Ham - The most versatile meat?

[pacanis]

As I was eating lunch, a couple hot ham and cheese sandwiches on some bollilo rolls, I thought that of all the lunchmeats, ham is my favorite. Not the processed, rectangular shaped slices (though they have their place ), but a nice cured ham. Whether it comes sliced or you slice it.
Upon further thinking, I think that ham must be the most versatile meat. Traditionally speaking, it can be used for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And in a variety of ways. It can be eaten cooked or uncooked, sliced, cubed, glazed whole, ham salad, in eggs, fried in a pan.... If I had to choose one meat to eat the rest of my life, it would probably be ham. If I had to choose one lunchmeat for the rest of my life, ham.
My ham of choice
I have found that I love keeping a hunk of ham around.

Can you think of another meat that can be eaten right out of the wrapper cold or prepared so many ways?

 

[Andy M.]

I've always felt pork in general is the most versatile of meats. Ham is just one of the options for pork.

For ham, we like this one. Check out the Old fashioned Smokehouse Ham. We have only had it in sandwiches and it has a nice smoky taste.

 

[ChefJune]

These are the best hams I've ever had. I will send for one for Easter again this coming year.
I first had that in Nov, 2005 when we did a culinary fundraiser at the Lafayette Inn in Stanardsville, VA. Jim Kite brought a ham over for us to "try." We've all been hooked, ever since.

 

[pacanis]

We ought to do a comparison. I think you can order Smith's hams, too. They also have just a light smoky taste, not overbearing. And yes, pork is pretty versatile, but for a specific meat type I don't think you can get more versatile than a cured ham.

 

[miniman]

I lovce ham as well. I just picked up a half ham for £9 last week, sliced it up and froze portions - several weeks of ham sandwiches for my son.

 

[suziquzie]

You are absolutely right Pacanis.
Leftover ham is NEVER hard to use up. I have not ever ever thrown away a scrap of ham...
I can't say the same for chicken or beef, although it kills me to do it.
Call me un-creative.... no prob, I agree.
Just make sure to make me a cheesy, potato-y, HAMMY omlette!!!!

 

[LPBeier]

I am ready to jump on the ham bandwagon as well. DH loves it so much that one year his sister drew his name for Christmas and gave him a ham and he was thrilled to pieces. I love buying a bone in ham because I can use it in so many ways and then stick the bone in the freezer until I have a few and then throw them in the stock pot to eventually become pea soup!

 

[pacanis]

Scalloped potatoes with ham are in my near future, Suzi. I was looking at recipes the other day. Easier than I thought.

I don't know if the stores always sold these, but lately I've been buying these small hunks of ham, just the "heel" for lack of a better term. They are around $5 something and less than the cost/lb of ham lunchmeat. They're the perfect size for me and I seal the hunk back up in a handi-vac bag as I use it. I love having this in the meat drawer.

 

[pacanis]

Laurie, one of the places I worked at used to give us a big Smith's bone-in ham for Christmas each year. My father used to give them to his employees, too. Being that they are made here in Erie, I bet it's a pretty popular Christmas "bonus" in the area. I'd rather get a ham than a turkey, like my BIL gets each year.
I'll have to try ham and potato or split pea soup one of these days. Do you have to have the bone?

 

[LPBeier]

Scalloped potatoes with ham are in my near future, Suzi. I was looking at recipes the other day. Easier than I thought.

I don't know if the stores always sold these, but lately I've been buying these small hunks of ham, just the "heel" for lack of a better term. They are around $5 something and less than the cost/lb of ham lunchmeat. They're the perfect size for me and I seal the hunk back up in a handi-vac bag as I use it. I love having this in the meat drawer.

I know what you mean. I have a small commercial meat slicer I acquired when a catering firm I worked for closed up. It was actually in lieu of some pay owed me, but I think I got the better end of the deal in the long run.

Anyway, I buy those small hams and/or debone my shanks and then slice it all up and seal it in packs. it even freezes well that way and I have meat for sandwiches, omelets, whatever I want whenever I want.

 

[suziquzie]

I forgot to add...
I never liked eggs unless they were in cookies or cake.

Ham made me love eggs.... ok and cheese helped....



but not green ones......

 

[LPBeier]

I'll have to try ham and potato or split pea soup one of these days. Do you have to have the bone?

No, pacanis, you don't have to have the bone. You can make the soups using water or chicken stock and add ham into it. But I just learned from my mother to make a stock from the ham bones for a really rich base for the soup. I have made it for so long I just do it out of my head, but I have her old recipe cards here and I think there is one for the soup. I will try and dig it up for you.

 

[Constance]

DH has been buying Smithfield ready to cook hams at Walmart, and they are really good!

 

[LPBeier]

I forgot to add...
I never liked eggs unless they were in cookies or cake.
Ham made me love eggs.... ok and cheese helped....
but not green ones......

I couldn't agree with you more Suzi! I can only eat eggs if they are mixed up with vegetables, meat (ham is good) and cheese. I will eat scrambled ones with just soy sauce, but I have to be in the mood.

My favourite is a toasted scrambled egg, ham, & cheese sandwich smothered in dijon and mayo!

 

[pacanis]

Thanks Laurie. I'd love to have the recipe.

There ya go, Suzi. If Dr Suess can write about ham..... well, it must mean something (lol).

I've been finding my new knife slices ham pretty easily. I can get it very thin, too. I like my ham sandwiches layered with thin slices rather than one thick slice. Unless it's a breakfast sandwich, then it's one thicker slice, with mayo and a little tobasco.

 

[Michael in FtW]

pacanis - if you don't have a ham bone to make a "stock" for your split peas - get a smoked ham hock. Take a saucepan large enough to hold the hock and the amount of water you need for your peas plus about 1/2 cup - put the hock in and add cold water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about an hour ... then remove the hock and allow it to cool enough to handle, cut the meat from the bone, cube or chop it, put everything back into the pot (including the bone) and either simmer for another hour (for more flavor) or add your split peas and cook. I generally make my stock in a smaller pot and then put everything into a larger pot to cook the peas. You can add additional ham if you want it meatier.

Also works with beans, blackeyed peas ... or a mess o' greens like kale, turnip, collard, or mustard.

 

[pacanis]

Thanks, Michael. They sell ham hocks I take it? I'll have a look next time I'm in the store. That'll work!

 

[Lefty7887]

Ham is one of my favorite meats for sandwiches. Shaved danish ham is always a staple in our house, as well as genoa salami and provolone.

 

[JohnL]

Yup,
I'm another ham fan. Can't think of a more versitile meat product. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, you can't beat it.

 

[LPBeier]

pacanis - if you don't have a ham bone to make a "stock" for your split peas - get a smoked ham hock. Take a saucepan large enough to hold the hock and the amount of water you need for your peas plus about 1/2 cup - put the hock in and add cold water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about an hour ... then remove the hock and allow it to cool enough to handle, cut the meat from the bone, cube or chop it, put everything back into the pot (including the bone) and either simmer for another hour (for more flavor) or add your split peas and cook. I generally make my stock in a smaller pot and then put everything into a larger pot to cook the peas. You can add additional ham if you want it meatier.

Also works with beans, blackeyed peas ...

Michael, that is pretty much what I do with my ham shank bone as well. I usually add some onion and a bay leaf with my bone, but other than that it is the same method exactly! Have done it with beans, but will have to try the black eyed peas!