Baked Ham

Photo: flickr user wEnDaLicious

About

Baked Ham is a delicacy that is often served at special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Information

Translations: Cepeškrāsnī cepts šķiņķis, Keptas kumpis, Şuncă prăjită, Pečena šunka, Thịt giăm bông nướng, Pieczona szynka, Plak gebakken ham, बेक किया हुआ हैम, Запеченная ветчина, Χοιρομέρι ψητό, لحم خنزير مطبوخ, 구운 햄 요리, Pečená šunka, Ham panggang, Inihurnong hamon, 烤火腿, Pernil enfornat, Pečen pršut, Pečená šunka, Prosciutto al forno, שינקין אפוי, Ugnsbakad skinka, Печена шунка, ベークハム, Jambon, Gebackener Schinken, Bagt skinke, Ovnsbakt skinke, Jamón horneado, Запечена шинка, Paistettu kinkku, Печена шунка

Physical Description

It is meat of pork usually made bone in or bone out. Served whole or Sliced.

Colors: Brown, Pink

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Pork, Salty, Smoked

Mouthfeel: Chewy

Food complements: Mashed potatoes, Rice, Vegetable, Beef

Wine complements: Pinot grigio, Chianti, Pinot noir, White wines, Syrah, White merlot, Petite syrah

Beverage complements: Coke, Rum, Brandy

Substitutes: Cured tureky

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Choosing: Choose by size or lbs depending on how many people are being served.

Buying: You can purchase at your local Grocery Store or Meat Market.

Procuring: Ham is the thigh and rump of pork, cut from the haunch of a pig or boar. Although it may be cooked and served fresh, most ham is cured in some fashion. Cuts referred to as ham in the U.S. are also called gammon in the U.K., South Africa, Isle of Man, and Ireland.

Preparation and Use

Ham can be cured, baked or served as is COLD!!

Conserving and Storing

Store in Cold Temps in the Refrigerator.

Social/Political

History: In Italy, ham is called prosciutto, and can be either cured (prosciutto crudo) or cooked (prosciutto cotto).

Earliest evidence of ham production in Italy comes from the Republican Roman period (400-300 BC). Modern Italian and European Union legislation grants a protected designation of origin to several raw hams, which specify where and how these types of ham can be produced. There are several such hams from Italy, each one with a peculiar production process. Parma ham, the so called Prosciutto di Parma, has almost 200 producers concentrated in the eastern part of Parma Province. Its production is regulated by a quality consortium that recognizes qualifying products with distinctive mark. Only larger fresh hams are used (12-13 kilograms). Curing uses relatively little salt, but can include garlic salt and sugar, producing a sweeter meat. After salting, the meat is sealed with pig fat over the exposed muscle tissue, which slows drying. Curing occurs over a minimum 12 months. This curing method uses only salt, without nitrates and without spices. No conserving substances are added. San Daniele ham (Prosciutto di San Daniele) is the most similar to Parma ham, especially the low quantity of salt added to the meat, and is the most prized ham. Other raw hams include the so called "nostrani" or "nazionali" or "toscani"; they are more strongly flavoured and are produced using a higher quantity of salt.