Anyone loves ham, and it can make any meal better, from big holiday meals to everyday school lunches. You can find a type of ham that fits all of your cooking needs, whether you need to make a sandwich or a beautiful main dish for a gathering. But it can be hard to find the best ham because there are so many labels and descriptions that you might wish you had a culinary dictionary on hand. You’re in the right place if words like “cured,” “uncured,” “smoked,” and “shank” sound like they belong in a different language. What is ham? This complete guide to the different kinds of ham and how to cook them will explain. It will also talk about the history of ham. cured ham, the different types of ham and how to cook them. Read on to learn about the different types of ham you can buy and how to make them taste their best.
Ham is a type of pork that comes from the hind leg of a hog. Ham can be preserved and prepared in many different ways. Like many other cuts of meat, ham can simply be roasted with the bone either in or out. But ham can also be pre-cured and cooked in a lot of different ways to make it ready to eat.
As the holiday season approaches many people start thinking about cooking the perfect ham to serve as the centerpiece of a festive dinner. When you start shopping for a holiday ham you’ll notice that some are sold with the bone still in them while others are boneless. This raises the question – what exactly are the different types of hams with the bone still in called?
In this article we’ll provide a guide to the different varieties of bone-in hams how to identify them, and tips on how to cook them for moist, flavorful results.
An Overview of Bone-In Hams
In general, a ham is a cut of meat from the hind leg of a hog. Hams sold with the leg bone still inside are known as “bone-in hams.” The bone adds moisture and flavor as the ham cooks. Bone-in hams come in a few different forms:
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Whole hams – These include the entire rear leg, which can weigh over 20 pounds They’re the largest bone-in ham option.
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Shank hams – Shank hams come from the lower portion of a hog’s hind leg, around the ankle/foot area. This is considered one of the most flavorful cuts.
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Butt hams – Butt hams come from the upper portion of the leg near the hip/rump. They tend to be leaner with less fat than shank hams.
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Spiral cut hams – These hams have spiral cuts made into them at the meat processing facility. The slices stay attached to the bone in a spiral pattern.
No matter what type of bone-in ham you choose, the bone helps keep the meat succulent, juicy and full of rich pork flavor. The bone also makes an attractive presentation when serving the ham.
How to Choose a Bone-In Ham
When selecting a bone-in ham at the grocery store or butcher shop, there are a few things to look for:
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Size – Pick a size based on the number of people you need to serve. Estimate that each person will eat around 1/3 to 1/2 pound of cooked ham.
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Cured vs. fresh – Most hams are cured or smoked, meaning they’re ready to eat as-is. Fresh hams need to be cooked more thoroughly.
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End cut – Opt for a shank ham for the most flavor and juiciness. Butt hams are leaner.
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Skin on or off – Skin-on hams keep moisture in better. But skinless cooks more evenly.
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Spiral cut or not – Pre-cut spiral hams look beautiful, but solid hams allow you to cut thicker or thinner slices.
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Glaze, seasoning, smoke – Choose a ham with flavors you’ll enjoy!
Tips for Cooking a Bone-In Ham
Preparing a spectacular bone-in ham starts at the grocery store but comes down to proper cooking techniques:
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If the ham is cured, it just needs to be heated through. Fresh hams require more thorough cooking.
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Place the ham fat-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Add 1 cup water to the bottom to prevent drying.
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Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part without touching the bone.
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Cover tightly with foil and bake at 325°F until heated through or the thermometer reaches 140°F.
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Total bake time depends on size but could take 20 minutes per pound. Replenish water as needed.
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Let the ham rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing to allow juices to absorb.
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Carve across the grain for tender slices. Have a sharp knife to cut around the bone.
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Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for 2-3 months. Enjoy on sandwiches or in casseroles, soups, etc.
With the right preparation methods, your bone-in ham will turn out juicy, full of flavor, and impressive enough to serve as the star of your next holiday feast. Experiment with different types like shank, butt or spiral cut to find your favorite. Bone-in ham offers satisfaction with its rich, meaty taste in every slice.
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Shank End vs. Butt End Ham
One important distinction you’ll see when shopping for hams is that some hams are shank-end hams while others are butt-end hams. You can buy whole hams as well, but these cuts of meat can weigh 20 pounds or more. If you’re looking to serve a family rather than an army, you’ll likely want to choose a partial ham. Since partial hams are cut from a whole ham, you end up with two main halves of the whole to consider.
One half is known as the shank end. This is the end lower down the hog’s leg. Shank end hams are what you likely picture when you think of a Christmas or Easter ham. They’re pretty enough to be a centerpiece for a holiday dinner in addition to being the main course. A butt end ham, on the other hand, has meat that is less tender and more fat than a shank end ham. The butt end is lean and is easier to carve since it only has one bone.
This is how most people bake their ham, whether they get a whole ham, a shank end, or a butt end. The size of the ham will be the biggest determining factor in how long you should cook it. With hams that come fully cooked, you only want to heat it through without overcooking it. Partially cooked hams will need to spend longer in the oven.
Some cooks choose to make diamond-shaped cuts on the outside of the ham and glaze it to make it look better and taste better. For a classic look, try putting whole cloves or pineapple rings and maraschino cherries on top of your ham at your next ham dinner.
What Is Cured Ham?
To understand what uncured ham is, you first need to know what cured ham is. Unless labeled otherwise, the ham you find at your local grocery store is most likely cured ham. People like to buy cured ham at grocery stores and deli counters because any ham product that says “cured,” “baked,” or “smoked” is already cooked and safe to eat.
When it comes to curing ham, manufacturers can either follow a dry curing or wet curing process. Some traditional dry-cured hams use salt as the sole curative agent, although this is becoming less common. Most dry-cured hams incorporate various herbs and spices for added flavor. Before dry curing, the raw ham is cleaned and covered in salt. It is then slowly pressed to drain out all the blood.
After this step, the spices and seasonings are added to the ham. Next, the ham is washed and hung up in a dark, temperature-regulated space to dry. Depending on the type of ham being dry-cured, the ham could be left out for months or even years to taste better. Dry-cured hams can also be aged for a rich, intense flavor.
Once the drying period is over, you can usually eat the dry-cured ham without being cooked. Dry-cured hams can last for a long time because the water that would normally make bacteria grow has been drained out of them. This also means dry-cured hams can be kept at room temperature.
Many modern dry curing practices also include using nitrates, along with the traditional salt, to preserve the meat. Nitrates can prevent bacteria growth while giving the ham an aesthetic dark red color. But a lot of people aren’t sure about chemicals being used in meat, so they look for nitrate-free ham.
Hams that are wet-cured are brined and then cooked all the way through in an oven or a smoker. During the brining process, the meat is submerged in a brine for several days. This lets the ham soak up the flavors and ingredients in the brine, like sugar, spices, and seasonings.
To speed up the wet curing process, some manufacturers inject the ham with the wet curing solution. The mixture usually includes water, salt, brown sugar, flavorings and chemicals like sodium nitrate, sodium phosphate and more. This method speeds up the wet curing process, spreads the salt more evenly through the meat, and makes the ham even heavier in the end.
Typically, wet-cured ham then gets cooked either during the processing or after a short aging period. Smoking is especially common since it adds to the preservation and the flavor of the ham. Hams that are cured are ready to eat. When you buy sliced ham at the deli counter, you may eat it cold, straight from the package. But if you want to serve a ham as a main dish, you should heat it all the way through, even if it was already cooked.
Easy Ham Recipe – How to Bake a Ham
FAQ
Is a bone-in ham the same as a spiral ham?
What’s the difference between a shank ham and a regular ham?
Which ham is better, bone-in or boneless?
What is a bone-in Ham?
Bone-in hams are sold as half hams. When you opt for bone-in ham, you’ll also need to consider the part of the ham you buy. The shank end (or leg portion) sports that classic ham profile, so it’s a good choice for a picture-perfect table. The meat tends to be leaner and it has one long bone, which makes carving easier.
Is ham gluten free?
Ham naturally by itself is gluten-free. Although, many companies made their ham with gluten-containing ingredients like broth, spices, and glazes. So, you must prefer brands that indicate they are gluten-free on the packaging.
What is a bone in Ham used for?
A bone-in ham tends to be moist and have a nice, rich flavor that comes from the bone, but carving it can be a bit challenging since you have to work around the bone. Once you finish carving a bone-in ham, the bone can be used to flavor soup beans, collard greens and other Southern classics. A boneless ham is made to be easier to carve.
Is Ham boneless or bone-in?
Ham sells both boneless and bone-in. (Remember to keep the hambone to flavor soups, stews, and greens.) The three most common cuts of ham are the butt end, ham shank, and center slice. The rump or sirloin end comes from the upper portion of the leg.