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Ham is a processed meat made from pork leg that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. The curing process involves the use of salt and other ingredients like sugar and spices to add flavour and prevent bacterial growth. The meat is then typically washed and hung to dry and air for a period of time, which varies depending on the type of ham. During the curing process, the pork leg is transformed into ham, and the muscle tissue undergoes proteolysis, creating small peptides and free amino acids. The ham industry has been exploring new ways to create products from single muscles or groups of muscles, such as the four major muscles of the ham: the inside ham, outside ham, knuckle, and semitendinosus (eye muscle).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. |
| Production process | The curing process varies by the type of ham. For example, Jinhua ham takes approximately 8–10 months to complete, while Iberian ham can take up to 2 years to reach the desired flavor characteristics. |
| Weight | The weight of a ham varies depending on the weight of the pig it comes from. As the weight of the ham increases, the price per cwt decreases. |
| Muscle | The four major muscles of the ham are the inside ham, the outside ham, the knuckle, and the semitendinosus or eye muscle. |
| By-products | Ham skin, bone, external fat, and seam fat are by-products of the manufacturing of boneless fresh ham muscles. |
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What You'll Learn
Ham is made from the pig's leg
Ham is a processed meat made from the hind leg cut of a pig that has been preserved through wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. The process of curing involves the use of salt and sometimes other ingredients like sugar and nitrites to add flavour and prevent bacterial growth. The curing process breaks down the muscle tissue, creating small peptides and free amino acids, while the adipose tissue breaks down to create free fatty acids. The duration of the curing process varies depending on the type of ham and can range from a few days to several months or even years.
The production of cured ham has a long history, with evidence of its preparation among the Etruscan civilization in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Cato the Elder, in his work "De agri cultura" around 160 BC, wrote about the "salting of hams". The Chinese are also believed to have been among the first to produce cured ham, and it was well-established by the Roman period, as mentioned in the writings of Marcus Terentius Varro.
In modern times, the meat processing industry has explored creating products from single or groups of muscles, including the ham muscle. Boneless hams, for example, can be made from individual muscles, with the four major muscles being the inside ham, outside ham, knuckle, and semitendinosus or eye muscle. The weight of these muscles generally increases as the live weight of the pig increases.
The curing process for ham can be achieved through brining, where the meat is immersed in a brine solution, or through wet curing, where the curing solution is pumped directly into the meat. Wet-cured ham is typically cooked during processing or after ageing, while dry-cured hams like prosciutto are often eaten without additional cooking. Smoking is another preservation method that involves curing the meat in a smokehouse or using an atomized spray of liquid smoke.
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Wet and dry curing methods
Curing is a process that helps protect raw meat from spoilage. Salt and the reduction of water content in the meat are used to achieve this. The salt extracts liquid from the meat and penetrates it along with other flavours through osmosis. The longer the curing time, the more evenly the salt is distributed.
Wet Curing Method
Wet curing, also known as brining, involves submerging the meat in a liquid solution of water, salt, and other ingredients like sugar, spices, and herbs. The curing time depends on the weight of the meat, with a common rule being one day of curing per two pounds of meat. After curing, the meat is rinsed to remove excess salt and then cooked. Wet-cured hams have a shorter curing time, usually just a few days, resulting in a juicy yet chewy texture. This type of ham is often found in grocery stores and is known as "city ham".
Dry Curing Method
Dry curing, on the other hand, does not involve submerging the meat in a liquid solution. Instead, the meat is coated with a dry mixture of salt, sugar, and spices, and then left to cure. Dry curing takes longer than wet curing, and the curing time depends on the size of the meat. For example, a large piece of ham may require three days of curing per pound. During the dry curing process, moisture is drawn out of the meat, reducing its weight by about 20-25%. This results in a more concentrated ham flavour. After curing, dry-cured hams may be aged for several months or even over a year. This type of ham is known as "country ham" and has a delicate, supple texture similar to prosciutto.
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Boneless ham muscles
Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. The curing process involves the use of salt to break down proteins in the meat, allowing them to reconnect and form a solid mass. This process is commonly used in the production of boneless ham, where the bone is removed, and the meat is pressed into an oval-shaped package.
Boneless ham is typically made from specific muscles of the pig, such as the inside ham, outside ham, knuckle, and semitendinosus or eye muscle. These muscles are trimmed and combined to form the boneless ham cut. The inside muscle is known for being the leanest and most tender, making it a popular choice for boneless ham production.
The process of creating boneless ham involves significant labour and time costs, as the meat needs to be separated from the bone and the muscles need to be isolated. Additionally, the removal of skin, external fat, seam fat, and other lean portions of the meat result in some yield loss. However, these by-products can be utilised in other ways, such as being added to pork lean trimmings to regain some value.
The price of boneless ham is influenced by various factors, including the weight of the pig, labour costs, and the loss of usable meat during processing. Generally, boneless ham is more expensive than bone-in ham due to the additional labour and yield loss associated with removing the bone and trimming the meat. The weight of the pig also plays a role, with hams from heavier pigs often commanding a higher price.
In summary, boneless ham muscles are derived from specific muscles of the pig, trimmed, and processed to create a convenient and popular cut of meat. The production of boneless ham involves additional steps and results in a higher-priced product compared to bone-in ham, but it caters to consumer preferences for meat with less visible fat and lower fat levels.
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The curing process
Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. The curing process can take days or even weeks, depending on the temperature and humidity of the environment.
Wet Curing
Wet-cured hams are brined, which involves immersing the meat in a brine solution for 3 to 14 days. The wet curing process can also be achieved by pumping the curing solution into the meat. This process is quicker than traditional brining and normally takes a few days to complete. Wet-cured ham is usually cooked, either during processing or after ageing.
To wet brine a ham, you need to add water, salt, and curing salt to a large pot. Other ingredients can be added for flavour, such as cider, molasses, cloves, pickling spice, brown sugar, or black pepper. The mixture should be brought to a boil and then cooled to room temperature by adding ice. The ham is then immersed in the brine or, alternatively, the curing solution can be pumped directly into the meat.
Dry Curing
Dry-cured hams are rubbed with salt, sugar, and spices and then hung in a dark, temperature-regulated place until dry. The duration of the curing process varies depending on the type of ham. For example, Jinhua ham takes approximately 8 to 10 months to complete, while Iberian ham can take up to 2 years to reach the desired flavour characteristics.
Smoking
After the curing process, hams can be further preserved and flavoured by smoking them in a smokehouse or equivalent. Smoking adds an intense, earthy flavour to the ham.
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History of ham
The history of ham can be traced back to ancient traditions and the advent of curing, which enabled cities, people, and cultures to flourish. The preservation of pork leg as ham has a long history, with the Chinese credited with being the first to cure pork leg in 4900 BC. The popularity of ham spread throughout ancient Europe with the Romans, who likely learned the practice from the Chinese.
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 those that have been mechanically formed. The process of curing ham involves a number of enzymatic reactions. The enzymes involved are proteinases and exopeptidases. These enzymes cause proteolysis of muscle tissue, which creates a large number of small peptides and free amino acids. The salt content in dry-cured ham varies throughout a piece of meat, with gradients determinable through sampling and testing or non-invasively through CT scanning. The duration of the curing process varies depending on the type of ham and the desired flavour characteristics. For example, Jinhua ham takes approximately 8 to 10 months to complete, while Iberian ham can take up to 2 years.
The popularity of ham can also be attributed to the producers' geographic location. The conditions required for curing meat need to be such that it is not so cold that the ham freezes and unable to cure, nor too warm, causing the ham to spoil. This resulted in distinct areas around the world becoming renowned for their particular hams. Italian prosciutto and Spanish Serrano, as well as American country ham from Kentucky and Virginia, are all located on what can be described as the "Ham Belt".
In modern times, with the advent of technology, climate control, and the mechanization of food production methods, geographic location has become less important for ham production. However, the original ham centres are still prized as the finest ham-producing regions today. Ham remains one of the most consumed pork products globally, with Americans consuming an average of 193 sandwiches per year, with ham being the most popular choice.
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Frequently asked questions
Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking.
The process of making ham involves curing pork leg with salt and sometimes other ingredients like sugar and nitrites for flavour and colour. The meat is then washed and hung in a dark, temperature-regulated place until dry.
Yes, ham is made from the muscles of a pig's leg.
There are two main types of ham: wet-cured and dry-cured. Examples of dry-cured hams include Jinhua ham, jamón serrano, prosciutto di Parma, and Iberian ham. Italian prosciutto cotto is a type of wet-cured ham.
The by-products of manufacturing boneless fresh ham muscles include ham skin, bone, external fat, and seam fat.
