Published: March 18, 2009 10:19 am      

Ham — delicious any time of year

Ham is a food synonymous with holiday meals, including Easter celebrations. However, ham needn’t be served on holidays alone. It can prove to be a tasty and anticipated dish any time during the year.

Cooking ham is relatively easy when you first know what type of ham you have. Generally, hams are sold fully cooked, partially cooked or uncooked.

Fully cooked hams do not have to be cooked any further. If you prefer, they can be heated until warm throughout or served cold in sandwiches and salads. Partially cooked hams will need to be cooked for a duration until they are fully done. Uncooked hams will have to cook hours depending upon size. Basically, hams should be cooked until the internal temperature reads 160 F.

Hams can be cooked in a number of ways, from boiling to baking to grilling ham steaks. You can experiment with the different cooking ways to determine a taste you prefer. There are also a number of seasoning methods that can make a sweet or savory ham. Honey-glazed ham is quite popular. Many home chefs like to baste hams with pineapple or orange juice for a citrus flavor. Or, attach pineapple rings with whole cloves for a decorative and tasty presentation. There are few ways you can ruin a ham, so don’t be afraid to try different flavor combinations.

Because of the relative size of hams, you are likely to have some left over. Chunks of ham can be added to salads and stews. Save the ham bone to add flavor to soups. Sliced ham makes great sandwiches or can be added to breakfast egg dishes. The possibilities are endless.