From birthday celebrations to weddings to simple everyday lunches, pork ham is one of the most delicious food options. It is ideal meat that can make any meal taste better. There are various types of pork ham to meet your culinary needs.

What is ham?

Ham is a type of pork received from the hind leg of a pig. There are many ways to prepare and preserve pork ham. For its preservation, preservatives like nitrates and nitrites are used. The pork ham stored in the fridge can last for several weeks. The ham has a strong and smoky flavor in its texture; you must keep this in mind before preparing it. Ham has little sweetness in its taste, irrespective of its preparation method. Its sweetness makes it pair perfectly with various food items like salt, maple, brown sugar, and cloves. For the preparation of the sandwich, boneless ham is used. The preference between wet curing and dry curing will highly make a difference in what ends up on your plate, and to find a perfect ham, you must be familiar with the types of ham.

Cured and Uncured ham:

Cured ham is pre-cooked and safe to consume. The ham that is not treated with chemical preservatives and relies on natural salts to maintain its taste is uncured.

History of pork ham:

The word ham is derived from the word hom, which means bend of a knee. First century’s Latin prose, the oldest book, has instructions to prepare ham, so it is safe to say that we have been enjoying ham for a long time. As per historical records, China is the first place to invent the curing process for ham production. Curing ham requires specific climatic conditions. The ham freezes if the environment is cold, hindering the curing process. However, extreme warm conditions spoil the ham. Italy and Spain have the perfect weather conditions for curing ham. Thanks to the automated food production process, it is possible to prepare pork ham worldwide. However, Europe and the USA are still well known for specializing in various ham products.

Types of Pork ham :

City ham: Hams that are wet cured are known as city ham. It is readily available in local markets, and it is usually smoked. To prepare this, you must set the oven to a lower temperature. You can also eat it cold or fry this with the help of a skillet. Before preparing it, you must soak it for at least 24 hours to remove excess salt.

Country ham: Hams that are dry cured are known as country ham. You cannot easily find them as they are not very common.It can be eaten without cooking since they are preserved. They are not juicy, taste salty, and have a drier texture than city ham.

Shank end ham: It is the lower part of the hog’s leg and tends to be fattier and less tender. This type of ham is more used during Christmas and Easter.

Butt end ham: The part of the ham which is linear and easy to carve is known as the butt end. This type of ham takes a longer time in the oven. 

Boneless ham: It is not that rich in flavor and texture. It is easier to carve and cook. Rather than wasting your time working around the bone, you can choose this as uniform slicing of boneless ham is quick and easy. It is readily available in the supermarket.

Bone-in ham: It has a nice and rich flavor. Carving of the bone is challenging, but once you are done with carving, it is to flavor southern classics.

Ham hocks: They are also known as shanks or pork knuckles. They are not ham but the portion taken from the part present just below the ham. It is the hog’s calf area. After cooking, the meat becomes tender and delicious as collagen breaks down.

Canadian Bacon: It is popularly referred to as peameal bacon or back bacon. It is wet cured and smoked, which makes it taste similar to ham. It is primarily enjoyed at breakfast. To prepare it, you must cut slices and fry them in a skillet.

Conclusion:

Quality and the perfect type of pork ham will make your meal yummy, and there are plenty of options available for pork hams, but Maleny serves you the best.

Source URL: https://malenyblackangusbeef.com.au/product/ham/