Hang cured meat in a cool, dry, dark room with moving air at about 50-60°F, clear of the walls and floor, wrapped in muslin or cheesecloth or kept behind screens against flies, with a rodent barrier on each hanging line, and inspect it regularly for mould. White or gray surface mould is normal on a dry-cured piece and is wiped off with vinegar, while black or green mould means discard the piece.
Part of Large-Scale Smoking & Curing
Hanging storage keeps cured meat in free air in a cool dry room, away from the surfaces that carry rodents, moisture and insects.
The Room, The Hanging And The Wrap
The room. The parent article’s room is cool, dry, dark, well-ventilated, and 50-60°F is ideal; a root cellar or spring house is the model. Air movement dries the surface and prevents the damp pockets where mould starts. Too damp and mould grows; too dry and the outside hardens and traps moisture inside. Watch the product rather than relying on a number. For general storage rules see Temperature Control and Root Cellars & Cool Storage.
The hanging. Hang each piece from a hook or cord on a pole, with space on all sides, and keep it off the floor and clear of the walls. Contact points hold moisture and give pests a path.
Insects. Flies are drawn to meat, especially in warm weather, and lay eggs in cracks, bone cavities and any damp spot. The parent’s protections are muslin or cheesecloth wrapping, or a screened room. Cured hams can also be attacked by small mites and cheese skippers (recalled), which settle on the surface of aged hams; clean hanging, cool conditions and wrapping reduce them.
Rodents. Rats and mice climb walls and cords. Hang meat on lines with a smooth metal barrier, such as an inverted cone or a wide disc, in the line above the piece, and hang pieces far enough from every wall and beam that a rodent cannot jump across. Seal gaps in the room and keep other stores such as grain out of the same space (Feed Storage & Rodent Prevention covers the room measures).
Mould. The parent’s rule is that white or gray surface mould is normal and can be wiped with vinegar, while black or green mould means discard. Treat that as the cautious rule: surface mould on a dry-cured piece is common, but moulds on soft, moist or low-salt products can grow deeper, and some produce toxins.
What You Need
- A cool, dry, dark room and a thermometer
- Hooks, poles and cord, with smooth rodent barriers
- Muslin or cheesecloth, or screens on the door and vents
- Vinegar and a clean cloth for wiping mould
- Labels with the cure date, and a stock record
Method: Hang And Protect
Step 1: Wipe the room, check for gaps, screen the openings.
Step 2: Hang each piece with clearance on all sides and a rodent barrier above.
Step 3: Wrap in muslin or cheesecloth if flies are around.
Step 4: Inspect at set intervals: surface, bone cavities, the underside, the smell.
Step 5: Wipe white or gray mould with vinegar; discard black or green; rotate stock oldest first.
Common Mistakes
- Hanging against a wall.
- Leaving cord with no barrier.
- Wrapping damp meat.
- Storing in a room that is warm, damp or still.
Safety
Rodent droppings, poison baits and mould near food
Rodent contamination spreads disease; clean droppings with damp cloths, not dry sweeping. Never put poison bait where it can drop into or contaminate stored food. Discard any piece with black or green mould, slime, or an off smell. Do not taste to check.
What’s Next
- Learn next: Rationing cured meat through winter — how to plan the use of the stored stock
- Combine with: Pest Control — wider approaches to rodents and insects