Shovdar

The cooking process

1. To make the shovdar tasty, you need to choose the right ham. Meat with a thin layer of lard and a well-fried skin is best.
2. Rub the surface of the ham with a little nitrate and sugar, and then with a lot of salt. Make incisions near the joints and fill them with salt.
3. If you like spicy shovdar, rub the meat with a mixture of spices.
4. Place the ham with its skin side down in a tub or other deep container. Cover with plenty of salt. In this state, the dish should be left untouched for three weeks. During this time, the meat will release moisture, which forms brine. Periodically water the ham with this brine.
5. Remove the ham, free it from excess salt and moisture. The workpiece must be placed in a smokehouse for 3 days. To make shovdar tasty, use firewood from beech, ash, hornbeam.
6. The finished shovdar is stored in a cool, well-ventilated room.
7. In the classic version, shovdar is tasted raw, cut into thin slices. However, it is also permissible to use boiled or fried shovdar.