Ham
Ham comes from one or all of the three of the major muscles of the hog’s leg: the inside round, the outside round and the tip. Leg roasts come from the same three areas but are not cured.
Did you know?
- Apart from a few dry-cured artisanal hams, all hams found on the market are brined. If the ham is too salty, soak it in water to remove the excess salt.
- Ham also contains nitrites, which maintain its pink colour and act as a preservative.
- Bone-in ham is one of the most delicious kinds on the market, plus it has a higher protein content than pressed ham.
- Like toupie ham, pressed ham is made of ham pieces of all different sizes that are tumbled together and pressed into a mould.
Availability
- Pressed hams are popular in Quebec and can be found in any grocery store. Bone-in ham is harder to find, as many processors have stopped producing it. The issue is price. Hams are quite large (about 4 kg) and therefore more expensive than other cuts, so consumers do not usually buy it at regular price.
