What is cooked ham

The best known country hams are Smithfield hams from Virginia. Smithfield hams are sold by mail order or via the internet unless you live in the south where they can be bought in supermarkets.

Because country hams are cured using a salt rub, they must be soaked and then slowly cooked in water prior to being baked. Even with this type of cooking, the flavor remains salty. What kind of pre-cooked hams do home cooks usually buy?

The hams sold in many supermarkets and better butcher shops are half hams that usually have been smoked. They contain a center bone and are sold in two versions: the rump or butt end or the shank end. Popular and good quality brands to look for include Karl Ehmer, Cook's, Berkshire their products are all heritage breeds , and Niman Ranch also heritage breeds. A half ham will weigh about 9 pounds and will easily feed 8.

Some home cooks buy from producers not only because of the quality and flavor of their hams, but also their humane pig-raising practices. Monte's Ham can be found at montesham. Many home cooks think that a bone-in ham has more flavor than a boneless. It may be trickier to carve, but the taste advantage is usually worth the trouble. There is no consensus on which cut of ham to buy. The butt end is usually leaner meat and has a more rounded top; the shank end may be larger and is usually more pointed or tapered in appearance.

Cook's Illustrated recommends the shank end because it has more meat and less connective tissue around the leg bone. Many butchers recommend the butt end saying it has better flavor and is meatier. You may need to just try both cuts and decide for yourself. Look for a ham that has a bright pink color and a consistent appearance. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Yields: 12 servings. Prep Time: 0 hours 15 mins.

Total Time: 3 hours 15 mins. This ingredient shopping module is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page.

You may be able to find more information about this and similar content on their web site. Place ham on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cover pan with foil. With helpful tips for roasting and glazing. Two things must be determined before calculating the cook time for your ham: whether the ham is bone-in or boneless and whether the ham has already been fully cooked or if the packaging instructs to "cook before eating.

The guidelines below are to provide a timetable of when to expect your ham to be done, but a food thermometer should be used to check the internal temperature for the respective hams. Cooking Temperature and Time: This ham should weigh between 6 and 12 pounds. Cooking Temperature and Time: Depending on the cut, this type of ham can weigh anywhere between 2 and 8 pounds.