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	ham hallacas hallah halvah; halva ham Haman's hats Hamburg parsley Hangtown Fry Definition: The cut of meat from a hog's hind leg, generally from the middle of the shank bone to the aitch (hip) bone. The length of cut varies with producer. Unprocessed meat is called fresh ham, but most ham is cured and called cured ham. Many factors affect ham's flavor, including the animal's breed, the type of feed it ate and the age it was slaughtered. Most hogs are fed corn, but animals headed for the gourmet market may be fed acorns, beechnuts, chestnuts or peanuts. After the hog is slaughtered, the meat is cured in one of three ways--dry, sweet-pickle or injection curing. Dry curing involves salting the ham's surface, then storing it until the salt saturates the meat. Sweet-pickle curing immerses the ham in sweet brine with seasonings. If the curing mix has sugar the ham is sugar-cured. Most producers use the injection-curing method whereby the ham is injected with brine. The length of curing affects flavor. Most hams for American consumers have a light or mild cure. After curing, a ham may be smoked to add flavor and aging capability. The length of time a ham is smoked varies depending on desired result. Mass market hams are usually smoked lightly or not at all. Gourmet hams are smoked for a month or more. Flavor varies depending on the substance used. Hickory and maple are preferred, and some producers add ingredients such as juniper berries, sage or peat. Once curing and smoking are done, gourmet hams are usually aged to further develop flavors; most mass-produced hams are not. Aging can take up to 2 years. Hams are sold in several forms including boneless (hip, thigh and shank bones removed), partially boned (hip and/or shank bones removed) and bone-in. Since bone adds flavor to the meat during cooking, most gourmet-ham producers leave some bone in. Hams are sold in several sizes such as whole, halves (shank or butt ends only), shank, butt and center-cut slices or steaks ranging from 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Whole hams usually weigh from 8 to 18 pounds. Canned hams may be a whole piece of boneless meat or "formed" from bits of meat and a gelatin mixture. Hams are available fully or partially cooked or uncooked. Fully-cooked hams are heated to an internal temperature of 148 degrees F, partially cooked hams to at least 137 degrees F (which kills the trichina parasite). Uncooked and partially cooked hams must be cooked before serving. Fully cooked hams do not need cooking and may be eaten cold. Most hams today are mass-produced, sometimes called "city" or "urban" hams. Higher-quality hams are generally labeled "country-cured" (or "country-style"). Most "country" hams come from Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. The most famous country-cured ham is Smithfield ham from Virginia. Specially cured hams are imported from Europe, such as prosciutto from Italy, Germany's Westphalian, France's Bayonne and York ham from England. When buying fresh ham, look for a firm white layer of fat, with well-marbled lean portion. In younger animals, the meat should be grayish-pink; older pork should be a delicate shade of rose. Loosen packaging material and store in the coldest part of the refrigerator up to 5 days. When purchasing a cured ham, choose one that's firm and plump with finely grained, rosy pink meat. Refrigerate in the ham's original wrapping up to 1 week. Some country-style hams can be stored in a cool place for 1 to 2 months. Longer storage is possible, but moisture evaporation makes the ham shrink and toughen. Store canned hams according to label directions. Some require refrigeration; others require refrigeration after opening. Tightly wrap ham slices and refrigerate up to 3 days. Ham can be baked, grilled, sautéed, broiled or simmered. Heavily cured country-style hams may require scrubbing, then soaking 24 hours before cooking. See also culatello; parma ham; picnic ham. --Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst
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