Ham

A cut of pork that is taken from the meat on the middle part of the shank bone extending to the hip bone on the hind leg of the hog.

There are two basic types of ham:

• Fresh ham (uncooked) or cured ham (cooked).
• Cured hams can be brine-cured or dry-cured and then boiled or lightly smoked. If ham is cured, smoked, and then allowed to age for a longer period of time (1 year or more) to develop more flavor, it is most often classified as a "gourmet" ham

Origin: The word ham comes from the Old English Hamm. George A. Hormel & Company pioneered canned hams in America in 1926.

History: Domestication of pigs for food dates back to 4900 B.C. in China and by 1500 B.C., Europe had followed suit. Although Christopher Columbus had eight pigs on board when he left Spain for the new world, it is explorer Hernando de Soto whose 13 pigs became the breeding stock for America's pork industry. By the 17th century, most American farmers raised pigs. The shelf-life of salt pork and bacon made both staple in most kitchens.

Nutrition Fact: Ham is a good source of Vitamin C and Thiamin, Protein, Niacin, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus and Selenium. Ham is also high in Sodium and Cholesterol.