What Meat is Ham? A Complete Guide to Understanding Ham

In our signature brine, we cure a lean cut of Certified Angus Beef eye round. After cooking, we sprinkle it with cracked black pepper and smoke it over wood. A fantastic gourmet alternative sandwich meat. Whole is approximately 2. 5 lbs.

Ham is a popular and delicious type of cured and smoked meat that comes from the hind leg of a pig. But there’s a lot more to ham than just that simple definition. Here’s a complete guide to understanding the different types of ham how it’s made, and what to look for when buying it.

The Basic Definition

At its most basic level, ham is meat from the hind leg of a pig that has been cured and smoked. Pork ham comes from the back leg, specifically the thigh and rump. It’s the same part of the pig that we call the “ham” area on our own bodies.

Once the fresh pork leg is removed from the pig, it goes through a curing and smoking process to become ham The curing involves salt, spices, and sometimes sugar or honey to add flavor and preserve the meat Smoking adds more flavor and better preserves the ham.

Ham is pork from the hind leg of a pig
It is cured with salt, spices, etc. to add flavor and preserve
It is smoked for more flavor and preservation

Fresh Ham vs Cured Ham

An important distinction is fresh ham versus cured ham.

Fresh ham is an uncured pork leg. It will still have the bone in and the skin on. Fresh ham has to be cooked like any fresh pork roast before eating.

Once the pork leg is cured and smoked, it becomes true ham that is ready to eat. A cured ham will have the bone removed and the skin off. It is also fully cooked during the smoking process.

So:

Fresh ham: uncured pork leg that must be cooked
Cured ham: cured and smoked pork leg that is ready to eat

Different Types of Cured Ham

There are several major types of cured ham available:

City Ham

City ham is the most common type found in supermarkets. It is wet cured by soaking in or injecting with a brine solution. City ham is then lightly smoked or boiled. It’s less salty than some other hams.

Country Ham

Country ham is dry cured by rubbing salt directly into the meat. It is then smoked and aged to concentrate the flavor. Country ham is more salty and requires soaking before cooking.

Black Forest Ham

Black Forest ham comes from Germany. It is coated in beef blood before smoking which gives it a distinctive black exterior.

Iberico Ham

Iberico ham is from Spain and made from a special breed of Iberico pigs. It is salt cured and then aged for long periods to develop the flavor. Iberico ham is considered a gourmet delicacy.

Prosciutto

Prosciutto is an Italian dry cured ham that is usually thinly sliced. Other regions have their own specialty dry cured hams too, like Prosciutto di Parma or Jamon Serrano.

Honey Baked Ham

Honey baked ham is injected with a sweet glaze before cooking. The HoneyBaked Ham Company popularized this style.

Bone-in vs Boneless

Cured ham is available both bone-in and boneless. For the best flavor, go with bone-in when possible. The bone imparts more pork taste as the meat cooks. Boneless ham is just more convenient for ease of slicing and serving.

Sliced Ham vs Whole Ham

You can buy cured ham pre-sliced or as a whole or half ham. Pre-sliced ham is more convenient but usually lower quality. Whole bone-in hams have the best texture and flavor. You can ask the butcher to slice it for you.

Cooked vs Uncooked

Most cured ham you find in stores is already fully cooked during the smoking process. You just need to heat it through before eating. But some specialty hams may be uncooked. Check the label to see if it is “ready to eat” or needs additional cooking. When in doubt, cook cured ham to 160°F internal temperature.

How to Choose a Good Ham

Look for a ham that is:

Labeled as naturally cured or with no nitrites/nitrates
Labeled as antibiotic-free and humanely raised
Bone-in and tied with butchers twine (no netting)
Good marbling of fat throughout the meat
Pinkish-red coloration with white fat
Thin, dry outer skin that crackles when cooked
From a trusted artisan producer if possible

Stay away from hams:

That seem overly salty or injected with brine
With thick, rubbery, slimy skin
Made from scraps stuck together in a casing
From factory farm animals fed antibiotics and hormones

Taking the time to find a high-quality ham makes all the difference in flavor and enjoyment!

How Ham is Cooked

Cured ham can be prepared in several ways:

Baked – The most common method is baking in the oven. Use a cooking rack in a pan to allow airflow around the ham. Cooking time depends on size, but figure 15-20 minutes per pound at 325°F.
Glazed – Applying a glaze of fruit juice, honey, etc. adds flavor and helps retain moisture when baking a ham. Brown the glaze in the last 15 minutes.
Crockpot – For a super moist ham, cooking it in a slow cooker with some liquid allows the flavor to develop even further.
Grilled – You can also grill ham steaks or a boneless ham roast just like you would a pork chop. Brush with a sweet glaze near the end.
Fried – Diced ham can be fried up for breakfast or in dishes like fried rice.
Added to dishes – Chopped or sliced ham is great in casseroles, soups, salads, sandwiches, omelets, etc.

What About “Turkey Ham”?

You may see products labeled as “turkey ham” in the grocery store. This is made from turkey thigh meat that is cured and shaped to resemble ham. Turkey ham has a milder flavor and leanness similar to regular cooked turkey. It can be a lower sodium alternative to real pork ham.

However, traditional cured and smoked pork ham has a distinctively rich, meaty flavor that you just can’t replicate with turkey. So while turkey “ham” tastes fine, it doesn’t fully stand up to the real thing.

Ham is a beloved pork product with a long history and culinary tradition behind it. Knowing the differences between fresh ham and cured ham, the major styles of cured ham, and what to look for in quality are keys to selecting and enjoying great ham. Seek out high-quality ham from artisan producers when you can. The extra flavor is well worth it. Cook ham using your preferred method – baked, glazed, or in dishes. And be aware that “turkey ham” doesn’t fully live up to real cured pork ham.

So what meat is ham? It’s the cured and smoked back leg of the noble pig. Embrace all the delicious variety that real ham has to offer!

what meat is ham

How Ham Is Made from a Whole Pig — Prime Time

FAQ

Is ham a pork or beef?

Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. As a processed meat, the term ham includes both whole cuts of meat and ones that have been mechanically formed.

Is ham a pork or bacon?

Ham and bacon both are pork meats, but they are cut from different parts of the pig. Ham is typically cut from the hind leg of the pig, while bacon can come from various parts, such as the back, belly, or sides. If you’re a meat lover, you’ve probably heard of ham and bacon.

Is ham only a pig?

Although it’s mostly associated with pork-based products, “beef ham” refers to the cured leg of a cow or bull, and most people are also familiar with turkey or chicken-based hams, which are mechanically-processed, typically lower fat alternatives that are shaped and flavored to mimic pork ham.

Is ham meat yes or no?

Ham is a type of red meat that typically includes preservatives to sustain it longer than normal. Because of the ways in which ham is processed, it has some health benefits and disadvantages.

Is Ham a processed meat?

As a processed meat, the term ham includes both whole cuts of meat and ones that have been mechanically formed. Ham is made around the world, including a number of regional specialties. In addition, numerous ham products have specific geographical naming protection.

What is a ham cut?

What is a ham hog?

Ham, the rear leg of a hog prepared as food, either fresh or preserved through a curing process that involves salting, smoking, or drying. The two hams constitute about 18–20 percent of the weight of a pork carcass. Ham is a compact source of animal protein. Learn about methods of curing and flavoring ham.

Is Ham a food?

Because of the preservation process, ham is a compound foodstuff or ingredient, being made up of the original meat, as well as the remnants of the preserving agent (s), such as salt, but it is still recognised as a food in its own right.