Ham and Water product??!!

[Paper Roses]

Today was the first time I saw something like this. Went to a new market where I found a great selection of fresh fruit and veggies at a much lower price than my local market.

Pleased until I decided to check out the packaged cheese and other deli items. There is no fresh cut deli section in this store but I thought I'd pick up some packaged ham for a quick lunch sandwich.
Yikes.
Obviously, no lunch ham for me. 'Ham and Water ' product. What the heck is this?

Qhttps://www.google.com/search?q=ham+and+water+product&biw=1024&bih=615&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=v-BMVbyOLIbHsQSzyIDgBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CCYQsAWater product'

[Kali]

1. ...

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/12/the-food-lab-how-to-pick-and-cook-a-holiday-h.html

[TeeYiYi]

2. I just read...

...more then I ever thought I would about a subject I didn't realize I was so undereducated about.

Good link.

TYY

[Paper Roses]

4. Thanks for the link, what an education.

I don't buy ham often but once in a while a sandwich is great. I usually buy fresh cut. This "Ham and water product" shocked me. I usually read labels closely, especially as of late. Live and learn.

[Warpy]

3. It's ham left on the bone after deboning and/or slicing into a premium product

and mechanically separated, mixed with water into a slurry, and then pressed into "slices" that are square and the same size as a bread slice. It uses ham that would have been reclaimed and turned into sausage or other products a little more creatively, turning it into "ham slices."

You can see pieces of actual ham in the slices, so it's a step above pink slime.

I think they've likely had to add gelatin or something else to the water, increasing the water content to the point that they've had to put it onto the label.

[Major Nikon]

5. A real ham has a bone in it