Question about ham

[onepieceoflollipop]

I have gradually been "going off" ham - partly because so much of it is "reformed" and it puts me off. However "real" ham is extortionately expensive imo.

I have given up buying cooked chicken and turkey type products, and cook an extra chicken breast or 2 and slice that up for sandwiches/salads.

Do any of you buy proper ham joints (maybe that is the wrong description) and carve them up rather than buying ready sliced ham? I bought 4 slices of proper off the bone ham (small slices - only 140g in the packet) and it cost almost £3. Surely buying a joint would be much cheaper and probably nicer?

I buy a small ham and use Nigella's ham in coke recipe and keep it in the fridge to use in sandwiches, salads etc but I still buy the reformed ham too but you're right it's not as nice but the children love it!! I can't get sliced ham off the bone here, it's just whole hams or packets of ham.

Thanks McDreamy. Roughly how much would you pay for a small ham? Any cooking tips? (or is it already cooked?)

I live in Cyprus so the price might not compare to the UK I'm not sure. I never used t do it until I came out here. Used to buy ham at the deli counter. I probably pay about £6 - £7 cypriot pounds, which you need to add about 20% onto, so about £7 sterling for a small whole ham.

I know what you mean about being put off by reformed etc.

I started buying ham on the bone until there was an undercover supermarket deli counter tv programme which put me off even more. Now I buy pre packed carved ham tis expensive at £5 for 2 small packs if on offer at sainsburys but very nice. But would too be interested in buy a proper ham

I like mine wafer thin and am considering purchasing a slicer.
I'm not sure where to get ham on a bone - I've only seen them at Xmas time and then they disapear.

Why IS 'nice ham' so expensive, compared to the price of every other pork product?

Furball I wonder if you feel similar to me. Our diet is generally quite good, then I buy reformed ham. Diet has improved over the years since I met dh as he has to have a strict gf diet. So I stopped buying a lot of stuff because the labelling wasn't clear. Then since having the dds I have got even more aware.

I too am wary of deli counters. I am sure the vast majority are fine, but I have read more than once to avoid them in pregnancy; for hygiene reasons I believe. Now I am not pg but I don't want to take risks. Also on a practical note you have to eat it all within a day or 2. I I cooked or bought a proper ham I would probably freeze some of the slices like I do with chicken that I cook.

I knew I wasn't the only one to feel like this.

We rarely have ham now. Even middle of the road (i.e. not cheapo) ham is quite expensive. I end up thinking of all the other things that are cheaper (and in most cases healthier). You can buy loads of hummus, cheese, tuna etc for the price of one smallish packet of ham.

Also because we don't have it much, it tastes saltier to me now.

Whats the difference between ham, pork, gammon and bacon then? are they just different cuts of the piggy?

TracyK I'm not really sure. I think that gammon and ham and bacon are cured/salted but I couldn't give you a proper answer really!

Always gotta go with Nice Ham

arf
our butcher sells ham
nice and DRY

bleuch!!! at wet ham!

The sort you could throw at a window or bathroom tile and you'd know it would stick