SIX PIGS IN A SAUNA

Sounds not ethnic food , but it is. Still 50 years ago in small villages in Tavastlandia southern Finland after slaughtering the pigs some of them or parts of them was smoked in SAUNA.
First the meat or mostly ham had to stay in a 15-20 % saltwater for 10 days.Then it was dried and put hanging from the roof of the sauna.After that the stove was heated with birch firewood till the temperature reached about 70 in Celsius  where it was kept 2 days.  After that the stove was heated with alder and the process went on by closing the chimney several times during the last day so that the smoke could run in the sauna and give its typical smooth and balanced flavour. It was a sin to taste it, so good it was.
In Finland there are still some small companies who try to  imitate this delicacy.

CHEF THOR