Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. Ham is made around the world, including a number of regional specialties, such as Westphalian ham and some varieties of Spanish jamón. The ham gratin of pork leg as ham has a long history, with traces of production of cured ham among the Etruscan civilization known in the 6th and 5th century BC.

There are claims that the Chinese were the first people to mention the production of cured ham. It was certainly well established by the Roman period, as evidenced by an import trade from Gaul mentioned by Marcus Terentius Varro in his writings. Germanic base where it meant “crooked”. It began to refer to the cut of pork derived from the hind leg of a pig around the 15th century.

Ham is produced by curing raw pork by salting, also known as dry curing, or brining, also known as wet curing. Additionally, smoking may be employed, and seasonings may be added. Traditional dry cure hams may use only salt as the curative agent, such as with San Daniele or Parma hams, although this is comparatively rare. This process involves cleaning the raw meat, covering it in salt while it is gradually pressed draining all the blood. Specific herbs and spices may be used to add flavour during this step. The duration of the curing process varies by the type of ham. 12 months, Parma ham takes more than 12 months, and Iberian ham can take up to 2 years to reach the desired flavor characteristics.

Nitrites are used because they prevent bacterial growth and, in a reaction with the meat’s myoglobin, give the product a desirable dark red color. The dry curing of ham involves a number of enzymatic reactions. The salt content in dry-cured ham varies throughout a piece of meat, with gradients determinable through sampling and testing or non-invasively through CT scanning. Dry-cured ham is usually eaten without being cooked. Wet-cured hams are brined, which involves the immersion of the meat in a brine, sometimes with other ingredients such as sugar also added for flavour. The meat is typically kept in the brine for around 3 to 14 days. The wet curing process can also be achieved by pumping the curing solution into the meat.

This can be quicker, increase the weight of the finished product by more than immersion, and ensure a more even distribution of salt through the meat. This process is quicker than traditional brining, normally being completed in a few days. Wet-cured ham is usually cooked, either during processing, or after ageing. The Italian version of cooked, wet-cured ham is called prosciutto cotto, as are similar hams made outside Italy.

It is first brined, then cooked in a container and finally surface pasteurized. The main flavor compounds of smoked ham are guaiacol, and its 4-, 5-, and 6-methyl derivatives as well as 2,6-dimethylphenol. These compounds are produced by combustion of lignin, a major constituent of wood used in the smokehouse. In many countries the term is now protected by statute, with a specific definition. In addition to the main categories, some processing choices can affect legal labeling. Whole fresh pork leg can be labeled as fresh ham in the United States. A number of hams worldwide have some level of protection of their unique characteristics, usually relating to their method of preservation or location of production or processing.

Jamón Ibérico, made from the Black Iberian pig breeds. Ham is typically used in its sliced form, often as a filling for sandwiches and similar foods, such as in the ham sandwich and ham and cheese sandwich. In the United Kingdom, a pork leg cut, either whole or sliced, that has been cured but requires additional cooking is known as gammon. Gammons were traditionally cured before being cut from a side of pork along with bacon. Such roasts are a traditional part of British Christmas dinners. As a processed meat, there has been concern over the health effects of ham consumption.