Madrange is a brand name of baked French “premium ham” produced by the Madrangeas family from premium-grade pigs. Cured and prepared according to a proprietary secret family recipe of herbs and spices, the hams are incised and subjected to a brine, the strands of protein tenderized by a process call "barattage" or tumbling in a large steel drum designed for the purpose, during which time the flavors permeate the meat. After 10 hours, the hams are clad in skin and slow-steamed for another 10 hours, after which they are then aged for 2 weeks in refrigeration. Though they are subjected to a brine, the hams have a net loss of 2% water during curing. Madrange has several varieties of cured ham: the Jambon de Paris, Jambon de Maison, and Le Ruban Bleu. Available by mail order, Madrange hams are also the only French hams approved by the USDA for import into the United States, since 1990. Madrange Ham has 30% less sodium than typical American hams. Since it has been accepted in the US, Madrange now produces Le Ruban Bleu which always has the skin on when it is sold in Quebec. In France it is commonly used for sandwiches.
