Food Thread: City vs Country Hams

[BristolCavendish]

I don't eat that much ham anymore as it has gradually become a bit too salty for my tastes. On the other hand, a well-prepared ham is often hard to beat when you're feeding a bunch of people. Turkey falls into this category as well.

So the question is (and it may turn out to be a regional as well as prep-time preference/response). Do you prefer a wet-cured/pre-cooked 'city ham' or the dry-cured/smoked 'country ham' that requires a pre-soaking and has a far more intense flavor?

Canned ham and boneless pre-packaged 'ham-loaf' buyers need not reply.

[SearChart]

Depends on the sides. But my preference goes to country ham.

[incontrol]

Anything with more intense flavor! Country for me.


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[ejvette]

I like those honey glazed spiral hams what category do they fall in (not really a ham aficionado)

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by ejvette

I like those honey glazed spiral hams what category do they fall in (not really a ham aficionado)

Most of the really good ones (i.e. Honeybaked Hams) you are referring to are dry-smoked prior to being baked at the proprietor's facilities.

[swils8610]

Originally Posted by ejvette

I like those honey glazed spiral hams what category do they fall in (not really a ham aficionado)

Same here!


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[locutus49]

I like the honey-baked hams.

[GB-man]

Def smoked but I use the former presumably when I buy the organic slices for my egg white mcmuffins

[Investr]

Have you tried Spam?

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Investr

Have you tried Spam?

For a 99% YES response + an additional ask any Hawaiian. They make a form of sushi (called musubi) with it.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Investr

Have you tried Spam?

My wife loves spam.

[Canefan1]

I always did Publix bone in Ham. Nothing fancy,but goes real good with my homade mac n cheese.

[Ferdelious]

Allan Benton supposedly makes the best country hams in the US.

http://bentonscountryhams2.com/

[Rock]

We always buy a big leg of ham at Christmas as everybody loves the stuff.
I never thought about what sort it was as it is long-time traditional Christmas fare in Australia and we just buy the 'standard product'. I think it must be what you call "wet-cured, pre-cooked".
Now I'm wondering what the "dry-cured smoked" tastes like. You say it requires a "pre-soaking" - like as in soak it in a tub of water?

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Rock

We always buy a big leg of ham at Christmas as everybody loves the stuff.
I never thought about what sort it was as it is long-time traditional Christmas fare in Australia and we just buy the 'standard product'. I think it must be what you call "wet-cured, pre-cooked".
Now I'm wondering what the "dry-cured smoked" tastes like. You say it requires a "pre-soaking" - like as in soak it in a tub of water?

A dry-cured 'country ham' is essentially dehydrated when you buy one to cook yourself as it has been preserved solely by salting and smoking. Takes a couple of days of pre-soaking in H20 (prior to baking) in order to rehydrate it. It also comes with the pork rind which you have to remove earlier in the cooking process so the ham can be glazed. A country ham takes more work to prepare than a city ham which is why most folks opt to buy one pre-prepped and pre-baked. With the dry-cured technique, the ham has absorbed much of the wood-smoke which is why the flavor is more intense than wet-cured/brined and partially-cooked 'city ham'.