Let's talk Ham

[blissful]

I really appreciate all the opinions here and information too.

I'm thinking I'll buy a smoked ham, a dried/cured/old ham, and a fresh ham, each for different things.

The dried/cured/old ham, cut very thin (salty) for antipastos, a little with eggs, for flavoring in soups and stews, the bone for soup (split pea). I was surprised, it is cured and not cooked and it is not necessary to cook it. It sounds (from my reading) that is is where some of the italian thin sliced meats come from. Portioning will be small.

The smoked ham, (sometimes Virginia, sometimes not), cut into larger pieces for scalloped ham and potatoes, on sandwiches and again, the bone for soups.

The fresh ham to be baked/maybe glazed, shredded, sandwiches, with eggs, curried ham in popovers, ham salad, many possibilities here.

I'm certain I can carve any of these without getting the spiral cut (and the additional cost involved), though that might be pretty for presentation when entertaining, something to think about.

I've never seen an old/cured/dried ham in my grocery stores, I may have to mail order it.

Once again, I appreciate all the information and opinions. This adds variety to our diets, thank you so much.

 

[Zhizara]

Mmmmm. All those bones. Beans, Greens, Beans & Greens. Soups & Stews.

DROOL...

 

[DaveSoMD]

Alix, IMO the problem with the spiral cut hams is they always seem to be dry. since they do not have the layer of fat that most hams have they dry out and the don't have that flavor that you get from the fat. We used to get them all the time because SO like that they were easy to carve. One day I bough a "real" ham and baked it for dinner. Let's just say we have never had another spiral ham in the house.

 

[PattY1]

Oh, I forgot about "The Other Ham". Corned Ham. Think Corned Beef, but Ham. Normally in these parts it is used for Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham, but I especially like it for Ham and Cabbage. Or use in any other place you would have ham.

 

[luvs]

Mmmmm. All those bones. Beans, Greens, Beans & Greens. Soups & Stews.

DROOL...

ain't those foods excellent! i have hamhocks & collards, & i'm hankering 4 one of those, lol~

 

[DaveSoMD]

Oh, I forgot about "The Other Ham". Corned Ham. Think Corned Beef, but Ham. Normally in these parts it is used for Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham, but I especially like it for Ham and Cabbage. Or use in any other place you would have ham.

For those of you not familiar with Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham ....

Raley's Market Stuffed Ham Recipe : : Food Network

(Most people boil the ham, not bake it.)

Unfortunately the market is now closed but the recipe lives on.

 

[taxlady]

Oh, I forgot about "The Other Ham". Corned Ham. Think Corned Beef, but Ham. Normally in these parts it is used for Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham, but I especially like it for Ham and Cabbage. Or use in any other place you would have ham.

Is corned ham bone-in or boneless?

 

[DaveSoMD]

boneless is all I have ever seen.

 

[Zhizara]

ain't those foods excellent! i have hamhocks & collards, & i'm hankering 4 one of those, lol~

You've got ham hocks and collards and they aren't cooking yet?

 

[4meandthem]

I like an Un-salty smoked bone in ham.The supermarket brand has been our favorite.I will get a spiral cut if I am buying a small one and cook it large side down in an inch of liquid and covered with foil.

The spiral slicer does not go all the way down the bone so I wind up with thin slices for the first dinner and then can carve whatever I want after that.

I made a pot mixed bean soup on NYD and added the bone and the rest of the thin slices when I started it.

 

[luvs]

You've got ham hocks and collards and they aren't cooking yet?

i'm gonna make them tonite, then let them cook through the day.

my dinner could be pasta, though may be that i make fries w/ gravy & cheese

 

[Zhizara]

i'm gonna make them tonite, then let them cook through the day.

my dinner could be pasta, though may be that i make fries w/ gravy & cheese

Don't forget the cornbread.

Dipped into that pot liquor. Mmmm

*cleans drool from keyboard again*

 

[Claire]

I've always been happy with the spiral cut hams I've had. To be fair, for the most part others have purchased them and just gave me the bone, and they were for a large party buffet line. The salty country/Virginia hams, by the way, when you live in the general area where people cure them, are often available in a "steak", so you can use them for bean and pea type soups. When I bought that one I was fairly young (still in my 20s), and was (and still to some degree am) a saltaholic. And it was still insanely too salty. I think it was a Smithfield ham. I've since had similar ham slices for breakfast or dinner in "home cooking" restaurants in various places that pride themselves on that type of ham (usually served with "red eye gravy"), and I swear, I can feel my blood pressure rise with every bite. Anyway, buy the slice if available to see if you're going to like it.

 

[PattY1]

For those of you not familiar with Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham ....

Raley's Market Stuffed Ham Recipe : : Food Network

(Most people boil the ham, not bake it.)

Unfortunately the market is now closed but the recipe lives on.

That is only one variation of the recipe. It is different in different parts of the county. I personally don't like theirs, too much cabbage and not enough kale. I like equal amounts. That is the Hollywood way I was taught.

 

[PattY1]

boneless is all I have ever seen.

I have seen it both ways. I like to buy it bone in. "When the bone giggles, it is done".

 

[Zhizara]

Giggles?

 

[luvs]

Don't forget the cornbread.

Dipped into that pot liquor. Mmmm

*cleans drool from keyboard

lol, drooling again huh!
i'm less than into cornbread, gasp! the texture is gritty 2 me.
(~luvs checking locks & pulling shades)
i luv polenta, though, so i'll make that rather than the bread
figure i'll make navy beanz, too, either w/ the collards or let them be plain & garlicky

 

[PattY1]

Giggles?

Typo, Wiggles.

 

[buckytom]

i've only had spiral cut hams a few times, brought by my supervisor at our dept.'s christmas party, and i've found them to be dry. but that might just be because he doesn't know how to cook/reheat them.

i had the best ham i've ever had in my life this past christmas. it was a dietz and watson brand ham, smoked, bone-in, butt portion. the bark was dlicious and crispy. the meat just inside the skin in a few places reminded me of a really good pastrami, and the rest of the meat was juicy, tender, and just lightly smokey, with just the right amount of salt.

i don't think my wife did anything more to it other than remove the netting and put it on a rack in a roasting pan in the oven for an hour or two. it was easy and delicious.

 

[blissful]

I did find a sale ham yesterday at aldi's. It wasn't a great sale but since we haven't had ham for so long, I decided we would try it. Lately I've been seeing hams for $30-40 at the regular grocery store, and that's just too much $$ for me to spend.

Bone in, smoked, spiral cut, $1.49/lb, natural juices (no water added). I remembered what everyone said about being careful not to dry it out. There were fatty parts on the outside. Warmed it up and OMG it was wonderful, moist, slightly salty smoked. For around $14, there is a bone with quite a bit of meat on it, and sandwiches for dinner last night, and another 6 meals for 3 of us put in the freezer.
It was good enough that I'll go get another one for the freezer.