HAM, BACON & GAMMON

 

HAM, BACON & GAMMON

What is Ham?

Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. As a processed meat, the term “ham” includes both whole cuts of meat and ones that have been mechanically formed.

Types of ham.

 

·         Hickory-smoked ham: The name says it all with a hickory-smoked ham. This label means the ham was cured and then hung to smoke over hickory chips, which impart a distinctive flavor. While this is the traditional method, some hams labeled as hickory-smoked may get the flavor from a liquid smoke rather than the traditional smoking method.

 

·         Smithfield ham: Hams labeled as Virginia hams are simply country hams from Virginia, but Smithfield, VA hams are a specific kind. Smithfield ham is a legally regulated term for a country ham made in Smithfield from pigs who had peanuts in their diet. These hams, which have a deep red color and salty flavor, go through a specific curing and processing regimen, which includes being aged for at least six to 12 months

 

·         Honey-cured ham: A honey-cured ham is cured using honey. The sweetening agent in the cure must consist primarily or entirely of honey for this label to be accurate. The honey used must be at least grade C in terms of quality. The honey flavors the ham, making honey-cured hams just as sweet as they sound.

 

 

·         Sugar-cured ham: Another sweet ham you’ll find on the market is a sugar-cured ham. These hams use cane or beet sugar or both to sweeten the ham. Cane and/or beet sugar must be the primary agent for sweetening, but other sweeteners can also be added. Sugar-cured hams are great for people who love their ham to be sweet rather than salty.

 

·         Black Forest ham: Black Forest ham, strictly speaking, is made in the Black Forest region of Germany. It is characterized by a blackened exterior and a flavor profile that comes from the herbs that are added to the cure. In the US, this ham is typically made stateside, but it mimics the appearance and flavor of a true Black Forest ham.

·         Prosciutto: Prosciutto is an Italian ham that is popular in the U.S. as well. It is dry-cured, which means it doesn’t need to be cooked before serving. When served uncooked, it’s known as prosciutto crudo. It can be cooked, however, to add delicious, salty flavor to dishes. Cooked proscuitto is known as prosciutto cotto. Prosciutto di Parma is one of the most renowned types of prosciutto and is produced in Parma, Italy. Prosciutto is often featured on charcuterie boards.

 

·         Serrano ham: Serrano ham hails from Spain, where it is called Jamón serrano. It is dry-cured, so it’s well-preserved and is served in a manner similar to Proscuitto — thinly sliced. The main difference between Serrano ham and Proscuitto is that Serrano ham contains less fat and moisture, meaning it has a strong, concentrated flavor.

 

CUTS OF HAM

 

What is Bacon?

Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork. Bacon is prepared from several different cuts of meat, typically from the pork belly or from back cuts, which have less fat than the belly. It is eaten on its own, as a side dish, or used as a minor ingredient to flavour dishes.

GREEN BACON

 

It is a bacon which is cured, salted but not smoked and not processed.

 

 

Cuts of Bacon

 

The main cuts of bacon are:

§  Side bacon comes from pork belly. It is very fatty with long layers of fat running parallel to the rind. This is the most common form of bacon in the United States. Pancetta is Italian side bacon, smoked or "aqua" (unsmoked), with a strong flavor.

 

§  Middle bacon, from the side of the animal, is intermediate in cost, fat content, and flavor between streaky bacon and back bacon.

 

§  Back bacon (called Irish bacon/Rashers or Canadian bacon in the United States) comes from the loin in the middle of the back of the pig. It is a very lean, meaty cut of bacon, with less fat compared to other cuts. It has a ham-like texture. Most bacon consumed in the United Kingdom is back bacon.

 

§  Cottage bacon is thinly sliced lean pork meat from a shoulder cut that is typically oval shaped and meaty. It is cured and then sliced into round pieces for baking or frying.

 §  Jowl Bacon  is cured and smoked cheeks of pork.

 

§  Slab bacon typically has a medium to very high fraction of fat. It is made from the belly and side cuts, and from fatback.

  

JOINTS

Bacon joints include the following:

§  Collar bacon is taken from the back of a pig near the head.

§  Hock, from the hog ankle joint between the ham and the foot.

§  Gammon, from the hind leg, traditionally "Wiltshire cured".

§  Picnic bacon is from the picnic cut, which includes the shoulder beneath the blade. It is fairly lean, but tougher than most pork cuts.

 

 

 

What is Gammon?

Gammon is the hind leg of pork after it has been cured by dry-salting or brining, which may or may not be smoked. Unlike most ham, but like bacon, it must be cooked before it is safe to eat. The term is mostly used in Britain, while other dialects of English largely make no distinction between gammon and ham.

 

CUTS OF GAMMON