Pork, water, raw sugar, sea salt, vinegar, a mix of sugar and honey (cane sugar and honey), maple sugar, and natural flavoring
Walk through the cured meat section at your grocery store and you may spot a mysterious item called “ham nuggets” This intriguingly named meat prompts many questions – what exactly is a ham nugget? Where does it come from? And how is it best cooked and served?
In this article, we’ll unravel the mysteries of the ham nugget and equip you with all the key facts so you can take your cooking skills to new levels. Let’s get started!
What is a Ham Nugget?
A ham nugget is a small boneless chunk of cured and smoked ham. It’s made from the meaty hind leg of a pig that’s been subjected to a curing and smoking process to impart flavor tenderness, and preservation.
Ham nuggets are usually oval or round in shape and weigh around 1-2 ounces each. They have a pinkish-tan exterior and tender, dense meat inside.
Compared to a traditional bone-in ham, ham nuggets are much smaller and totally boneless. Their petite size makes them perfect for easy snacking, sandwiches, salads, skewers, and more.
Where Do Ham Nuggets Come From?
Ham nuggets originate from the hind legs of pigs raised for pork and ham production. After slaughter, the legs are removed from the carcass and subjected to a thorough curing and smoking process.
Curing – Curing involves submerging the pork in a brine solution, injecting it with brine, or rubbing it with a dry cure mix. This imparts flavor, improves texture, and preserves the meat.
Smoking – After curing, the legs are smoked over low heat using various wood chips like hickory, apple, maple or oak. Smoking infuses delicious smoky flavor.
Once cured and smoked, the ham legs are further processed to create ham nuggets. They are trimmed of excess fat, cut into small chunks, and wrapped for individual sale.
Buying Tips for Ham Nuggets
When purchasing ham nuggets, keep these buying tips in mind:
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Inspect color – Opt for nuggets with a pinkish-tan exterior with little to no graying. Graying indicates oxidation.
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Check sell-by date – For optimal freshness and flavor, choose packages with a more distant sell-by date.
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Read the label – Look for ham nuggets without artificial preservatives like nitrites or nitrates.
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Consider enhancements – Some nuggets are enhanced with a ham glaze, brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup for added flavor.
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Choose quality – Opt for trusted, premium brand names for better quality control.
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Know the storage needs – Ham nuggets last 1 week refrigerated, 3-4 months frozen.
How to Cook Ham Nuggets Perfectly
Ham nuggets may come pre-cooked, but they usually need some final heating to serve. Here are some top cooking methods:
Pan-Frying
- Pat nuggets dry, season with pepper or spices
- Fry in oil or butter over medium heat 2-3 minutes per side
Baking
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Place nuggets on baking sheet, bake 10-12 minutes
Air Frying
- Preheat air fryer to 370°F
- Air fry 6-10 minutes, flipping halfway
Grilling
- Oil grates, grill over medium heat
- Cook 2-3 minutes per side
Microwaving
- Microwave 1-2 minutes on high until heated through
Use an instant-read thermometer to confirm nuggets reach an internal temperature of 145°F. Avoid overcooking or meat will be dry.
Serving Ideas for Ham Nuggets
The petite size and versatile flavor of ham nuggets makes them an easy addition to all kinds of dishes:
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Breakfast – Add to eggs, hashbrowns, biscuit sandwiches
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Lunch/Dinner – Enjoy in salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, pasta, pizza
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Appetizers – Skewer for ham kabobs, stuff in mushrooms or peppers
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Sides – Toss with roasted veggies, rice pilaf, mac and cheese
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Snacks – Pair with cheese, crackers, fruit, pickles
Get creative with toppings and seasoning like honey mustard, cranberry sauce, fig jam, herbed aioli, basil, rosemary, brown sugar, and more.
Tips for Leftover Ham Nuggets
Leftover ham nuggets will keep refrigerated for 3-4 days. Here are some tasty ways to use them up:
- Breakfast tacos, burritos, omelets
- Add to pasta salad, grain bowls, pizza
- Fold into mashed potatoes or fried rice
- Make ham salad for sandwiches
- Simmer into bean soup or split pea soup
- Toss with roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes
Freeze extras in an airtight container up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
Ham Nuggets vs Ham Steak
Ham nuggets differ from ham steak in several ways:
- Size – Nuggets are bite-sized, steak is a whole muscle slice
- Bone – Nuggets are boneless, steak may have the bone in
- Shape – Nuggets are irregular chunks, steak is an oval slice
- Preparation – Nuggets come pre-cooked, steak requires cooking
Both offer great ham flavor, but nuggets are easier to cook while steak has a lovely presentation.
Time to Try Ham Nuggets!
With their petite size, quick cooking, and versatile flavor, ham nuggets are a handy pantry item to have around. Now that you know what they are and how to cook them to juicy perfection, it’s time to give ham nuggets a try. Add them to your next cheese board, salad, or sandwich for an instant flavor boost!
Nutrition Facts14 servings per containerServing size2 oz (56 g)Amount per servingCalories60% Daily Value *
Products that are dairy-free don’t have milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, whey, casein, ghee, or lactose in them.
Products marked “gluten-free” are either packaged in a way that follows FDA rules or are single-ingredient foods that don’t contain any gluten ingredients and don’t say that they were made in a facility that also processes gluten ingredients. Packaged 365 Everyday Value products that are labeled gluten-free are third-party certified.
Prices and availability are subject to change without notice. Offers are specific to store listed above and limited to in-store. Promotions, discounts, and offers available in stores may not be available for online orders. The details on this website, like special diets and nutrition facts, are just for your reference. They are not meant to be medical or health-related information or advice. Actual product packaging and materials may contain more and/or different information than shown on our website. You shouldn’t just trust the information here; before using or eating something, you should always read the label, any warnings, and the directions. The information provided on this website should not be relied upon to make health-related decisions.
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Pork, water, raw sugar, sea salt, vinegar, a mix of sugar and honey (cane sugar and honey), maple sugar, and natural flavoring
How to Cook a Small Fully Cooked Ham
What is a ham Nugget?
A ham nugget is a small boneless ham that’s usually sold pre-cooked and just needs to be reheated in the oven or air fryer. Also see this recipe for oven baked ham with bourbon glaze … Why this honey glazed ham recipe is so great… It’s an easy family dinner because they reheat fast in the oven.
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.
How to cook a ham Nugget?
Baking ham nugget is a great way to cook it, as it helps to keep the meat juicy and tender. To start, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, place the ham nugget in a rimmed baking dish or roasting pan with water. This will help to steam the ham and keep it moist during the cooking process.
Are Ham Nuggets vegetarian?
The ham nuggets are seasoned with select spices and smoked over the finest variety of hardwoods to offer a sweet and savory flavor. The ham nuggets are crafted from animals raised humanely and fed a vegetarian grain diet, ensuring that they are free of preservatives, antibiotics, nitrates, and nitrites.