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Ham Primer

How do city hams differ from fresh and country varieties?

How do city hams differ from fresh and country varieties?

There are three basic kinds of ham, all of which come from the hind leg of a pig: fresh ham, which is the leg in its raw state, and country and city hams, which are both cured. Country hams are dry-cured (salted, spiced, smoked, and aged for up to a year), and city hams are wet-cured by brining or injection with a saltwater solution that typically includes sugar and other seasonings, such as liquid smoke.

City hams are usually sold fully cooked and are categorized by the amount of water added to their original weight during curing. We prefer those labeled "ham" or "ham with natural juices," which contain little added water and therefore have a less spongy texture.

City hams are sold either spiral-sliced or uncut and with or without the bone. Spiral-sliced hams are easy to carve, but it's easier to put a thick glaze or crust on an uncut ham. And while boneless hams are also easy to carve, they are compressed to a solid mass after the bone is removed, which can result in a "processed" texture. We recommend buying a bone-in ham.

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