Ham - what is it? How to cook ham at home?

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Ham is a product that has been known to mankind for many centuries. Mentions of it as an ingredient used to prepare many dishes can be found in Chinese treatises dating back to the 10th-13th centuries. And to this day, ham is a product dearly loved by gourmets. But how much do ordinary people know about her? Here, for example, Parma ham - what is it?

What is ham?

Initially, ham was a product made from pork ham. It was s alted and then smoked. Pork is ham in its classic preparation. According to such a simple and classic recipe, some types of this product are being prepared to this day. For example, Italian Parma ham and Spanish jamon. They are delicacies and symbols of the national cuisines of these countries.

Sausage and ham, which are familiar to most people, are products consisting of small pieces of meat separated from bones, fat and tendons. Duringpreparations, they are marinated until ripe, pressed into molds and boiled. Roasting and smoking are also allowed. The classic ham consists only of pork meat and s alt, but manufacturers often use other types of meat, such as beef, turkey, chicken, to expand their product line.

Types of ham

Depending on the method of preparation and country of origin, the product can be divided into several types:

• Cooked ham can be prepared from pork ham with spices, roots, onions and carrots. The product is aged for a certain time in the marinade. Then it boils. This product is distinguished by special juiciness and tenderness.
• The difference between boiled-smoked ham is that after marinating the meat is first smoked and then boiled with spices. The product is characterized by an appetizing crust.
• Smoked-baked ham is also marinated in brine. But then it is not boiled, but immediately baked in frying chambers at a temperature of no more than 95 ° C, and then smoked.
• Black Forest ham belongs to the type of raw smoked ham. When it is cooked, the meat is first fried in an oven. It is then smoked using pine and spruce wood from the Black Forest.

• Jerked ham is bresaola. The birthplace of this product is Italy. It is made from beef, which is s alted and then dried in the open air for 2 months.
• Jamon also belongs to dry-cured varieties. For its preparation, onlypork ham and s alt. Jamon is divided into two types: Serrano and Iberico. They differ in cooking time, as well as the color of the hooves of the pigs from which they are made.
• A special kind of product - Parma ham. What it is? The product is a type of ham for which only three breeds of pigs can be used. In this case, the weight of the carcass must exceed 150 kg. This variety of ham belongs to dry-cured. For its manufacture, the ham is marinated for three weeks. It is then dried outdoors for a year.
• Prosciutto ham comes from Italy. It is a classic dry-cured meat product that uses only meat and s alt.

On the question of whether ham is pork or beef, it is impossible to give a definite answer. It depends on where and who cooked it.

How to choose a ham?

Today, store shelves are bursting with all sorts of options for meat products from different manufacturers. The quality of these products can vary greatly from one another. As a rule, large and well-known manufacturers value their reputation. Therefore, when choosing ham, you should pay attention, first of all, to their products. But in this case, it is worth remembering a few rules.

• The packaging must indicate that the products are manufactured in compliance with GOST 9165-59 standards. The composition of the ham should not contain flavorings, baking powder and other additives.
• The cut of the product must be grey-pink. It shouldn't shine. The reverse case indicates thatthat the composition contains preservatives.
• The casing must be tight and dry with no visible damage.
• The flavor of the ham also plays an important role. A quality product smells like meat, not smoked. It should not have other foreign odors.
• An important factor in the quality of ham is its price. You should choose a product that will be slightly more expensive than the cost of a fresh pork shoulder.

Ham is a perishable product. This should be remembered when buying it. The shelf life of the cut product is reduced to three days. Therefore, you should not stock up on them for the future.

How to cook ham at home?

To prepare homemade ham, you need a pork ham, a set of spices, s alt and patience. After all, the process is quite long. First you need to prepare the brine. It is made hot. Spices and s alt are boiled and then cooled.

A piece of meat is cut off with a syringe using a chilled brine. It is important to do this from all sides and to different depths. This procedure determines how juicy and fragrant the cooked ham will turn out. Then the meat is placed in a container and poured with the rest of the brine. It must be covered with a plate with a load placed on it and sent to the refrigerator to marinate for 3 days. It is necessary to periodically turn the meat over to better distribute the brine. After the piece is taken out, tied with a thick rope or wrapped in cling film.

The product is cooked for 2-2, 5 hours attemperature 85 degrees. If you increase it, then the ham will have the taste of simple boiled meat. Then the meat is doused with cold water and, as it cools, it is sent to the refrigerator to infuse for several hours or overnight.

A little about the benefits of ham

Natural ham is undoubtedly he althy. But only if it is made without the use of artificial preservatives and dyes. First of all, ham is meat. Therefore, it is a source of protein, which is essential for human he alth.

It also contains important fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. It will be fair to note the high calorie content of ham. From which it follows that people suffering from metabolic disorders and overweight should limit the use of this meat product.

Use in cooking

Ham is one of the valuable food products of modern man. It is used both as an independent dish and as part of a variety of dishes. For example, rolls with various fillings are made from ham, baked with potatoes, added to pastries and soups.