Opah Ham

Fatty opah belly is deliciously preserved by curing without smoking. Cube or thinly slice and use for charcuterie or in sandwiches, soups, salads and more. Courtesy Ryan Sharpe, Ironside Fish & Oyster.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb opah belly
• 11.3 g curing salt #1
• 113.4 g kosher salt or sea salt
• 4.53 g white sugar
• 1/8 cup molasses
• 4 Tbsp miso paste
• 1/8 cup soy sauce

How to Prepare:

1. Rub the opah belly with molasses, miso paste, soy sauce, salt, sugar and curing salt and let marinate, covered for one week.
2. Rinse, dry, and hang in a refrigerator or dry age room for at least one month and up to three months. It should feel very firm and very dry. It may develop white mold on it. White mold is okay and can be rubbed off with a cloth dipped in distilled vinegar.
3. With wood chips of your choice, smoke the opah until you’ve reached desired smokiness. Since the belly is a more delicate cut of the opah, you don’t want smokiness to overpower its flavor.
4. Refrigerate before slicing it very thinly.

To try: Dashi with Egg Custard and Opah Ham

Products

Opah Belly