Healthier ham?

[Dancinginthelight]

Is there such a thing as non processed ham? One that isn’t full of additives, nitrates etc

I’ve read articles on cured vs uncured etc but I just want to find something that I can give my ham loving kids without the added crap.

You could make your own using a gammon? Much more cost effective and nicer.

Buy uncooked gammon with a good amount of fat on it. (Buy unsmoked unless you love salt!! )Boil in water with an onion, cinnamon stick or whatever. Leave to cool in the water (stops it drying out). Then carefully cut off the rind of the fat, leaving a decent thickness of fat.

Score the fat in diamond criss crosses. You could put cloves in the corners. Cover in mustard and brown sugar or honey. And then frazzle it in the oven for 10 mins on a high heat until it caramelises. Voila

If you can't.be bothered to get the fat frazzled just leave out the 2nd paragraph.

Thank you! Looking at joints though, they appear full of the same as ham! Nitrates and other preservatives

They've got to be better than sliced ham though? Try and go to a butcher that does organic. I usually just get a waitrose gammon but maybe a good butcher would have one as a gammon is treated like bacon is. So shouldn't need fiddling with too much before sale if it's from a nice place.

Gammon, ham, bacon and sausages all contain nitrates that are a proven carcinogen. I buy the "Naked" brand of ham and sausages that are made without nitrates. Ocado sell then but I'm sure other supermarkets must do as well.

You could 'cure' your own joint of pork.

www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245724/home-cured-holiday-ham/

Not ham, but Naked bacon is good - most big supermarkets sell it now.

The so-called nitrate-free products do contain nitrates – they are just naturally occurring ones (celery is full of nitrates). If it doesn't have nitrates it's not ham, it's just pork. Nitrates are what makes it “cured” and pink rather than grey.

The ingredients for Naked ham is: British or Irish Pork (86%), Water, Salt, Natural Flavouring, Sugar, Dextrose, Antioxidant: Ascorbic Acid.

The ingredients for Sainsbury's ham is: Pork (86%), Water, Salt, Dextrose, Stabilisers: Triphosphates; Antioxidant: Sodium Ascorbate; Preservatives: Sodium Nitrite.

Yeah, “natural flavouring” = nitrates from celery.

Pretty sure they don't make celery-flavoured ham! The nitrates in vegetables are not carcinogenic.

https://theconversation.com/why-nitrates-and-nitrites-in-processed-meats-are-harmful-but-those-in-vegetables-arent-170974

Also celery is a major allergen that needs to be declared and bolded on ingredients lists.

I bought a joint of gammon from the Polish section of supermarket a bit back, that was really nice. But I didn't check additives.
Have to keep an eye on the salt too as it blocks your arteries.
Shame food that kids like has the crap in it.