Pork: more ham for your money

Yield: 1 servings

Measure Ingredient

TYPES OF HAM

Most hams that people bake and serve for large gatherings have been wet-cured (soaked in brine) as part of their preparation. Because the curing process dilutes the protein content of ham, there are four USDA categories for labeling ham products. "Ham with Natural Juices" (at least 18½ percent protein), "Ham--Added Water" (at least 17 percent protein) and "Ham and Water Product" , which may contain any amount of water.

If you choose a bone-in ham, you can buy a whole ham (it might weigh about 15 pounds) or either the butt or shank end. the butt (or rump) contains more total usable meat, the shank yields more large slices.

The shank has a point at one end that is good for making soup.

DRY-CURED HAMS have been rubbed with salt and then cured. Examples of dry-cured ham are country ham, Smithfield ham (a country ham made only in Smithfield, Va), German Westphalian ham, French Bayonne ham, and Italian Prosciutto.

COUNTRY HAM is a dry-cured product that has been rubbed with salt, smoked, and then hung in the air to cure for several months. As it dries, a mold develops on the outside that must be removed by scrubbing.

As the ham hangs in the air, moisture escapes, and the meat becomes quite dense. Once the mold is removed it can be served raw in thin slices, like Prosciutto, or cooked.

If the ham is going to be cooked, it should be soaked for 12 to 24 hours in several changes of cold water to remove some of the salt.

Usually, the meat is then cooked at a slow simmer.

Country ham is a specialty of the southern United States that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is traditionally accompanied by brown sugar, brewed black coffee and red-eye gravy made from the pan drippings.

BONELESS HAMS have been assembled from pieces of trimmed ham. They can be made from top quality lean meat or from ground up leftovers.

Price is usually a good indicator of what you are getting. Boneless hams range from individually numbered and registered extra lean hams (less than 5% fat) to tumbled pork bits with caramel coloring and 35% water and other additives.

CANNED HAM is often made from small pieces of ham that are pressed together and packed in gelatin. Many canned hams must be refrigerated before they are opened. Check the label.

You will get 4 to 5 servings per pound with boneless or canned hams; 2 to 3 servings per pound with bone-in hams.

The flavor of ham is affected by what the pigs eat (pigs used for Smithfield hams dine on peanuts), their age at slaughter, the type of salt that was used, and how the curing was done. Different aromatic woods used for smoking--hickory, apple, oak, pine, or beech--lend different flavors.

By definition, ham is made from the back leg of a pig. Picnic ham isn't really ham, since it comes from the shoulder rather that the hind leg. Canadian bacon looks and tastes like ham, but it is actually smoked and cured pork loin.

Ham in its original, unopened packaging will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator (note any "sell by" date on the wrapper). Once it has been opened, leftover ham slices or small pieces should be used or frozen within 3 or 4 days; large pieces of meat will last up to a week. Iridescence on the outside does not mean that ham is spoiled; this is simply a byproduct of the curing process. Use your eyes and nose to tell you when ham is past its prime.

Hams have become much leaner over the years, but the meat should still be enjoyed in moderation. Because of the salt necessary for the curing process, ham is always high in sodium. Take this into account when planning your menu and balance the ham with lower sodium, lower fat dishes. Ham is a good source of high quality protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc.

Source: Excerpted from the Oregonian FOODday Typed by Dorothy Flatman, 1995 Submitted By DOROTHY FLATMAN On 06-21-95

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