Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

------------------------TYPES OF HAM-----------------------------

Most hams that people bake and serve for large gatherings have been
wet-cured (soaked in brine) as part of their preparation. Because the
curing process dilutes the protein content of ham, there are four USDA
categories for labeling ham products. "Ham with Natural Juices" (at
least 18.5 percent protein), "Ham--Added Water" (at least 17 percent
protein) and "Ham and Water Product" , which may contain any amount
of water.

If you choose a bone-in ham, you can buy a whole ham (it might weigh
about 15 pounds) or either the butt or shank end. the butt (or rump)
contains more total usable meat, the shank yields more large slices.
The shank has a point at one end that is good for making soup.

DRY-CURED HAMS have been rubbed with salt and then cured. Examples of
dry-cured ham are country ham, Smithfield ham (a country ham made
only in Smithfield, Va), German Westphalian ham, French Bayonne ham,
and Italian Prosciutto.
COUNTRY HAM is a dry-cured product that has been rubbed with salt,
smoked, and then hung in the air to cure for several months. As it
dries, a mold develops on the outside that must be removed by
scrubbing.
As the ham hangs in the air, moisture escapes, and the meat becomes
quite dense. Once the mold is removed it can be served raw in thin
slices, like Prosciutto, or cooked.
If the ham is going to be cooked, it should be soaked for 12 to 24
hours in several changes of cold water to remove some of the salt.
Usually, the meat is then cooked at a slow simmer.
Country ham is a specialty of the southern United States that can be
served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is traditionally
accompanied by brown sugar, brewed black coffee and red-eye gravy
made from the pan drippings.

BONELESS HAMS have been assembled from pieces of trimmed ham. They
can be made from top quality lean meat or from ground up leftovers.
Price is usually a good indicator of what you are getting. Boneless
hams range from individually numbered and registered extra lean hams
(less than 5% fat) to tumbled pork bits with caramel coloring and 35%
water and other additives.

CANNED HAM is often made from small pieces of ham that are pressed
together and packed in gelatin. Many canned hams must be refrigerated
before they are opened. Check the label.

You will get 4 to 5 servings per pound with boneless or canned hams;
2 to 3 servings per pound with bone-in hams.

The flavor of ham is affected by what the pigs eat (pigs used for
Smithfield hams dine on peanuts), their age at slaughter, the type of
salt that was used, and how the curing was done. Different aromatic
woods used for smoking--hickory, apple, oak, pine, or beech--lend
different flavors.

By definition, ham is made from the back leg of a pig. Picnic ham
isn't really ham, since it comes from the shoulder rather that the
hind leg. Canadian bacon looks and tastes like ham, but it is
actually smoked and cured pork loin.

Ham in its original, unopened packaging will keep for several weeks
in the refrigerator (note any "sell by" date on the wrapper). Once it
has been opened, leftover ham slices or small pieces should be used
or frozen within 3 or 4 days; large pieces of meat will last up to a
week. Iridescence on the outside does not mean that ham is spoiled;
this is simply a byproduct of the curing process. Use your eyes and
nose to tell you when ham is past its prime.

Hams have become much leaner over the years, but the meat should
still be enjoyed in moderation. Because of the salt necessary for the
curing process, ham is always high in sodium. Take this into account
when planning your menu and balance the ham with lower sodium, lower
fat dishes. Ham is a good source of high quality protein, B vitamins,
iron and zinc.

Source: Excerpted from the Oregonian FOODday Typed by Dorothy
Flatman, 1995 Submitted By DOROTHY FLATMAN On 06-21-95

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