Know your hams
IT IS that time of year when Jamaicans are enjoying the festivities with friends and family, of which food is a critical element. Families dedicate time to planning a menu, sometimes weeks in advance, irrespective of how simple or elaborate it may be.
Jamaican tradition dictates that a vast number of celebrants gather around a succulent, well-decorated ham, which has been the cornerstone of many dining tables on Christmas Day. But how much do we really know about this salty, smoky, and highly prized cut of pork that persons shell out thousands of dollars for, just for it to be devoured in one sitting? Well, perhaps those with a conscience may have leftovers for Boxing Day.
History points towards the Chinese as the first to record the production of ham back in 4000BC. As trade activity with the Europeans grew, the production of ham slowly infiltrated Italy, France, Rome, Germany, and eventually Spain, since it was a popular technique of preserving pork. These ham products bore no resemblance to the hams we know today in Jamaica because they underwent the simple process of being salted and air-dried for several months. The cold climate allowed for the hams to be stored in huts for several months while inhabitants occasionally sliced off a piece to eat as an accompaniment or dropped into a simmering soup or stew.
Explorers such as Christopher Columbus brought pigs to the New World. Eventually, a thriving pork industry churning out salted pork and bacon proliferated during the late 17th century. The term ‘ham’ derived from the Old English ‘hamm’, which meant a cut of pork from the hind leg. Ham was still commonly dry-cured up to the late 1800s.
Globally, there are various styles of hams that may either be drycured or wet-cured (brined) then either air-dried, smoked, or cooked straight after curing.
Locally, the ubiquitous form of this high-priced processed pig is brined and smoked to yield a very juicy and smoky product. This has left a flavour expectation engrained in our taste buds that we seek to satisfy each Christmas and occasionally during the year.
HAM PROCESSING
Classically, hams are made from the pork leg, yet to appeal to a wider market, resulting from health, religious, or allergy concerns, hams made from chicken or turkey may be spotted in retail outlets islandwide.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of our hams are treated with a brine, or what some may call a wet cure. This is a solution of salt, nitrites, some form of sweetener, and a customised spice blend. The high sodium content and the carcinogenic reputation of nitrites have been a cause for concern over the past few decades, thus dieticians tend to recommend a very controlled intake of processed foods in general.
The hams are submerged into this solution, or, for expedited production, it is injected by machines into the meat directly. After the requisite time has elapsed, the meat is then smoked for hours in large chambers or rooms. The smoking temperature of the chamber will dictate whether the ham is cooked or still raw at the end of the smoking process.
While exposing the cured meats to smoke, manufacturers have another opportunity to customise the ham by using a specific type of wood to yield flavours such as hickory, applewood, or oak. Occasionally, a glaze such as maple syrup, honey, etc., will be applied. Some cooked hams may be sliced and pre-packaged for customer convenience, but the unsliced hunk of meat customarily dominates the Christmas dinner table.
COMMON TYPES OF JAMAICAN HAMS
1. Country-style smoked ham – this is the most basic type of ham, derived from processing the pig’s hind legs. It may be purchased cooked or raw and tends to weigh between 15lb and 22lb, since the hind legs are larger than the forelegs.
2. Picnic ham – also called shoulder ham, this is the front leg of the pig’s carcass that is usually treated similarly to a regular ham but is smaller in size, with a weight range of five pounds to 12lbs. It is commonly available cooked or raw and can even be purchased boneless, which reduces the cooking time and makes carving at the dinner table easier.
3. Pressed ham – this may be creatively labeled under another name but is made from chunks of cured pork coated with a binder and pressed into a loaf-shaped or log-shaped mould and cooked. This boneless variation of ham may or may not be smoked but tends to be one of the more affordable varieties on the market. Weight usually ranges from half a pound up to three pounds. This is a great alternative for singles or couples on a Christmas Day or for a family during the year.
4. Chicken or turkey ham
– these are coarsely ground or chunks of chicken or turkey that are treated similarly to a pressed ham, fully cooked, smoked, and sold in a variety of sizes.
Whichever ham you choose this season, please make an informed decision. Remember to consume all processed foods in moderation. Sodium intake should be limited to a maximum of 2,300mg per day for the average person but reduced to 1,500mg per day for children, diabetics, persons with hypertension, and those over 51 years old.