View source for Ham

{{Short description|Pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing}}
{{For multi|the cured but uncooked leg of pork|Gammon (meat)|other uses|Ham (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Ham
| image = Ham (4).jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Half of a bone-in ham, studded with [[clove]]s
| alternate_name = 
| country = 
| region = 
| creator = 
| course = 
| type = [[food preservation|Preserved]] meat
| served = 
| main_ingredient =  [[Curing (food preservation)|Cured]] leg [[cut of pork|cut]] pork
| variations = 
| serving_size = 100 g
}}

[[File:Schinken-gekocht.jpg|thumb|Typical slice of ham]]
'''Ham''' is [[pork]] from a leg [[cut of pork|cut]] that has been [[food preservation|preserved]] by wet or dry [[Curing (food preservation)|curing]], with or without [[smoking (cooking)|smoking]].<ref name=Chambers>"Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in ''[[Chambers's Encyclopædia]]''. London: [[George Newnes Ltd|George Newnes]], 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39.</ref> As a [[processed meat]], the term ''ham'' includes both whole cuts of meat and ones that have been mechanically formed.

Ham is made around the world, including a number of regional specialties. In addition, numerous ham products have specific geographical naming protection.

== History ==
The preserving of pork leg as ham has a long history, with traces of production of cured ham among the [[Etruscan civilization]] known in the 6th and 5th century BC.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://ricerca.gelocal.it/gazzettadimantova/archivio/gazzettadimantova/2013/09/26/NZ_34_01.html |first=Maria Antonietta |last=Filippini |title=Quegli Etruschi che vendevano prosciutti |trans-title=Those Estruscan that sold hams |journal=Gazzetta di Mantova |date=26 September 2013 |language=it |access-date=5 April 2022 |archive-date=22 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922074859/https://ricerca.gelocal.it/gazzettadimantova/archivio/gazzettadimantova/2013/09/26/NZ_34_01.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Cato the Elder]] wrote about the "salting of hams" in his ''{{Lang|la|[[De agri cultura]]}}'' tome around 160 BC.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=British Journal of Nutrition|volume=1|issue=2–3|date=December 1947|pages=269–274|title=The Action of Salts and other Substances Used in the Curing of Bacon and Ham|last=Callow|first=EH|doi=10.1079/bjn19470037|pmid=18907930|doi-access=free}}</ref>

There are claims that the Chinese were the first people to mention the production of cured ham.<ref name=zeuthen>{{cite book|title=Meat Fermentation Worldwide: History and Principles|last=Zeuthen|first=Peter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ie2IxsLTqfgC&pg=PA3|isbn=978-0-470-37634-8|year=2008|publisher=John Wiley & Sons }}</ref> ''{{Lang|fr|[[Larousse Gastronomique]]}}'' claims an origin from [[Gaul]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Larousse Gastronomique|year=2009|publisher=Hamlyn|isbn=978-0-600-62042-6}}</ref> It was certainly well established by the Roman period, as evidenced by an import trade from Gaul mentioned by [[Marcus Terentius Varro]] in his writings.<ref name=zeuthen />

The modern word ''ham'' is derived from the [[Old English]] ''{{Lang|ang|ham}}'' or ''{{Lang|ang|hom}}'' meaning the hollow or bend of the knee, from a Germanic base where it meant 'crooked'. It began to refer to the cut of pork derived from the hind leg of a [[pig]] around the 15th century.<ref>{{cite book|title=Shorter Oxford English Dictionary|editor=Brown, Lesley|publisher=Oxford University press|location=Oxford|year=2007|edition=Sixth|volume=II|page=3611}}</ref>

Because of the preservation process, ham is a compound foodstuff or ingredient, being made up of the original meat, as well as the remnants of the preserving agent(s), such as salt, but it is still recognised as a food in its own right.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Food Standards Agency Scotland|page=31|title=Labelling and Composition of Meat Products: Guidance Notes|url=http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/meatproductguidancescot.pdf|access-date=10 October 2013|archive-date=20 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120194916/http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/meatproductguidancescot.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Methods ==
Ham is produced by [[curing (food preservation)|curing]] raw pork by [[Salting (food)|salting]], also known as dry curing, or [[brining]], also known as wet curing. Additionally, [[smoking (cooking)|smoking]] may be employed, and seasonings may be added.

=== Dry-cured ===
[[File:ProsciuttoSeaSalt.JPG|thumb|right|Sea salt being added to raw pork leg as part of a dry cure process]]
Traditional dry cure hams may use only salt as the curative agent, although this is comparatively rare.<ref name=meat>{{cite web|url=http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making/curing/methods|title=Curing Methods|publisher=Meat and Sausages.com}}</ref> This process involves cleaning the raw meat, covering it in salt while it is gradually pressed to squeeze out fluid. Specific herbs and spices may be used to add flavour during this step. The hams are then washed and hung in a dark, temperature-regulated place until dry. It is then hung to air for another period of time.

The duration of the curing process varies by the type of ham. For example, [[Jinhua ham]] takes approximately 8 to 10 months to complete,<ref name=Zhou>{{Citation|first1=G.H. |last1=Zhou |first2=G.M. |last2=Zhao |title=Biochemical changes during processing of traditional Jinhua ham |journal=Meat Science |year=2007 |pages=114–120|volume=77|issue=1 |doi=10.1016/j.meatsci.2007.03.028|pmid=22061402 }}</ref> [[Jamón#Jamón serrano|jamón serrano]] cures in 9–12 months, prosciutto di Parma takes more than 12 months, and [[Jamón ibérico|Iberian ham]] can take up to 2 years to reach the desired flavor characteristics.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=European Food Research and Technology|year=2001|volume=213|issue=2|pages=83–87|title=Dipeptidyl peptidase activities along the processing of Serrano dry-cured ham|first1=Miguel Angel|last1=Sentandreu|first2=Fidel|last2=Toldrá|doi=10.1007/s002170100355|s2cid=84654103}}</ref> Many dry-cured hams, such as [[prosciutto]], are eaten without being cooked.<ref>{{Cite news |title='Taste My Prosciutto', He Said With a Drawl (Published 2003) |author= |newspaper=New York Times |date=17 September 2003 |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/17/dining/taste-my-prosciutto-he-said-with-a-drawl.html |quote=Dry-curing with salt helps prevent bacterial growth, making the hams safe to eat uncooked. ... 'prosciutto crudo' is raw, air-dried pork (although safe and ready to eat thanks to the curing process)}}</ref>

Most modern dry cure hams also use [[nitrite]]s (either [[sodium nitrite]] or [[potassium nitrite]]), which are added along with the salt. Nitrites are used because they prevent bacterial growth and, in a reaction with the meat's [[myoglobin]], give the product a desirable dark red color. The amount and mixture of salt and nitrites used have an effect on the shrinkage of the meat.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Journal of Food Science|title=Effect of salt, phosphates and other curing ingredients on shrinkage of lean pork meat and quality of smoked processed ham|first1=Eugen|last1=Wierbicki|first2=John J|last2=Howker|year=1976|volume=41|issue=5|pages=1116–1121|doi=10.1111/j.1365-2621.1976.tb14399.x}}</ref> Because of the toxicity of nitrite, some areas specify a maximum allowable content of nitrite in the final product. Under certain conditions, especially during cooking, nitrites in meat can react with degradation products of [[amino acid]]s, forming [[nitrosamine]]s, which are known [[carcinogen]]s.<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Jakszyn | first1 = P.
| last2 = Gonzalez | first2 = C. A.
| title = Nitrosamine and related food intake and gastric and oesophageal cancer risk: A systematic review of the epidemiological evidence
| journal = World Journal of Gastroenterology
| volume = 12
| issue = 27
| pages = 4296–4303
| year = 2006
| pmid = 16865769
 | pmc=4087738
 | doi=10.3748/wjg.v12.i27.4296
| doi-access = free
}}</ref>

The dry curing of ham involves a number of [[enzyme|enzymatic]] reactions. The enzymes involved are [[proteinase]]s ([[cathepsin]]s—[[Cathepsin B|B]], [[Cathepsin D|D]], [[Cathepsin H|H]] & [[Cathepsin L1|L]], and [[calpain]]s) and [[exopeptidase]]s ([[peptidase]] and [[aminopeptidase]]).<ref name=toldra>{{cite journal|last1=Toldrá|first1=Fidel|last2=Flores|first2=Mónica|title=The Role of Muscle Proteases and Lipases in Flavor Development During the Processing of Dry-Cured Ham|journal=Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition|year=1998|volume=38|issue=4|pages=351–352|doi=10.1080/10408699891274237|pmid=9626490}}</ref> These enzymes cause [[proteolysis]] of muscle tissue, which creates large numbers of small [[peptide]]s and free [[amino acid]]s, while the [[adipose]] tissue undergoes [[lipolysis]] to create free fatty acids.<ref name=toldra /> Salt and phosphates act as strong inhibitors of [[proteolysis|proteolytic activity]].<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Meat Science|title=Effect of curing salt and phosphate on the activity of porcine muscle proteases|year=1989|volume=24|issue=4|pages=241–249|last1=Sárraga|first1=Carmen|last2=Gil|first2=Marta|first3=Jacint|last3=Arnau|first4=Josep M|last4=Monfort|doi=10.1016/0309-1740(89)90042-9|pmid=22054673}}</ref> Animal factors influencing enzymatic activity include age, weight, and breed.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Carmen|last1=Sárraga|first2=Marta|last2=Gil|first3=José Antonio|last3=García-Regueiro|journal=Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture|title=Comparison of calpain and cathepsin (B,L and D) activities during dry-cured ham processing from heavy and large white pigs|volume=62|issue=1|pages=71–75|date=1993|doi=10.1002/jsfa.2740620110 }}</ref> During the process itself, conditions such as temperature, duration, water content, [[redox potential]], and salt content all have an effect on the meat.<ref name=toldra />

The salt content in dry-cured ham varies throughout a piece of meat, with gradients determinable through sampling and testing or non-invasively through [[X-ray computed tomography|CT scanning]].<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=Meat Science|title=Salt distribution in dry-cured ham measured by computed tomography and image analysis|last1=Vestergaard|first1=Christian|first2=Søren G|last2=Erbou|first3=Torunn|last3=Thauland|first4=Jens|last4=Adler-Nissen|first5=Per|last5=Berg|volume=69|issue=1|date=January 2005|pages=9–15|doi=10.1016/j.meatsci.2004.06.002|pmid=22062634}}</ref>

=== Wet-cured ===
Wet-cured hams are [[brining|brined]], which involves the immersion of the meat in a [[brine]], sometimes with other ingredients such as sugar also added for flavour. The meat is typically kept in the brine for around 3 to 14 days.<ref name=meat /> Wet curing also has the effect of increasing volume and weight of the finished product, by about 4%.

The wet curing process can also be achieved by pumping the curing solution into the meat. This can be quicker, increase the weight of the finished product by more than immersion, and ensure a more even distribution of salt through the meat. This process is quicker than traditional brining, normally being completed in a few days.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Deibel |first1=RH |last2=Niven |first2=CF |date=September 1958 |title=The occurrence and significance of a motile microorganism of the Genus Lactobacillus in ham curing brines |journal=[[Applied Microbiology]] |volume=6 |issue=5 |pages=323–327 |doi=10.1128/AM.6.5.323-327.1958 |pmc=1057423 |pmid=13571973}}</ref>

Wet-cured ham is usually cooked, either during processing, or after ageing.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Cooked Ham |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Food and Health |publisher=[[Science Direct]] |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978012384947200369X |access-date=24 October 2021 |date=2016 |pages=303–306 |doi=10.1016/B978-0-12-384947-2.00369-X |isbn=9780123849533 |last2=Reig |first2=M. |last1=Toldrá |first1=F.|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Alexander |first1=Maurice A. |last2=Stringer |first2=William C. |date=n.d. |title=Country Curing Hams |url=https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g2526 |access-date=24 October 2021 |website=Extension - [[University of Missouri]]}}</ref> A typical example of wet-cured ham made this way is [[Italian cuisine|Italian]] '''{{lang|it|[[Prosciutto|prosciutto cotto]]}}'''. It is first brined, then cooked in a container and finally surface pasteurized. Italian regulations allow it to contain salt, nitrites, sugar, dextrose, fructose, lactose, maltodextrin, milk protein, soy protein, natural or modified starches, spices, gelatin, and flavorings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prosciutto Cotto - Ingredient - FineCooking |author= |work=FineCooking |date= |access-date=27 October 2021 |url=https://www.finecooking.com/ingredient/prosciutto-cotto |archive-date=19 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319075026/https://www.finecooking.com/ingredient/prosciutto-cotto |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author= |date=n.d. |title=Tesco Prosciutto Cotto 100G |url=https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/304781404 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127012851/https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/304781404 |archive-date=27 January 2021 |website=[[Tesco]] |accessdate=27 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Naturals Prosciutto Cotto (made in New Jersey, US)|author= |website=Rovagnati US |date= |access-date=27 October 2021 |url= https://www.rovagnati.us/product/naturals-prosciutto-cotto/}}</ref><ref>Decreto 21 Settembre 2005, "Disciplina della
produzione e della vendita di taluni prodotti di salumeria", Section I, "Prosciutto cotto" [https://www.alimenti-salute.it/sites/default/files/2005_9_21_0.pdf]</ref>

=== Smoking ===
Ham can also be additionally preserved through [[smoking (cooking)|smoking]], in which the meat is placed in a [[smokehouse]] (or equivalent) to be cured by the action of smoke.

The main flavor compounds of smoked ham are [[guaiacol]], and its 4-, 5-, and 6-methyl derivatives as well as 2,6-dimethylphenol. These compounds are produced by combustion of lignin, a major constituent of wood used in the smokehouse.<ref>Wittkowski, Reiner; Ruther, Joachim; Drinda, Heike; Rafiei-Taghanaki, Foroozan "Formation of smoke flavor compounds by thermal lignin degradation" ACS Symposium Series (Flavor Precursors), 1992, volume 490, pp 232–243. {{ISBN|9780841222229}}</ref>

== Labeling ==
[[File:Making Jambon de Bayonne--Step 4.jpg|thumb|Hams aging in an atmospherically controlled storage room in [[Mazerolles, Pyrénées-Atlantiques|Mazerolles]], Béarn, Pyrénées-Atlantiques]]
In many countries the term is now protected by statute, with a specific definition. For instance, in the United States, the [[Code of Federal Regulations]] (CFR) says that "the word 'ham', without any prefix indicating the species of animal from which derived, shall be used in labeling only in connection with the hind legs of swine".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/9/317.8|title=9 CFR 317.8 – False or misleading labeling or practices generally; specific prohibitions and requirements for labels and containers|publisher=Legal Information Institute}}</ref>

In addition to the main categories, some processing choices can affect legal labeling. For instance, in the United States, a "smoked" ham must have been smoked by hanging over burning wood chips in a [[smokehouse]] or an atomized spray of [[liquid smoke]] such that the product appearance is equivalent; a "[[hickory]]-smoked" ham must have been smoked using only hickory. However, injecting "smoke flavor" is not legal grounds for claiming the ham was "smoked"; these are labeled "smoke flavor added". Hams can only be labeled "honey-cured" if honey was at least 50% of the sweetener used, is at least 3% of the formula, and has a discernible effect on flavor. So-called "lean" and "extra lean" hams must adhere to maximum levels of fat and [[cholesterol]] per 100&nbsp;grams of product.

=== Protected designations ===
A number of hams worldwide have some level of protection of their unique characteristics, usually relating to their method of preservation or location of production or processing. Dependent on jurisdiction, rules may prevent any other product being sold with the particular appellation, such as through the [[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union|European protected geographical indication]].
{{-}}
{{div col}}
;Belgium
*Jambon d'Ardenne – [[Wallonia]]

;Bulgaria
*[[Elenski but]] – [[Elena (town)|Elena]]

;China
*[[Anfu ham]]- [[Jiangxi]]
*[[Jinhua ham]] – [[Jinhua]]
*[[Rugao ham]] – [[Rugao]]
*[[Xuanwei ham]] – [[Xuanwei]]

;Czech Republic
*[[Prague Ham|Pražká Šunka ("Prague Ham")]] – [[Prague]]

;Croatia
*[[Pršut]]

;France
*Jambon noir de Bigorre ([[Protected designation of origin|PDO]]), made from black gascon pigs
*Jambon de kintoa (PDO), made from basque pigs
*Jambon de Corse (PDO), made from black nustrale pigs
*[[Bayonne ham|Jambon de Bayonne]] ([[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union|PGI]])
*Jambon d'Auvergne (PGI)
*Jambon de l'Ardèche (PGI)
*Jambon de Lacaune (PGI)
*Jambon de Vendée (PGI)
*Jambon sec des Ardennes (PGI)
*Jambon de Luxeuil
*Jambon du Limousin, made from black cul-noir pigs
*Jambon de Savoie
*Jambon du Périgord
*Jambon des Pyrénées

;Germany
*[[Ammerländer Schinken]] – [[Ammerland]]
*[[Black Forest ham|Schwarzwälder Schinken]] – [[Black Forest]]
*[[Westphalia ham|Westfälischer Schinken]] – [[Westfalen|Westphalia]]

;Italy
*[[:it:Prosciutto di Parma|Prosciutto di Parma]] – [[Parma]]
*[[:it:Prosciutto di San Daniele|Prosciutto di San Daniele]] – [[San Daniele del Friuli]]
*[[Speck Alto Adige]] – [[South Tyrol]]
*[[Valle d'Aosta Jambon de Bosses]] – [[Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses]], Aosta Valley

;Luxembourg
*[[Éisleker Ham|Éisleker ham]] – [[Oesling]] region

;Montenegro
*[[Njeguška pršuta]] – [[Njeguši]], Montenegro

;Portugal
*Portuguese Fiambre (not to be confused with Guatemalan [[fiambre]])
*[[Presunto]]
*[[Jamón Ibérico]]

;Slovenia
*[[Kraški pršut]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.delo.si/novice/slovenija/zdaj-uradno-originalen-kraski-prsut-zasciten-v-eu.html|title=Zdaj uradno originalen: kraški pršut zaščiten v EU|date=15 June 2012}}</ref>

;Spain
* [[Jamón serrano]]<ref>[http://www.jamondeteruel.com/ Regulator Agency of the Serrano Ham D.O.], Jamón de Teruel.com</ref>
* [[Jamón Ibérico]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mapa.es/es/alimentacion/pags/iberico/informacioniberico.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522085421/http://www.mapa.es/es/alimentacion/pags/iberico/informacioniberico.htm |archive-date=22 May 2008 |title=Campaña informativa sobre los Productos del Ibérico del Ministerio de Agricultura de España |date=22 May 2008 |access-date=8 September 2013}}</ref> made from the [[Black Iberian pig]] breeds
* [[Lacón Gallego]], from [[Galicia (Spain)|Galicia]]

;United Kingdom
*[[Wiltshire cure]] ham<ref name=AtlasBC>[https://books.google.com/books?id=2pdEZc-74vkC A colour atlas of food quality control], section "Brine curing", pages 65 and 66. Jane P. Sutherland, A. H. Varnam</ref>

;United States
*[[Smithfield ham]] – [[Smithfield, Virginia]]
{{div col end}}

== Uses ==
[[File:850 food.JPG|thumb|A platter of ham and cheese sliced for sandwiches]]
[[File:Christmas ham.jpg|thumb|A Finnish [[Christmas ham]]]]
Ham is typically used in its sliced form, often as a filling for sandwiches and similar foods, such as in the [[ham sandwich]] and [[ham and cheese sandwich]]. Other variations include toasted sandwiches such as the [[croque-monsieur]] and the [[Cuban sandwich|Cubano]]. It is also a popular topping for [[pizza in the United States]].

In the United Kingdom, a pork leg cut, either whole or sliced, that has been cured but requires additional cooking is known as [[gammon (meat)|gammon]]. Gammons were traditionally cured before being cut from a side of pork along with [[bacon]]. When cooked, gammon is ham. [[Christmas ham|Cooked ham joints]] are a popular dish around [[Christmas]] time, particularly in the Anglosphere and Northern Europe. Gammon can also served as gammon steaks, which are fried or grilled, and served in a similar manner to [[bacon]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=What's the Difference Between Gammon & Ham? |url=https://www.lovepork.co.uk/discover-pork/how-to-guides/gammon-ham/whats-the-difference-between-gammon-ham/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=LovePork |language=en-GB}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of hams]]
* [[List of ham dishes]]
* [[List of smoked foods]]
* [[Christmas ham]]
* [[Ham and eggs]]
* [[Prosciutto]]
* [[Spam (food)]]
* [[Turkey ham]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ham (food)}}
{{Cookbook|Ham}}
* [http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/hamhistory.htm Ham history] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906112602/http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/hamhistory.htm |date=6 September 2015 }}
* [https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat-catfish/hams-and-food-safety Ham and food safety] at the [[United States Department of Agriculture]]
* [http://www.foodsubs.com/MeatcureHams.html ''The Cook's Thesaurus'': "ham"]

{{Ham}}
{{Pigs}}
{{Meat}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ham| ]]
[[Category:Ancient dishes]]
[[Category:Charcuterie]]
[[Category:Lunch meat]]
[[Category:Garde manger]]
[[Category:Smoked meat]]
[[Category:Thanksgiving food]]