GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
And another question for those in the states ~ do you brine ham? I don't eat the stuff but I've never heard of it being brined.
I've never heard of brining ham, either.
And another question for those in the states ~ do you brine ham? I don't eat the stuff but I've never heard of it being brined.
Ham is both the name of the part of the hog and the finished product. To make a ham, you butcher a ham (rear leg from the hip to the knee) off the hog and brine it to make ham. You can also smoke the brined ham as an added option.
Thanks GotGarlic. I don't eat ham so all I knew is it wasn't in the refrigerator section and has Junior Johnson's picture on it.The unrefrigerated ham sold here in the southeast U.S. is dry-salt cured and will last for months, until cut into; then it requires refrigeration to keep it from drying out:
Ham and Food Safety
Smithfield's Ham Shop
It has a really salty taste and practically a crust of salt on the surface. I've eaten it but I don't like it much.
The only two common food poisonings that are caused by toxins are Staph and Botulism.
G
This is my second post on this forum, so I'm a little hesitant to be at odds with the Administrator. I have read through this entire thread, and have a couple of comments.
First, bacteria do not produce toxins, at least not in amounts that make people sick. There is ONE particular bacteria, Staphylococcus, that does produce a toxin that causes food poisoning
I don't think you're right about that.
For example:
Clostridium perfringens C. perfringens is found in soil, dust and the gastrointestinal tracts of animals and man. When food containing a large number of C. perfringens is consumed, the bacteria produce a toxin in the intestinal tract that causes illness. C. perfringens can exist as a heat-resistant spore, so it may survive cooking and grow to large numbers if the cooked food is held between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F for an extensive time period. Meat and poultry dishes, sauces and gravies are the foods most frequently involved. Hot foods should be served immediately or held above 140 degrees F. When refrigerating large volumes of gravies, meat dishes, etc., divide them into small portions so they will cool rapidly. The food should be reheated to 165o F. prior to serving.
Bacillus cereus B. cereus is found in dust, soil and spices. It can survive normal cooking as a heat-resistant spore, and then produce a large number of cells if the storage temperature is incorrect. Starchy foods such as rice, macaroni and potato dishes are most often involved. The spores may be present on raw foods, and their ability to survive high cooking temperatures requires that cooked foods be served hot or cooled rapidly to prevent the growth of this bacteria.
Bacillus can cause a pretty common form of food poisoning from rice, which is why some people refuse to eat Chinese leftovers. I've had it. From fried rice. Not fun.
I guess my error was in using the word toxins.
Regardless, this has become a very fascinating conversation. Thanks for jumping in mozart.