Tips on Buying, Preparing the Holiday Ham
by Lucas Shivers

In deciding holiday menus, ham becomes a popular choice for the main entrée, said Karen Blakeslee, coordinator of the Rapid Response Center at Kansas State University.
Ham Nutrition Facts

The ham leg is one of the leanest pork cuts. A 3.4-ounce serving of roasted extra-lean ham has about 145 calories, 5.5 grams fat, 21 grams of protein and 53 milligrams cholesterol. Ham has a significant amount of vitamin B-12, thiamin or vitamin B-1.

Although fresh pork is naturally low in sodium, ham has added sodium compounds from the curing process. A serving of ham can contain close to one-half the recommended daily intake of sodium. There are many lower-sodium ham products on the market. Look for sodium and nutrition information on the package label.

Source: Focus On: Ham, http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/ham.htm

"There are many varieties of ham," Blakeslee said. "It can be helpful to distinguish the basic differences among ham and ham products."

The term 'ham' means pork from the hind leg of a hog. Ham from the front leg will be labeled pork shoulder picnic, she said.

Ham may be fresh, cured or smoked. Cured ham is deep rose or pink in color, while fresh ham is pale pink or beige. Blakeslee said fresh hams must be fully cooked, such as the ready-to-eat hams like prosciutto.

Ham Categories - "Cooked ham products are separated by the protein content in the meat portion of the ham, dividing this class into four categories," Blakeslee said.
  • The first category - premium ham products - must contain a minimum of 20.5 percent protein. These are labeled ham and sold in specialty stores. Some companies sell premium ham that is spiral cut and coated with sugar, she said

  • The second category is ham with natural juices, which contains a minimum of 18.5 percent protein. "It is slightly more juicy due to the higher moisture content," Blakeslee said. "This is considered a good, all purpose ham and an excellent choice for a special meal."

  • The third category - ham with water added - contains a minimum of 17 percent protein.

  • The fourth category is ham and water product, a percent of weight from added ingredients. These hams contain water plus binders, such as soy or milk proteins, to help hold the water in the ham.
"The more water added, the more juicy the ham and lower the cost," Blakeslee said. "Hams are cured using a dry cure or wet cure method."

Dry curing uses a mixture of salt and other ingredients such as sodium nitrate, nitrites, sugar, seasonings and phosphates. Rubbed on the surface, the dry cure ages for a few weeks to more than a year, although typically the aging process lasts six months.

Wet curing or brine curing involves injecting the meat with a curing solution before cooking, Blakeslee said. Smoke flavoring may also be added with the brine solution. This method tends to be the most popular way of producing ham, she said.

Keep Safety First - The organisms associated with ham contamination include Trichinella spiralis, Staphylococcus aureus and mold. The incidence of T. spiralis has been controlled by U.S. Department of Agriculture processing guidelines. S. aureus is destroyed by cooking; however, Blakeslee said improper handling can recontaminate the meat.

Mold can grow on dry cured hams, and is most often found on country cured ham. Blakeslee said the mold can be eliminated by washing the ham in hot water and scrubbing it with a stiff brush.

Fully cooked and canned hams can be eaten cold. They can be reheated to an internal temperature of 140 F. Fresh ham should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 F.

For more information on cooking with ham, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has a Website at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/ham.htm.


For more information on health and nutrition, interested persons may contact their local K-State Research and Extension office.

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Lucas Shivers, Communications Assistant
lshivers@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research and Extension

For more information:
Karen Blakeslee is at 785-532-1673, or kblakesl@oznet.ksu.edu