Frank Pfau is a smoking specialist from Herzogsweiler. With spices, a lot of time and dedication, he gives the Black Forest ham its typical taste. The specialty hangs for two weeks in farmhouse smoke over smouldering sawdust and pine needles. This infuses the meat with flavor. Curing, smoking and maturing in the Black Forest make the ham an original.

The family business is now in its third generation. The meat for its traditional ham comes from regional pigs. The large animals are reared on pasture - between the Black Forest and Hohenlohe. The Black Forest farmer rubs the ham with bay leaf, pepper and other fine spices. The ham is then covered in salt and cured in the curing room for six weeks.

Cold smoke rises in the next chamber. Sawdust and pine needles smoulder under the ham for two weeks, creating the so-called farmer's smoke. He gets the fresh sawdust from fir and spruce from the regional sawmill. The needles come from his own forest. They also contribute to the aroma. The ham is then given more time - up to eight weeks in the maturing room. Only when it has been cured, smoked and matured in the Black Forest can it be called Black Forest ham.

IN THE VIDEO
Frank Pfau, smoking specialist

CREDITS
Author: Lidija Čović
Camera: Chris Krehahn, Dirk Schwarz
Sound: Elias Reinhard, Miloš Fehrle, Jonathan Utecht
Editing: Tim Löschmann
Graphics: Katharina Flamm
Editing: Carmen Lustig
Social media editorial team: Land und Leute RP Online