Does Ginger Ale Really Remove Salt from Ham?

Ham is a tasty main dish that is often served at holidays and on weekends for brunch. But sometimes that salty smoked flavor can be a bit overpowering. If you discover that your ham is too salty, don’t worry! There’s a simple fix that you may already have in your kitchen: ginger ale.

In recent years, it has become popular to use ginger ale to get rid of extra salt in ham. But does it really work? Let’s look more closely at how this trick works and what science behind it says.

How Does Ginger Ale Remove Salt from Ham?

The carbonation and sugar in ginger ale help break down and dissolve salt molecules through a simple chemical reaction. Here’s a quick rundown of the science at play:

• Carbonation – The carbon dioxide bubbles in ginger ale create carbonic acid, which reacts with the sodium chloride (table salt) in ham to form sodium bicarbonate, better known as baking soda. This reaction reduces the saltiness.

• Sugar – The high sugar content also helps balance out salty flavors. Sugar binds to taste receptors on the tongue, tempering the saltiness.

• Acidity – Ginger ale has a pH between 25 and 3 This acidity helps extract salt from the ham.

Does It Work on All Types of Ham?

While ginger ale can reduce salt in any type of cured ham, it’s especially effective for very salty country ham. Country hams are dry cured with lots of salt for months to preserve them. This gives them their signature salty flavor and firm texture. A ginger ale bath can help temper the intense saltiness of country ham.

Wet cured hams like a honey baked ham don’t need as much help, since they are brined in a milder salt solution. But soaking in ginger ale can still help balance the flavors. Boneless spiral cut hams fall somewhere in between when it comes to salt content.

No matter what type of ham you have, letting it take a soak in ginger ale will help reduce excess saltiness for a more balanced flavor.

How Long Should You Soak Ham in Ginger Ale?

Most recipes recommend soaking the ham in ginger ale for at least 4-6 hours. Longer is better, especially for very salty hams. Letting it marinate overnight in the fridge gives the ginger ale time to fully work its magic.

For whole bone-in hams, it’s a good idea to flip the ham over halfway through the soak to allow the ginger ale to penetrate evenly. For sliced ham steaks or pieces, a few hours of marinating should suffice.

Does Flat Ginger Ale Work?

The carbonation in the ginger ale is important for the chemical reaction that removes salt from the ham Flat, non-carbonated ginger ale won’t have the same effect

Make sure to use fresh ginger ale that still has plenty of fizz. Adding a splash of club soda or shaking up the bottle can help liven up a ginger ale that has lost some bubble.

Should You Rinse After Soaking?

After marinating the ham, discard the ginger ale and pat the ham dry. There’s no need to rinse it off. The sugars and sodium from the ginger ale will add nice flavor to the ham when cooked.

Rinsing would just wash away those extra flavors you want sticking to the ham. Resist the urge to rinse and go straight to patting it dry and cooking.

What’s the Best Way to Cook Desalinated Ham?

There are lots of tasty ways to prepare your less-salty ginger ale ham:

• Baked – Coat with brown sugar, pineapple, or cloves and bake until heated through.

• Glazed – Brush on a sweet glaze as it bakes for a caramelized exterior.

• Grilled – Get nice char marks by grilling boneless ham steaks or pieces.

• Fried – Dredge ham slices in flour and fry up for a crispy treat.

• Added to dishes – Dice up ham to add to casseroles, eggs, pasta, etc.

Because the ham is less salty, you may want to add extra seasoning or glaze to bump up the flavor. But let the ham shine through as the star.

What Drinks Work Besides Ginger Ale?

While ginger ale is the most popular option, other carbonated beverages can work to de-salt ham as well. Good alternatives include:

• Club soda
• Lemon-lime soda
• Root beer
• Clear sodas like Sprite or 7UP

Avoid colas, since they are less acidic and the darker color can taint the appearance of the ham. The ginger flavor of ginger ale does pair particularly nicely with ham though.

Feel free to experiment with other fizzy, sweet drinks in place of ginger ale if you don’t have it on hand. The science remains the same.

Why Does Ham Get So Salty in the First Place?

To understand why ginger ale removes salt from ham, it helps to first understand why ham gets so salty to begin with.

There are two main reasons behind ham’s high sodium content:

1. Curing – Hams are cured with salt, plus sometimes sugar and nitrates, to preserve them and add flavor. The salt draws out moisture, inhibits bacteria growth, and gives a unique salty taste.

2. Smoking – Many hams are smoked after curing to add flavor. This smoking process leaves even more salt behind on the surface of the meat.

Wet-cured hams tend to be less salty than dry-cured versions. Country hams get an especially heavy hand with the salt to deeply cure and age them. So a country ham can end up wickedly salty from its long curing and smoking time.

Does Ginger Ale Completely Desalt Ham?

While ginger ale can significantly reduce the amount of salt in ham, it won’t completely desalt it 100%. A small amount of saltiness is desirable for flavor.

After a good long soak, you’ll notice a major improvement in salt levels. But the ham will likely still have a bit more salt than an un-cured fresh pork product.

That’s why it’s a good idea to taste a piece after soaking to see if you want to season it additionally before cooking. The ginger ale makes the salt levels more manageable but doesn’t completely eliminate that cured ham essence.

Helpful Tips for De-Salting Ham with Ginger Ale

Here are some handy tips to get the best results when using ginger ale to desalt your ham:

• Choose very cold ginger ale – colder soda has more fizz for better de-salting.

• Use 1 liter of ginger ale per 4-5 lbs of ham.

• Flip ham during marinating to evenly expose all sides.

• Pat ham dry before cooking – don’t rinse!

• Add extra glaze or seasoning if ham still seems undersalted after cooking.

• For very salty ham, soak for longer times up to 24 hours.

• Add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to amplify ginger ale’s acidity.

History of Using Ginger Ale to De-Salt Ham

The idea of using ginger ale to reduce salt in ham has circulated for decades, with early recipes appearing in Canadian cookbooks back in the 1970s.

The acidity of ginger ale was recommended as a salt-cutting marinade for salty cured meats. It gained popularity online around 2010 when various recipe sites and food blogs began touting it as a simple trick to salvage an over-salty ham.

It makes sense that this application was discovered in Canada, since Canadian bacon (aka peameal bacon) is known for its salty cure. Early ginger ale-soaking recipes were aimed specifically at reducing the saltiness of Canadian bacon.

Over time, this clever food hack migrated south of the border to the US, where it is now commonly used on salty country hams, spiral cut hams, and other cured pork products.

While not a new technique, it has proven itself over time as an easy and effective method for dialing back excess saltiness in ham. The science lines up, and countless happy cooks swear by the ginger ale method for delicious de-salinated ham.

So next time you end up with an overly salty ham, resist the urge to toss it out! Instead, pick up a liter of ginger ale and put this ingenious hack to work. In just a few hours, you can transform that salty slab into a perfectly balanced and tasty entree.