Have you ever bought a Ham that is just too salty to eat?

[Baja Margie]

I have, twice. I just received this tip for Anne Vasquez, who lived in England for awhile. There, she said, what they do is soak the ham in water for an hour to take the salt out. Thanks Anne!

[NMDemDist2]

1. yes, and soaking will help

but that is why I usually look for "Honey cured" on the label

[Stinky The Clown]

2. What kind of ham was it?

Some hams that are dry cured are supposed to be salty. True enough, they're too salty to suit most people's tastes. Soaking is a good idea. A prime example of an inherently salty ham is what are called "country" hams. They're widely available in the southeast. They're actually an excellent product and as fine a ham as a good Parma or Westphalian. They taste different, but are of no less quality.

A normally cured ham that's too salty is just a mark of a crappy, cheap ham. Soaking will definitely help!

Also, some hams marked as "water added" often have a brine solution at up to 10% of the ham's total weight. Those are definitely too salty. And why are we paying a 10% premium for salt water????

[alfredo]

4. Yeah, but that salty country ham sure tastes good with

beaten biscuits and a cup of tea.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. Yoooooo betcha!

:hi:

[alfredo]

8. Can't go to a high falutin affair without having them.

If it is too salty, a bit of bourbon will clean the palette.

[yellowdogintexas]

11. red eye gravy, fried eggs, grits (or even better a cheese grits

casserole) and some country ham...yum yum yum

If it is prepared properly, a freshly baked country ham can be moist and heavenly. My aunt used to fix hams so good that it ought to be illegal to eat them. They cured their own though.


I can't eat too much of it at once if it is too salty and dry though.

[bearfan454]

3. Smithfield hams are VERY salty.

I have had to take extra bp meds before.

[Dees]

7. And over rated. Best I've ever eaten

was from Burger's Smokehouse in Missouri.

[Syrinx]

6. I watched Alton Brown's show about hams the other night

If you're talking about a "country ham," he said you should soak it for 2 days (or was it 3, not sure), changing the water every 8 to 12 hours. He did his in a cooler out in the yard. But I'd do it indoors.

[Baja Margie]

9. Hi....er....

One I bought from Henry's, it was a spiril cut, the other I bought at Von's it was a Farmer John. Now, don't get mad at me, but I bought them each because they were on sale, and I usually am paying between 4.99 and up on either Farmer John Slices or Cure Hormel 81. But, the ham was for my pups, they have ham & cheese snacks. Anyway, even they couldn't eat it.

[yellowdogintexas]

10. an HOUR???? Try 24 at least, if it is a Kentucky or Virginia

country ham.

Granny used to soak her ham 24 hours, wash it, then put it in a large enough container to hold it, covered in water again and brought it up to a boil on the stove, and cooked for about an hour. then she covered it with the lid and we would set it down on a couple or three quilts, or thick thick towels, and wrap the quilts/towels/whatever around the container until it was thoroughly wrapped and tie the blankets around it. Then it would sit until it was cool enough to open and handle.


Then you can bake the ham.