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Best to buy
Ham should have a reddish-pink color.
Store it safely
Refrigerate ham in its original wrapping. Sliced ham will keep four days in the refrigerator. Leftover ham, tightly wrapped, will keep for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Quick & easy recipe: Roast precooked ham
Bake ham in a shallow baking dish at 325°F (160°C) for 10 to 15 minutes per pound. Remove the ham 30 minutes before it is done, score the skin into diamond shapes with a sharp knife, and stick a clove into the center of each diamond. Or baste the ham with a glaze made of honey, brown sugar, or fruit juice. Let the ham finish cooking, then let it rest 15 minutes before slicing.
Also indexed as: Black Forest Ham, Cottage Ham, Country Ham, Prosciutto, Uncured Pork, Westphalian Ham
Roast precooked ham
Place the ham on a shallow baking dish in a 325°F (160°C) oven. Cook 10 to 15 minutes per pound. For a celebratory meal, remove the ham 30 minutes before it is done, score the skin into diamond shapes with a sharp knife, and stick a clove into the center of each diamond. Or baste the ham with a glaze made of honey, brown sugar, or fruit juice. Let the ham rest 15 minutes before slicing.
Braise picnic ham or cottage roll
Remove the plastic wrap. If the ham is held together with netting, leave that on. Place the ham in a large pot, cover with cooking liquid, and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 to 35 minutes per pound or until the meat is tender and internal temperature reaches 160°F (70°C).
Cook country ham
Scrape off any mold on the surface (it is harmless), and then either simmer the ham in water or fry the meat in a skillet until internal temperature reaches 160°F (70°C). Some people prefer to soak country ham in water before frying to leach out some of the salt used to cure the meat.
Grill ham steaks
Place them on a medium grill until heated through.
To pan-fry ham steaks, place them in a skillet on the stove over medium heat. Brown on each side and cook until heated through.
Ham is pork that has been cured and sometimes smoked to give it a lively, mildly spiced taste. True ham starts out as the hind leg or shoulder of the pork, which is then either wet- or dry-cured. In wet or brine curing, the pork may be soaked in brine, or have a brine solution (water, salt, sodium nitrite, and sugar) injected into the meat. Dry curing involves rubbing the meat with salt, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, sugar, and seasonings. Most ham is sold precooked, but it is always a good idea to check the label to make sure the meat does not require cooking. (Uncured pork leg, sometimes referred to as “fresh ham,” is also available.)
Bone-in ham is sold with the skin on and the shank or leg bone inside. It is available whole or in sections. Slices may be sold as ham steaks.
Boneless ham is ham that has had the shank bone removed and the muscle molded into a football shape. Boneless ham is available whole or in sections.
Country ham is a dry-cured ham; it has been rubbed with salt, dried, and then smoked. Varieties of country ham include Virginia ham and Smithfield ham.
Canned ham has been molded, cooked, and sealed in a can. It has a higher moisture content and a milder taste than bone-in or boneless ham.
Picnic ham or picnic shoulder are types of ham made from the pork shoulder rather than the leg. They comes skin-on and are available either bone-in or boneless.
Cottage ham or cottage roll are names for an uncooked ham made from the shoulder. They come boneless, wrapped in netting, and are sometimes available vacuum packed.
Black Forest ham is a moist, boneless, German-style ham with intense flavor that has been smoked over pine wood and sometimes dipped in beef blood to give its surface a dark “Black Forest” color.
Westphalian ham is a dark-fleshed German ham made by smoking the meat with juniper berries and beech wood. By custom, this ham is sliced very thin and eaten raw.
Prosciutto originated in Italy, although it is now also made in the United States. This ham is dry-cured but not smoked, and it is typically sliced paper-thin and eaten uncooked.
Sliced ham, which may be cut from any of the above varieties, is available both pre-packaged or freshly sliced in the deli section of most grocery stores.
Uncured pork leg is also sometimes available, and may be referred to as “fresh ham.”
Cured ham (boneless, roasted), 3 oz. (85g)
Calories: 151
Protein: 19g
Carbohydrate: 0g
Total Fat: 8g
Fiber: 0g
*Excellent source of: Niacin (5.23mg), Phosphorus (238.85mg), Selenium (16.83mcg), and Thiamin (0.62mg)
*Good source of: Potassium (347.65mg), Riboflavin (0.28mg), Vitamin B6 (0.26mg), Vitamin B12 (0.59mcg), and Zinc (2.10mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.
Copyright © 2007 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. www.healthnotes.com
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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires September 2008.
