Mold on my ham help!

[Homesteaddreamer]

So fist of all I am new to home curing meat.
I got half a pig this year and the butcher didn't do anything more than cuthe up the meat. I.e. no curing or smoking.
I cut my ham off the bone. Getting a large boneless ham and about a medium one as well.
I rubbed a mixture of salt, sugar, and spices over the outside. Placed a small bowl upside down in a larger bowl to elevate the meat and allow juices to drain.
It has been about two weeks now and I am ready to rinse the cure off, dry for a few days and smoke.
However appon looking my hams over I didn't just find the white mold you read about. I found a few spot of a greenish mold. I took a good sniff and honestly it smells amazing. Not bad at all.
But here is the thing. I hate to waste a good 15lbs or so of meat but I am new to this and I don't want to poison my family.
Am I good to simply rinse it off, dip in vinegar and proceed with drying and smoking?
Or is it a lost cause?
Anything else I should know?
I'd attache pictures but am having trouble doing so on my phone.

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi Homesteaddreamer;

Welcome to the forum.

I understand your reluctance to discard this ham. I know that mold on country ham is common, but they are cured in more salt and for a longer period of time. I have never encountered green mold, though I've encountered a greenish iridescent sheen on the surface of cured meats.

You may want to go to website that is geared toward curing and fermenting, and ask your question there. They have more experts in this area on that forum who may be able to give you a more informed answer.  Then don't forget to come back for help on how to smoke it.

Homade Sausage Making

[manxman]

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to visit a farm in France that produced its own hams (and cheese), I was amazed to see just how much white and green mold covered the maturing products. The farmer basically said few would buy them if they reached market like that and they are thoroughly washed in water but they also use olive oil in the washing / cleaning process which gave them the nice finish you often see.

If I was in your position I wouldn't discard the ham but simply wash the mold off, however bottom line is you must do what you feel comfortable with? Also note this advise from USDA:

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-should-I-do-about-mold-on-a-country-ham

p.s. welcome to the forum!