Food: How to Buy a Freakin’ Ham
For all you foodies, cooks and even kitchen challenged types out there, here are a few quick tips on purchasing a ham. Remember, it IS the holiday season and that IS when you are supposed to cook a ham, right..?
OK… I am going to make this clean and simple, so pay attention.
There are three types of ham at the store: whole ham, shank or butt. (I said butt…. Hehe!) The whole ham is a pain to deal with and the shank can be tough or fatty. That means that the winner is the butt.
Next, do not get a boneless ham. Be sure it is bone-in or maybe semi-boneless.
Now it’s time to check that label for the word portion. If you see that, it means that your ham has been robbed of the best slices which were probably packaged and sold as some nice ham steaks. Stay away from that word..!
The last catch phrases to look for on the label are the following terms…
· Natural Juices = good
· Water added = good
· Water product or ham product added = bad ( trust me on this one )
There you have it..! Butt, bone-in, water added (no portion). What are you waiting for? Get your ham, go home and start cooking..!
OK… I am going to make this clean and simple, so pay attention.
There are three types of ham at the store: whole ham, shank or butt. (I said butt…. Hehe!) The whole ham is a pain to deal with and the shank can be tough or fatty. That means that the winner is the butt.
Next, do not get a boneless ham. Be sure it is bone-in or maybe semi-boneless.
Now it’s time to check that label for the word portion. If you see that, it means that your ham has been robbed of the best slices which were probably packaged and sold as some nice ham steaks. Stay away from that word..!
The last catch phrases to look for on the label are the following terms…
· Natural Juices = good
· Water added = good
· Water product or ham product added = bad ( trust me on this one )
There you have it..! Butt, bone-in, water added (no portion). What are you waiting for? Get your ham, go home and start cooking..!