Ham

Ham is a special kind of food made from the hind leg of a pig.

It is a processed meat, which means it has been changed through a specific way of making it. People use different methods to preserve the meat so it lasts longer. Some hams are made as whole cuts of meat. Others are made by joining pieces of meat together. Ham is enjoyed all over the world in many different forms. Many regions have their own unique types that people are very proud of.

There are two main ways to cure ham: dry curing and wet curing. In dry curing, workers clean the raw meat and cover it in salt.

This process squeezes fluid out of the meat. Sometimes, people add herbs or spices to give it extra flavor. The meat is then washed and hung in a dark, cool place to dry. Some hams, like Jinhua ham, take 8 to 10 months to finish. Others, like Iberian ham, can take up to 2 years! Wet curing is called brining. The meat sits in a liquid called brine for 3 to 14 days.

People have been making ham for a very long time. Some stories say the Chinese were the first to make cured ham. Others say it began in a place called Gaul. The Etruscan civilization was making cured ham as far back as the 6th or 5th century BC. A writer named Cato the Elder even wrote about salting hams in 160 BC. By the time of the Romans, ham was a big part of trade. The word "ham" comes from an Old English word. It originally meant the bend of the knee or something "crooked."

Rules help make sure ham is labeled correctly. In the United States, the word "ham" must only be used for the hind leg of a pig. If a ham is called "smoked," it must have been hung over burning wood chips.

If it is called "hickory-smoked," it must use only hickory wood. Some hams have special names to protect their history and location. These are called protected designations. For example, Prosciutto di Parma comes from Parma in Italy. Jamón Ibérico comes from special black pigs in Spain. There are many others, like Speck from South Tyrol or Smithfield ham from Virginia.

Ham is a very common ingredient in many meals. You might eat it in a ham and cheese sandwich or a toasted croque-monsieur. In the United States, it is a popular topping for pizza. In many parts of the world, a cooked ham is a famous part of a Christmas meal. In the United Kingdom, a pork leg that needs more cooking is called gammon. Some people also enjoy eating gammon steaks by grilling them. While ham is delicious, doctors say to eat it in small amounts. This is because processed meats can be linked to health issues like heart disease.