Need a (real) Ham for Christmas

[Vraille Darkfang]

Does anyone know where I can find a Ham?

We are having Christmas Dinner at our place & need one for the main dish.

By Ham I mean:

No Dextrose or Corn Syrup added as "Flavor Enhancer". My Wife is allergic to Corn.

No Sodium Nitrate, Monosodium Glutomate, Edowhatit, or anything else that sounds like it belongs in a Chemisty Book and not on an Ingredient List.

We went to Hy-vee, Wal-Mart, & Gerbes (what Kroger is called out here). and of the 45! different brands of Ham (including some "Organic" ones). There was not a single one that could make the list.

I'll put up with Sodium Nitrate if I have too (I'm trying to eliminate it from my diet, thus 99% of processed meats are off the table).


Do I have to find some pork that still goes "Oink" when you poke it with a stick & Figure out how to make the Ham myself to get a "Real" Ham anymore (Pigs are CR 2, right?).

Is there any semi-national brand that is a Ham that isn't bloated with a 12-23% Water soultion and enough preservatives to ensure its freshness for the next few decades?

Or should I hunt up some local farmers (we got them) & prepare for next year (and Easter).

Thanks

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Even Smithfield hams (the semi-dried cured hams from the eastern seaboard that my family grew up eating while in Virginia) have preservatives--re: sodium nitrite/nitrate in them. They have precious little else added, though. They're salty. You soak them for a couple of days to get rid of the brine before you cook and eat them. You might look for one of those if you haven't already and/or get desperate. It's been about five years since I last looked at the ingredient list on a Smithfield, but I recall being impressed that there was so little added other than just...ham...and salt...

edited to include link...http://www.smithfieldhams.com/...there ya go.

 

[jaerdaph]

My mother makes fresh (uncured) ham at Christmas. She always has to special order it from the butcher in advance though. A couple of years ago she was able to do this at Wegman's supermarket in upstate New York rather than go to a dedicted butcher shop, so perhaps your local supermarket offers the same service.

If you can't find fresh ham, perhaps look for pork loin, which isn't cured either, I believe.

Ham and Food Safety

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

Smithfield was one of the crap hams at Hy-vee. At least the brands available. It seems they have some really nice ones only available via their web site.


Thanks for the link jaerdaph.

City Ham, or Wet Curing is what my wife's family prefers (I don't think they have ever had the Dry Cure). As Wet Cure involves stuff like "sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, sodium erythorbate, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride", we might go with a Dry Cure Ham.

They are more expensive (but we can afford it). And ironically, since they are more expensive to begin with, there is a larger selection of even more expensive organic and natural choices I can pick from.

I'll get something figured out.

 

[Vraille Darkfang]

Found One

Nothing but Salt, Pork, and time.

Pig Foot Included.

All for the low, low price of 59 (Minimum) Bucks a Pound (Minimum of 15 lb ham).

Yep, for 800 bucks, I can have the finest, Acorn Fed, Wild Iberian Ham, Packed in Sea Salt & Aged over 18 months.

I'm not sure I like my wife's family that much.

 

[jaerdaph]

Yep, for 800 bucks, I can have the finest, Acorn Fed, Wild Iberian Ham, Packed in Sea Salt & Aged over 18 months.

I'm not sure I like my wife's family that much.

If they offer to pay your mortgage for a year as a Christmas gift then maybe...

Strangely, I have this image of my ex-wife's mother on a spit with an apple stuck in her mouth.