Hams: The Many Different Types & How to Cook Them

Ham is an Easter favorite, and I get emails from people at this time of year asking how to cook one. The first question I have to ask is which kind of ham do you have? A true ham is a rear leg of a hog from hip to knee. Most have a bone in it, but some are boneless. Sounds simple, right? I wish. There are exceptions, the picnic ham, which comes from the lower part of the front leg, and the turkey ham, which comes from a fowl (whose idea was this?). Let’s clarify the murk. Here’s what you need to know when shopping for a ham and tips for cooking it. Folks who follow me here weekly know my specialty is outdoor cooking, but these tips can easily be adapted for indoors.

Three major categories

Fresh Ham (a.k.a. Leg) is a raw uncured uncooked ham, usually with the skin still on. The meat is the typical pale pink to beige color of raw pork. It can be roasted, skin on or off, and it is especially good with the skin removed and smoke roasted. Use the skin for cracklins. Click here for some of the cuts that are available from the leg.
Dry-Cured Ham is cured (preserved) by burying it a big mound of salt or by rubbing the exterior with salt, often mixed with sugar, black pepper, garlic, and other spices. In some places sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite are also added. It is then usually hung and air-dried for 6-18 months at cool temperatures, and it dehydrates significantly, concentrating its flavor. Often it is smoked at low temperatures. They are usually pink to brown and can be purchased as a whole ham, half a ham, and is usually served uncooked and sliced thin. Because their production takes a lot of time, dry-cured hams can be expensive. the most famous of this type is Prosciutto di Parma, the famous dry cured ham of Italy.

Wet-Cured Ham is the most popular ham in the US. It is meat that is usually skinned and cured by soaking in a brine or injecting it with a brine. A brine is a salt and water solution with some or all of these ingredients: Sugar, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, sodium erythorbate, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride, liquid smoke, and other flavorings. The ingredients will appear on the label. Some wet-cured hams are pre-cooked and labeled as “ready to eat”. Some are sold uncooked as “cook before eating”. By law these must have prominent labeling with safe handling and cooking instructions. When you get them home, they can be roasted or smoked depending on whether they have been pre-smoked or pre-cooked. For pre-cooked wet-cured hams, paint with a sweet and savory glaze, heat to 140°F, and serve. That’s all there is to it. Yes, 140°F seems low, but that’s what USDA says is safe since it is cured and pre-cooked. For uncooked wet-cured hams, take them up to 160°F.