Trying out new flavors in your favorite dishes is one of the best parts of cooking. At first, mixing meat and fruits might seem odd, but it will add a gourmet touch to everyday dishes and will definitely surprise and please your family.
There is a fruit that goes well with every type of meat, whether you eat it with a slow-cooked meal or roast or use it in a sauce or glaze afterward.
Think about some of the most classic dishes like Turkey and Cranberry – delicious don’t you agree?
Some fruits taste sweet when added to meat dishes that are otherwise savory or salty. The key is to find the best combinations of fruits.
Here’s a few ideas for you to try at home. The sweet and sour taste of these fruits makes sauces interesting. Adding fruit pieces to your dishes gives them extra texture and flavor.
Chicken: Apples, cranberries, peaches, pears, pomegranates, and prunes are all great alternatives to lemons that you can use to roast or stir-fry chicken.
Pork: You can add fruit to a variety of pork dishes, such as chops, prosciutto, and baked ham.
Apple, pomegranate, or oranges go well with pork chops or loins. Peaches, apricots, dried figs, and mango go well with ham (baked or cold), and they’re great in pork burgers.
Beef: With a stronger flavour, sweeter fruits work best with beef dishes like apricots, peaches, plums and prunes. With beef we suggest avoiding citrus or acidic fruits.
Lamb: Enhance the flavour of your lamb with dried fruits such as cranberries, dates, prunes & raisins. For lighter meals, apricots and other stone fruits go well with lamb stew, while smaller, more delicate cherries go well with lamb salads.
If you’re sick of fruit being too sweet in a dish, try adding strong flavors to a salad or side of vegetables like spinach, mesculin, radicchio, radish, zucchini, eggplant, and other vegetables that taste a little bitter.
Heres a simple fruity sauce recipe for you to try, this one works wonderfully with Lamb:
Cherry pits (fresh or frozen), 2 cups red wine, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Put red wine, honey and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan and simmer until reduced by half. Add cherries and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove cherries with a slotted spoon and continue to reduce liquid until the consistency of a light syrup. Take off the heat and stir in butter a little at a time. Add the cherries back and season. Cool for 10 minutes.
Ham is a beloved meat that can be enjoyed in endless ways. From baked ham to grilled ham sandwiches, this salty and savory meat is a staple in many households. But when it comes to sides, what fruit goes best with ham? The sweet and tart flavors of fruit can perfectly complement the saltiness of ham, creating a dynamic flavor profile. In this complete guide, we’ll explore the best fruits to pair with ham and provide delicious recipes to try.
Classic Fruit and Ham Pairings
Some fruit and ham combinations are tried and true classics These pairings work so well because the sweetness of the fruit balances the saltiness of the ham Here are some all-time favorite fruit and ham pairings
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Pineapple: This tangy, tropical fruit is a go-to pairing with ham. The sweet juiciness of pineapple perfectly complements the salty smokiness of ham. Grilled pineapple rings are an easy way to top a ham steak. For baked ham, you can add crushed pineapple to the glaze or serve pineapple chunks on the side.
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Peaches Juicy, ripe peaches are ideal for pairing with ham especially in the summertime when they are fresh and in-season. Peach salsa makes a lively topping for ham slices. You can also bake peaches alongside a ham in the oven so the flavors mingle.
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Apples Tart crunchy apples pair wonderfully with salty cured ham. Applesauce, baked apples or an apple cider glaze are all options for serving with a baked ham. Apples also pair well with prosciutto or Serrano ham.
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Cherries: The sweet tang of cherries balances nicely with ham’s richness. Bake pitted cherries right on top of a ham roast or mix them into the glaze. Cherries also make a lovely garnish for ham platters.
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Pears: Buttery, tender pears go great with a smoky, salty ham. Bake pears with maple syrup and brown sugar to caramelize them, then serve them as a sweet side for ham. You can also make a pear chutney to spoon over ham slices.
Unexpected Fruit Combos for Ham
Thinking beyond the classics, many other fruits can complement ham’s flavor in surprising ways. Get adventurous with your fruit and ham pairings by trying these unique combinations:
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Mango: Tropical, sweet mango makes an unexpected match for salty cured ham like prosciutto. Dice mango to add to a salad with ham slices or make a mango salsa to spoon over cooked ham.
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Figs: Sultry fresh figs pair wonderfully with Italian cured meats. Wrap prosciutto around quartered figs for an upscale appetizer. Or bake figs with a brown sugar glaze and serve alongside baked ham.
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Blueberries: The tartness of fresh blueberries balances the fattiness of ham beautifully. Fold blueberries into ham salad or relish, or spoon them over ham slices.
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Cantaloupe: Sweet, juicy cantaloupe is an excellent complement to salty prosciutto. Wrap melon slices with prosciutto and serve as an appetizer. Or add melon cubes to a salad with ham.
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Strawberries: Just as they pair well with pork, strawberries also go nicely with ham. The sweet tartness contrasts the salty meat. Top split biscuits with ham and sliced strawberries for an elegant tea sandwich.
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Grapes: Red grapes have just enough tart sweetness to balance a rich cured ham like Iberico jamon. Make pinwheels by wrapping ham slices around grape skewers for a fun appetizer.
Tips for Preparing Fruit and Ham Dishes
When cooking fruit-filled ham dishes, keep these tips in mind:
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Look for fruits that are ripe and in season. Their flavor will be more robust.
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Allow baked fruit toppings at least 20 minutes in the oven to caramelize and release their juices.
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Brush glazes on ham in the last 30 minutes of cooking so they don’t burn.
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Let the natural sweetness of the fruit shine by using light seasoning like honey, herbs, or ginger.
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If salsa or relish is too juicy, drain it well before spooning over ham slices.
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Roasted, grilled or broiled fruit like peaches, pineapple, and figs pair especially well with ham.
Recipes to Try
Here are some delicious recipes for cooking ham with fruit:
Maple Glazed Ham with Roasted Pears
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Ingredients: Bone-in smoked ham, pears, maple syrup, brown sugar, thyme
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Directions: Stud the ham with thyme, coat with maple glaze, roast with halved pears for a sweet and savory entree.
Prosciutto Asparagus Bundles with Cantaloupe
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Ingredients: Prosciutto, asparagus, cantaloupe
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Directions: Wrap prosciutto around asparagus, roast until crispy, and serve with melon wedges for an elegant appetizer.
Seared Ham Steak with Peach Salsa
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Ingredients: Ham steak, peaches, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice
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Directions: Sear ham steak, make fresh peach salsa, and top for a quick weeknight dinner.
Grilled Hawaiian Ham Steak Sandwiches
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Ingredients: Ham steak, pineapple rings, Hawaiian rolls, butter
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Directions: Grill ham and pineapple slices, pile onto Hawaiian rolls with melted butter for an island-inspired sandwich.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Smoked Ham
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Ingredients: Spinach, strawberries, smoked ham, red onion, poppyseed dressing
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Directions: Toss salad ingredients together and top with sliced smoked ham for a springtime lunch.
With so many options, there are endless ways to serve ham with fruit for meals that pop with flavor. From classic pineapple ham to more unique combinations like fig and prosciutto, experiment to find your favorite fruit and ham pairings.
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FAQ
What fruit is best with ham?
What fruit pairs well with pork?
What meat goes well with pears?
What meat goes with cherries?
What fruit goes well with ham?
Pineapple and ham are a classic combination that always complements each other. Whether you just put canned pineapple rings on top of the ham as it bakes or makes a pineapple puree to serve on top, it’s sure to be a hit. Cranberry is another fruit that goes well with ham. You might be surprised by this since it isn’t the most common combination.
How do you eat a ham with fruit?
Fruit is well known for being an excellent accompaniment to pork. The flavors complement each other so well, you’ll wonder why you ever made ham any other way. Place ham in a shallow roasting pan. (If desired, score ham by making diagonal cuts 1-inch apart in fat in a diamond pattern).
What goes well with baked ham?
Fruit is well known for being an excellent accompaniment to pork. The flavors complement each other so well, you’ll wonder why you ever made ham any other way. Baked ham is easy to make. In fact, few other recipes have quite the payoff as baked ham. It tastes as you put in a lot of effort to make such a delicious tasting meal.
What dessert goes well with ham?
But one of the best parts about ham is that it goes well with so many different flavors. From sweet to savory, there’s a dessert out there that will complement your meal perfectly. So if you’re looking for the perfect way to finish off your next ham dinner, look no further! 1. Carrot Cake Carrot cake reminds me of Easter dinner with my family.