Hams: They can be fresh, cook-before-eating, cooked, picnic and country types. There are so many kinds, and their storage times and cooking times can be quite confusing. This background information serves to carve up the facts and make them easier to understand.
Hams may be fresh, cured or cured-and-smoked. Ham is the cured leg of pork. Fresh ham is an uncured leg of pork. There will be the word “fresh” in the name of fresh ham, which means that it has not been cured. “Turkey” ham is a ready-to-eat product made from cured thigh meat of turkey. The term “turkey ham” is always followed by the statement “cured turkey thigh meat. “.
Cursed ham is usually a deep rose or pink color. Fresh ham, which isn’t cured, is the color of a fresh pork roast, which is pale pink or beige. Country hams and prosciutto, which are dry-cured, are pink to mahogany.
Hams are either ready-to-eat or not. Ready-to-eat hams include prosciutto and cooked hams; they can be eaten right out of the package. People must cook fresh hams and hams that have only been treated to destroy trichinae (this could mean heating, freezing, or curing in the processing plant) before they can eat them. Hams that must be cooked will bear cooking instructions and safe handling instructions.
If a ham isn’t ready to eat but looks like it is, it will have a big message on the main display panel (label) saying that it needs to be cooked, examples g. , “cook thoroughly. ” In addition, the label must bear cooking directions.
Sodium or potassium nitrate (or saltpeter), nitrites, and sometimes sugar, seasonings, phosphates, and cure accelerators are added to make something cure. g. , sodium ascorbate, to pork for preservation, color development and flavor enhancement.
Nitrate and nitrite contribute to the characteristic cured flavor and reddish-pink color of cured pork. Clostridium botulinum is a deadly microorganism that can grow in foods in some situations. Nitrite and salt stop it from growing.
Pork can be injected with flavoring and curing solutions or massaged and tumbling the solutions into the muscle. Both methods make the pork more tender.
For dry curing, which is how country hams and prosciutto are made, fresh ham is rubbed with a dry-cure mix of salt and other things. Dry curing produces a salty product. In 1992, U. S. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) approved a trichinae treatment method that lets potassium chloride be used instead of up to half of the sodium chloride. This lowers the amount of sodium in the food. Since dry curing takes away the moisture, the weight of the ham is reduced by at least 20%, but usually by up to 25%. This makes the flavor more concentrated.
Dry-cured hams may be aged more than a year. Six months is the traditional process but may be shortened according to aging temperature.
These hams that haven’t been cooked can be kept at room temperature without getting spoiled by bacteria because they don’t have much water in them. Dry-cured ham is not injected with a curing solution or soaked in a curing solution to make it, but it can be smoked. Today, dry-cured hams may be sold as items that need to be prepared by the customer before they are safe to eat. Just like with any other meat, it’s important to read the label on a ham to see how it should be cooked.
Ham is a popular type of cured and smoked meat that people often enjoy in sandwiches, with eggs, or at holiday meals. However, there seems to be some confusion around whether ham should actually be categorized as a poultry product rather than just a regular type of pork. Let’s clear up this debate once and for all – is ham considered poultry or not?
What Exactly Is Ham?
First we need to understand what ham is before determining if it fits into the poultry family. Ham is a specific cut of meat from the leg of a pig. Pork legs are cured smoked, and sometimes honey-glazed to make ham. The curing and smoking process gives ham its distinctive pink color and smoky, salty flavor.
Ham can be sold bone-in or boneless. Some types like prosciutto are sold in very thin slices. Other specialty hams include ones covered in herbs, spices, or other flavorings. But in general, ham refers to the cured, smoked meat from the hind legs of pigs
What Is Considered Poultry?
Now that we know what ham is, we need to define what exactly is classified as poultry. Poultry refers to domesticated birds raised specifically for their meat, eggs, or feathers. The most common poultry products come from chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.
So poultry specifically applies to birds, not four-legged farm animals like pigs. Other examples of poultry include quail, pheasant, grouse, and squab. Basically, if it flies and people eat it, it’s poultry.
The Definitive Answer: Ham Is Not Poultry
Based on the definitions above, it is clear that ham does not fit into the poultry category whatsoever. Ham comes from pigs, which are livestock animals, not domesticated birds raised for food. While they are both sources of meat, pigs and birds have very different specifications for their classification.
Even though ham may have a pinkish color similar to poultry when it is cured, it does not come from a bird. The pink color is due to the curing process, not because ham suddenly becomes a poultry product. Ham is simply a cut of pork from a pig that has been additionally processed.
What’s The Difference Between Ham and Poultry?
To drive home the point further, let’s outline a few key differences that set ham and poultry products like chicken and turkey apart:
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Source animal: Ham comes from pigs, poultry comes from birds.
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Type of meat: Ham is classified as red meat, poultry is white meat.
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Nutritional profile: Ham has more fat and less protein than chicken or turkey. Poultry is generally lower in calories and fat.
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Cooking methods: Ham is best glazed, roasted, or grilled. Poultry can be roasted but also fried, sautéed, or turned into cutlets.
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Serving styles: Ham is best served whole or sliced. Poultry is more versatile – wings, breasts, cutlets, etc.
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Flavors: Ham is smoked and salty. Poultry can take on many flavors like lemon, herbs, cajun spices, etc.
As you can see, ham and poultry are very different types of animal proteins. One key giveaway is that ham comes from pigs and poultry comes from birds – making it impossible for ham to ever be considered poultry meat.
Common Examples Of Ham Dishes
Let’s go over some classic ham preparation methods and dishes that demonstrate how ham is used in the culinary world:
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Baked ham – A full ham is baked glazed with honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup for a special occasion dish.
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Ham sandwich – Sliced ham is layered on bread with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and condiments for a classic sandwich.
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Ham and eggs – Chopped ham is fried with eggs for a delicious breakfast dish.
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Ham steak – A thick ham slice is grilled or pan-fried like a beef steak.
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Split pea soup – Ham hocks are simmered with split peas and vegetables for added flavor.
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Prosciutto – Thinly sliced dry-cured ham used in Italian cooking or for antipasto.
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Ham biscuits – Shredded ham is served on flaky biscuits for a southern-style appetizer.
As you can see, ham is most often used in dishes that complement its salty, smoky flavor. It’s not interchangeable with chicken or turkey like a poultry product would be. The culinary uses of ham are distinct from the various ways poultry can be prepared.
Is The Pink Color Misleading?
Given its pinkish hue after curing, some people may assume ham must be related to pink poultry meats like chicken or turkey. However, the color is not an indicator that ham somehow comes from poultry.
Ham’s pink color is the result of a chemical change that happens during the curing process. Raw pork meat is reddish in color due to the protein myoglobin found in muscles. The curing process causes myoglobin to change to a stable, pink version called nitrosylhemochrome.
This chemical reaction leads to ham’s iconic light pink color. The same process makes corned beef, hot dogs, bacon, and other cured meats pink as well. So while the color looks similar to poultry, it’s simply the expected result of curing – not an indication that ham actually comes from birds.
Is Ham Healthier Than Poultry?
Another reason people may wonder if ham is poultry is due to some misconceptions about its health factors. Ham does tend to be lower in fat and calories than most red meat when comparing the same serving sizes. However, poultry still comes out on top in terms of health.
Chicken and turkey generally have less saturated fat and fewer calories and cholesterol than ham. For example, a 3-ounce serving of roasted chicken breast has around 140 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat. A 3-ounce serving of ham lunch meat contains closer to 115 calories but with higher saturated fat around 2 grams.
Ounce for ounce, chicken and turkey almost always pack way less fat and cholesterol and more protein than sliced ham lunch meats. So while ham may seem comparable to poultry nutrition if you just look at the pink color, poultry still comes out as the healthier choice overall.
Can You Use Ham As A Poultry Substitute?
The last important question is whether ham makes an acceptable substitute for poultry in recipes. In most cases, the answer is no – using ham when a recipe calls for poultry will yield very different results. Sure, you may get a source of protein either way, but the flavor profiles are totally different.
Some examples:
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Chicken noodle soup – Subbing ham for chicken would make it a salty split pea-like soup, not comforting and delicate.
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Turkey sandwiches – Using ham instead of turkey would completely change the flavor from mild to salty.
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Fried chicken – Breading and frying ham steaks would lead to very salty, greasy meat with an unbalanced flavor.
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Chicken parmesan – A ham steak in this dish would be overly salty and wouldn’t pair well with the tomato sauce and cheese.
The high saltiness of ham overwhelms dishes in a way that mild poultry doesn’t. There are a few exceptions where bacon or prosciutto may complement without overpowering. But in general, ham and poultry are not interchangeable in cooking.
Ham Stands On Its Own
While ham may have some comparable attributes, it is decidedly not a form of poultry. At the end of the day, ham is its own unique type of meat with distinct characteristics:
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Comes from the legs of pigs
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Delivers a salty, smoky flavor
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Has a pink color due to curing
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Works best as the star of a dish
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Most often enjoyed in smaller quantities
Ham has certainly earned its place at the dinner table. But that place is definitely not in the poultry family. Hopefully this clears up any question on whether ham really is a red meat or can be considered a poultry product. The verdict is in – ham stands on its own as a delicious pork product!
Cooking or Reheating Hams
You can eat fully cooked, vacuum-packed hams (whole or half) and canned hams cold, right from the package. These are both made in federally inspected plants.
If you want to reheat these cooked hams, however, set the oven to no less than 325°F and heat it until a food thermometer reads 140°F inside.
Unpackaged, cooked ham is potentially contaminated with pathogens. Heat to 165°F any cooked ham that has been repackaged somewhere other than the processing plant or any cooked ham that has been left over.
Spiral-cut cooked hams are also safe to eat cold. The unique slicing method, invented in 1957, reduces carving problems. When whole or half hams are heated, the glaze melts and runs off the meat, making the meat dry. This is why these hams are best served cold. If you want to reheat hams that were packed in processing plants that were inspected by the USDA, you must heat them to 140°F using a food thermometer. Hams that have been repackaged outside of the plant or that have been spiral-cut and left over must be heated to 165°F. In a regular oven, heat a spiral-sliced ham at 325°F for about 10 minutes per pound. Cover the whole ham or a portion of it with heavy aluminum foil. Individual slices may also be warmed in a skillet or microwave.
Smoked or fresh hams that need to be cooked before eating must reach 145°F and rest for 3 minutes before they can be served. Cook in an oven set no lower than 325°F. Hams can also be safely cooked in a microwave oven, other countertop appliances and on the stove. Consult a cookbook for specific methods and timing.
Country hams can be soaked in the fridge for 4 to 12 hours or longer to lower the amount of salt they have before they are cooked. Then they can be cooked by boiling or baking. Follow the manufacturers cooking instructions.
Smoking and Smoke Flavoring
After curing, some hams are smoked. When ham is smoked, it is hung in a smokehouse and allowed to soak up smoke from smoldering fires. This gives the meat more flavor and color and slows down the rancidity process. Not all smoked meat is smoked from smoldering fires. A popular process is to heat the ham in a smokehouse and generate smoke from atomized smoke flavor.
Pathogens that can make you sick can be found in pork, as well as other meats and poultry. These are Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. They are all destroyed by proper handling and thorough cooking to an internal temperature of 160°F. The following pathogens are associated with ham:
- The trichinella spiralis family includes parasites that can be found on hogs. To kill trichinae, all hams must be processed according to USDA rules.
- Staphylococcus aureus (staph): These bacteria are killed by heat and processing, but they can come back if they are handled incorrectly. Then they can make a poison that can’t be killed by cooking it any further. Dry curing of hams may or may not destroy S. auxreus, but the high salt content on the outside stops these bacteria from growing. When the ham is cut into slices, the moister inside will make it easier for staphylococcus to grow. Thus, sliced dry-cured hams must be refrigerated.
- Mold — Can often be found on country cured ham. Most of these are safe, but some molds can make mycotoxins. Molds grow on hams during the long process of curing and drying them because the high salt and low temperatures don’t bother these tough organisms. DO NOT DISCARD the ham. Use hot water to clean it and a stiff vegetable brush to get rid of the mold.
When buying a ham, figure out what size you need by looking at how many servings that type of ham should make:
- 1/4-1/3 lb. per serving of boneless ham
- 1/3-1/2 lb. of meat per serving of bone-in ham
Homemade pressed chicken ham
FAQ
Is ham considered poultry?
What kind of meat is ham considered?
Is ham pig butt?
What part of the body is ham?
Is Ham healthier than poultry?
If you’re wondering if it’s just as healthy as poultry, the answer is, well, no. That’s primarily because ham—which is made by curing pork leg—is a type of processed red meat. Ham is a type of red meat that typically includes preservatives to sustain it longer than normal.
Is ham gluten free?
Ham naturally by itself is gluten-free. Although, many companies made their ham with gluten-containing ingredients like broth, spices, and glazes. So, you must prefer brands that indicate they are gluten-free on the packaging.
What is chicken ham?
Chicken ham is a type of ham made from skinless chicken breasts that are cured and cooked to create a lean and healthy alternative to traditional pork ham. It is a popular choice for those who are looking for a low-fat and high-protein option for their meals.
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.