🍽️ Xuanwei Ham

Yunnan ham, savory in countless dishes.

Xuanwei Ham is the famous Yunnan ham from Xuanwei in Qujing, one of China's three great hams alongside Jinhua and Rugao. It uses the hind legs of local Wujin pigs, cured, air-dried and fermented; cut open, lean and fat are clearly layered, the lean crimson-red, the fat milky-white, the flavor salty with a sweet undertone that returns as you chew. Xuanwei ham can be steamed, stir-fried or simmered: thin steamed slices best show its character, while diced ham lifts erkuai stir-fry or chicken soup. It is the umami king of Yunnan cooking, and Yunnan households can hardly cook without it. Xuanwei's high altitude, dry and windy climate is ideal for ham fermentation, and today it is both an everyday Yunnan flavor and a representative souvenir visitors carry home.