Ham - this is what? How to cook ham at home?

Ham is a product that is known.humanity has many centuries. Mention of it as an ingredient used to prepare a variety of dishes can be found in Chinese treatises dating back to the X-XIII centuries. And today the ham is a product, dearly loved by gourmets. But how many ordinary people know about her? For example, Parma ham - what is it?

What is ham?

Ham was originally called the productcooked of pork gammon. He salted and then smoked. Pork is ham in its classic cooking. According to such a simple and classic recipe, to this day, some types of this product are being prepared. For example, Italian Parma ham and Spanish jamon. They are delicacies and symbols of the national cuisines of these countries.

Familiar to most people sausage, ham -these are products consisting of small pieces of meat, separated from the bones, fat and tendons. In the process of cooking, they are aged in the marinade before ripening, pressed into molds and cooked. Roasting and smoking is also allowed. Classical ham consists only of pork and salt, but to expand its product line, producers often use other types of meat, such as beef, turkey, chicken.

Types of ham

Depending on the method of preparation and the country of origin, the product can be divided into several types:

• Boiled ham can be cooked from porkham with spices, onions and carrots. The product is aged for a certain time in the marinade. Then he cooks. Such product differs in special juiciness and tenderness.
• The difference between cooked and smoked ham is that after pickling the meat is first smoked and then cooked with spices. The product is distinguished by an appetizing crust.
• Smoked baked ham is also pickled in brine. But then it does not boil, but is immediately baked in frying chambers at a temperature not exceeding 95 ° C, and then smoked.
• The species of smoked hams applies Schwarzwald. When cooking meat, it is first fried in the oven. It is then smoked using pine and spruce wood from the Black Forest.

• Cracked ham is bresaol. The birthplace of this product is Italy. It is made of beef, which is salted, and then dried in the open air for 2 months.
• Also jamon is a dry-cured variety. For its preparation is used only pork ham and salt. Hamon is divided into two types: Serrano and Iberico. They differ in the duration of preparation and the color of the hooves of the pigs from which they are made.
• A special type of product is Parma ham. What it is? The product is a type of ham, for the preparation of which only three breeds of pigs can be used. The weight of the carcass should not exceed 150 kg. This grade of ham belongs to dry-cured. For its production of ham three weeks marinate. It is then dried in the open air for a year.
• Prosciutto ham is originally from Italy. It is the classic version of dry-cured meat product, in the preparation of which only meat and salt is used.

When asked whether a ham is pork or beef, it is impossible to give a definite answer. It depends on where and who prepared it.

How to choose a ham?

Today, store shelves are full ofall kinds of meat products from different manufacturers. The quality of these products can vary greatly. As a rule, large and well-known manufacturers value their reputation. Therefore, choosing a ham, you should pay attention primarily to their products. But in this case it is worth remembering a few rules.

• The packaging must indicate that the products are manufactured in compliance with GOST 9165-59 standards. In the composition of the ham should not be flavoring, baking powder and other additives.
• The cut of the product should be gray-pink. It should not shine. The reverse case indicates that the composition contains preservatives.
• The shell should be tight and dry, with no visible damage.
• The aroma of ham also plays an important role. A quality product smells like meat, not smoked. It must not have any other odors.
• An important factor in the quality of ham is its price. You should choose a product that will be slightly more expensive than the cost of fresh pork shoulder.

Ham is a perishable product. This should be remembered when buying it. The shelf life of the cut product is reduced to three days. Therefore, it is not necessary to stock them in store.

How to cook ham at home?

For cooking homemade ham is neededpork ham, a set of spices, salt and patience. After all, the process is quite long. First you need to prepare the pickle. It is produced in a hot way. Spices and salt are boiled and then cooled.

Chilled brine with a syringechipped off a piece of meat. It is important to do this from all sides and at different depths. It depends on this procedure how juicy and flavorful the prepared ham will turn out. Then the meat is placed in a container and filled with the remains of brine. It should be covered with a plate with a load placed on it and sent to the fridge to marinate for 3 days. It is necessary to periodically turn the meat, for a better distribution of brine. After the piece gets, is bound by a tight rope or wrapped with cling film.

The product is cooked 2-2.5 hours at a temperature of 85degrees If you increase it, then the ham will have the taste of simple boiled meat. Then the meat is treated with cold water and as it cools, it is sent to the refrigerator to infuse for several hours or overnight.

A little bit about the benefits of ham

Natural ham is undoubtedly useful. But only if it is made without the use of artificial preservatives and dyes. First of all, ham is meat. Therefore, it is a source of protein that is essential for human health.

It also contains important fatty acids,vitamins and minerals. It is fair to note about the high calorie ham. From which it follows that people suffering from metabolic disorders and overweight should limit the use of this meat product.

Cooking application

Ham is one of the valuable foods.modern man. It is used as an independent dish, and as part of a variety of dishes. For example, rolls with various fillings are made from ham, baked with potatoes, added to pastries and soups.