in a long bolster shape from the eye of pork loin that is salted, dry-cured and cold-smoked, so it’s treated like smoked salmon. In fact, it’s even served like smoked salmon: sliced so thin you can almost see through it, and arranged spread out on a plate to cover the plate. It’s sprinkled with chopped onion and fried capers.
If a thin sheet of back fat is wrapped around it, it’s technically called “Pariser Lachsschinken” (or Parisian-style Lachsschinken”,) though you may see it just sold as “Lachsschinken.”
The ham is soaked in cool brine made from Nitrite Pickling Salt and a small amount of brown sugar. The ham (as well as the fat sheet if using) is soaked in the brine for five to six days, then dried off and let stand for six days. Then the meat is washed in lukewarm water, and patted dry. If the fat sheet covering is being applied, the ham is splashed with some brine to help the fat stick better. Then the fat cover is tied around the ham, then it is cold-smoked for three to give days.
Some commercial versions add sodium nitrate as well to the brine.
Cooking Tips
Does not need any cooking.
Substitutes
Prosciutto, Bauerschinken, Iberico Ham, Serrano Ham
Language Notes
In German, “Lachs” means “salmon” and “schinken” (similar to the English word “shank”), means “ham.
Sources
Feldkamp, Herbert. “Räuchern & Pökeln: die traditionelle Konservierung von Fisch, Fleisch und Wurst.” München: Südwest-Verlag. Dezember 2004.