Lol, another content-free comment, who would have guessed?

I was talking about ham and sandwiches, not arguing.

Country ham brings back memories because my father loved it. I hated it. I guess it was the beginning of my vegetarianism at a very young age.

Oops, my bad. Apologies!
Lol, arguing about how others prefer to cook ham. Who would have guessed it? All of us?

Oly, only one would argue, and it would argue with Jesus Chirst or the devil

We talked about layering air into sandwiches before, and I realized that’s what I like. But a slab of ham can also be the right thing for certain sandwiches. It’s all good!

We may be the only family that doesn’t have ham for Easter. For one thing, DH just isn’t particularly fond of ham other than on a sandwich. But neither of us grew up with it as an Easter tradition, or for many meals, so it doesn’t make our shopping list. But seat me at a table with ham, no matter how it’s cooked, and I will have my plate ready!

“We may be the only family that doesn’t have ham for Easter.”

I think I was a kid the last time I had ham for Easter. We like it but prefer it more for sandwiches.

If it's a sandwich, I think I like black forest. If it's a ham at the table, what's famously good around here is Honey Baked Ham. And I agree. It's good for a hunk of ham. With macaroni and cheese and broccoli. Yum!

https://www.honeybaked.com/stores/203

If I buy deli ham, I go for the double or triple smoked.

Ham shouldn't be cooked until it falls off the bone. That's for pulled pork not ham. Too many people over cook stuff whether it's roasting or simmering on the stovetop. That goes for tukey too. I shudder when I see a turkey cooked with liquid and covered to keep it moist. Roast turkey should be roasted not braised like a tough cut of pot roast.

Then there is the soaking of ham to take out the salt and flavor and the brining of turkey to put it in. Make it make sense. LOL

I'm happy to be on Team Rob for ham. We liked Honey Baked ham but we take it out of the package it comes in and try to scrape off as much glaze as possible before putting it into the fridge. And certainly before eating it.

And Team wildchild as regards roasting and not braising/steaming. It used to be a common recommendation to cover a turkey with aluminum foil for much of the time when cooking in the oven. Doing that cooks by steaming instead of roasting and can ruin the flavor of the turkey. She's right - Turkey in particular stays moist by not overcooking it, not by steaming or braising it.

”…what's famously good around here is Honey Baked Ham.”

Agree👍🏻

I dunno. I cook a nice 24 lb. turkey on a low rack in my cast iron goose pot, with some herbs in the cavity and a bottle of white wine poured over the top. It comes out phenominally good! But I start with a Diestel. I know plenty of you can make great eating out of cheap, tough birds, but I never have time to fuss that much. IME, turkey stays moist if it's a fine, moist turkey, and turkey stays dry and tough if it's a sad dry tough bird without a lot of good cookery involving injectors, butter, brine, etc. I don't know much about hams, but some of the finest are wrapped and hung in caves to dry. Not sure what happens next...

Isn't Country ham the old fashioned kind that has to be soaked and boiled because it's practically half salt and quite dense? I tried cooking one - once. I think my prep wasn't thorough enough because it was so incredibly salty, I just couldn't eat it.

And when I used to eat ham, my fave sandwich was just good fresh bread and maybe some cheese - no condiments at all.

And I did like a good sweet glaze - I used to mix apricot jam with Meyer lemon juice and allspice, black pepper.

That's what I was remembering, too @carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10. They were raw and had to be cooked to be edible? Impossible to find (around here at least) - everything is fully cooked and just needs re-heating. We do have one old fashioned smokehouse nearby, I thought of checking with them, but living solo and many of my friends won't eat pork, so it's just too much meat to bother with.

No team Hams for me thank you. I mostly avoid ham because of the salt and the nitrates/nitrites - the harmful stuffs. Now just boiled pork (fresh meat from a butcher shop) has lots of natural meat flavor in a sandwich, IME.

I've never heard of boiled pork. I can't say it sound appealing.

There are many different kinds of ham. If one kind is too this or too that for your preference, try another.

An earlier comment was that I find the ham style that seems to predominate among what's found in stores and other locations seems bland to me.

For those looking for a traditional ham flavor, there's a cousin that can be found that's usually pretty good. For those near a German restaurant, pass up the usual delicious choices and order Kassler Rippchen. This dish is German-style cured and lightly smoked pork chops. Delish.

Or, some supermarkets sell smoked pork chops from sources like Smithfield. They're pretty good too and very quick to fix as they're pre-cooked and only need a quick warming on a grill, the stovetop, or under a broiler.

While I dont get to eat ham anymore I do know a fair amount about it and how it is made.

Country or Virginia ham is very tradition in being very dry. If you were to get the higher quality hams back in the day they would be so dried they would ring when struck with a mallet. The soaking and boiling was done not just to get rid of excess salt but to rehydrate the ham. It was then baked. A traditional British style would have you coat the ham with bread crumbs before you baked it.

Modern hams are either vat soaked or injected or both. They are typically lightly dried and smoked. This creates what in my part of the south was called pink ham.

Smoking back in the day was done to keep insects off the meat while it was drying out.

I really like the European versions like prosciutto. They often separate out the cuts and cure them to an almost leathery state. Not too much salt and it is eaten without cooking.

ETA real black forest style is dry cured and smoked with fir wood and needles. It has a piney taste as a result. Lots of Scandinavian style smoked meats also use fir alot but also Beech. DH used to save our Christmas trees because they were true firs to use in our smoke house. American is of course oak or hickory.

Pot roast is cooked in water on top of the stove. Pork roast, shrimp, shrimp, crabs, clams, lobster, and chicken also. Stews, etc.

Pot roasting can also be done in a low oven. The keys are liquid, a lid and slow cooking. The method can be used for game too. I usually do pheasant that way.

Fwiw when I cook a gammon/ham I boil it first to cook it through and roast quickly afterwards. There is no loss of flavour. It's covered in water and brought to a boil and then that water is thrown away. Cover again with fresh water and pc until done. I rarely eat ham sandwiches but if I do I like thickish slices off a home cooked piece. No additions other than a bit of mustard. Definitely no cheese. Good ham doesn't need cheese and good cheese doesn't need ham. Just my opinion. No 'deli meat'. I find it tasteless and soft. I prefer food I need to chew.

Yes, the source of heat does not matter.

Boiled seafood stays in water for a short time. Items like braised stews, pot roasts, etc, of courses leach flavor into the liquid but the flavorful liquid is consumed. Stew is usuallys served in some sort of bowl, not on a plate.

PS - I've found that meats and other provisions common in the UK and in other countries aren't necessarily similar to nor processed the same as what's common in the US. So what is done abroad may or may not be appropriate to do with items here that are likely different.

I've never heard of boiled pork. I can't say it sound appealing.

Obviously if you don’t know a proper way to boil it. Boiled pork can be surprisingly flavorful if you treat the simmering water like a broth instead of plain water. When you add aromatics and spices, the meat gently absorbs those flavors while also creating a tasty stock you can reuse.

The herbs (scallion/thyme), spices (peppercorn/star anise/cinnamon stick), onion, ginger are added to cold water then let the pot simmer gently. Overcooking can make the meat dry even in liquid. For extra boost of flavor, marinate it first with little salt or soy sauce and spices for a few hours then sear it briefly before simmering.

Stop it, kids.

I prefer ham rolls, basically a small soft roll with a dab of mustard or mayo + a sweet pickle, some might call it a "slider". For a real sandwich, any soft bread or bun will do with thinly sliced ham + thinly sliced chicken or turkey, lettuce, mustard or mayo, sweet pickles. Probably called a "club" in some circles.

If you are from southern coastal California maybe you arent aware of boiled pork. Oddly enough I recently read the short stories of a new england writer so obscure I had never heard of her and her stories were full of widowed and single women whose favorite dinner was boiled pork and potatoes. Who knew. Often traditional stew is made with pork or mutton. Boiled of course. But we are talking ham which is cured pork usually although it doesnt have to be that can be boiled as a part of its preparation. Historically ham did not have to mean pork nor did it have to be the back legs of a pig. Ham was more of a treatment for meat than an actual cut although it was usually pig,

Eta I ought to have said the writer was mid 19th century.

@Patriciae thats interesting. So different from my life story. Thanks for sharing.

As far as I'm concerned and just to be contrarian, the best ham sandwich is one without ham in it.

DS1 took black forest ham sandwiches every single day for lunch to school all the way from about grade 3 right through to graduation.

In my neck of the woods (southern Ohio) cottage ham is very popular. It is a boneless pork shoulder boiled for a couple of hours and then potatoes and green beans (preferably fresh but canned is ok) are added.

But more importantly, today, and today only, Kroger was giving a 5% senior discount (55+). It wasn't something I was going to take advantage of because I didn't really need anything today. But I went late this afternoon anyway and I looked in the deli case and they had tavern ham!!! So I got 1 pound and the man gave me a piece to sample. It is delicious!!!!! I got some baby swiss cheese too and they have a half loaf of sourdough everything bread. I made a sandwich that was fabulous!!! So thanks to everyone who knew about it for passing along the information.

I didn't seek out anything special, but since I didn't have ham for Easter, and this thread has me thinking about it, I grabbed a slice of organic ham in the meat case of my food coop today! Not sure if I'll make a sandwich or what; checking the sodium content for a serving makes me think I'll probably cube up some in an omelet or something over the next few days or maybe a tea size sandwich!

Crusty French baguette, thick slab of Brie or D'Affinois cheese, thick slab of good ham, salty French butter, seedy mustard. A classic jambon fromage. Sometimes I sub Kewpie mayo for the butter, when no one is looking.

Growing up, my mom made ham steak often. We were also in the land of pork steaks, and ate those frequently. My dad would grill them slowly, and add bbq sauce toward the end. They were really delicious. My BIL replicates them well.

I grew tired of ham in my young adult years, especially leftover ham. I can eat ham maybe once a year, and use leftovers in frittatas and scrambles. Ham sandwiches do not appeal to me. I was probably served ham steak one too many times in my youth.

John's sandwich above does sound tempting, though. To me, what matters more is the cheese with which it's paired.

" Often traditional stew is made with pork or mutton. Boiled of course. "

I've heard of beef stew and lamb stew and like both, though I don't eat them very often. I've never heard of pork stew but that's probably a regional thing. I wonder if braised pork would have enough flavor after cooking.

Meat in stew is braised, not boiled. It's a small amount of liquid, not nearly enough to submerge or cover the meat. And as before, the liquid is an important part of the dish and is served with it. The little bit of liquid used for braising isn't separated from the meat as when meat is "boiled". Add some roux or thickening starch to the remaining liquid at the end and enjoy it with the rest of the stew.

Meat in a stew is not braised.

"What is the Difference Between Braising and Stewing?

Both are very similar cooking methods, but the primary difference between a braise and a stew is whether or not the protein is completely submerged in liquid. Braising usually uses whole, larger cuts of meat and the least amount of added liquid, while stews require food to be cut into uniform pieces and completely submerged in liquid. "

Stewing Cooking Method - Jessica Gavin https://share.google/Ax41KGh46HYeNRug8

I won't get into dueling recipe links. The stew recipes I like use typically use the word "braise" to describe the cooking process. One describes how the meat continues to brown as cooking proceeds (which doesn't happen if it's submerged). Photos of stew look like pieces in a small amount of broth, not like a submerged soup.

I have no idea what the creds are of the person you linked to but here's an example from a credible source: (click to enlarge)

It would appear that someone needs some very basic cooking lessons!!

• Meat Size: Braising uses large, whole, or thick-cut pieces (e.g., pot roast, short ribs). Stewing uses small, cubed, or uniform bite-sized pieces.
• Liquid Level: Braised items are only 1/3 to 1/2 covered in liquid. Stewed items are fully submerged.
• Cooking Vessel/Method: Braising is often done in the oven to allow for better browning. Stewing is usually done on the stovetop.
• The Sauce: In a braise, the cooking liquid is often strained and reduced to create a sauce for the meat. In a stew, the liquid creates a gravy that is served with the meat.

Good clarification though some don't seem to describe any differences (The Sauce as an example. Step 8 in the link say to remove the pot from from the oven, put it on the stove top, and reduce the sauce). I'll grab the bait. My favorite recipe, expressly done in the oven and finished on the stovetop.

Kenji's All American Beef Stew

Braising is how I make Beef Pot Roast. Stew is thicker chunkier soupy stuff. The breaking down of the vegetables and any extract from bones makes a rich thick flavorful melange that is the best part for me. I like to add tomato paste. You dont necessarily brown the meat for stew but it is nice if you do. When stewing the broth takes care of itself. It thickens naturally as does pot roast if you start by coating your roast with flour before you brown it.

that picture of stew is a sad sort of almost.

Patricia, I think there are a lot of different styles.

Kenji recommends searing the meat first because of the flavor it produces. Tomato paste is included along with a few other ingredients to boost umami.

Also, the broth doesn't "take care of itself", he adds a few steps of husbandry. Including adding unflavored gelatin to the pot as well as the reduction at the end.

Many have favorite recipes and we all should make what we like how we like it. Nothing must be like this or like that, nor do generalized descriptions always fit.

My broth takes care of itself. I use the correct cut of meat. The vegetables help thicken the sauce.

^^^ also collagen breakdown from the meat into gelatin will thicken the sauce without adding extra unflavored gelatin.

I am a person who very rarely eats sandwiches anymore. This silly thread gave me a ham sandwich craving. Go figure. LOL

My go to is usually publix sweet ham but the line was crazy so I grabbed some presliced Boarshead maple honey ham and the closest I can get to the seeded semolina bread of my youth. I am just grateful they now sell at least a seedless version of semolina bread at our supermarket.

My ham sandwich is always dressed with potato chips. Where this preference came from I will never know. Thanks for the nostalgic lunch idea.

John, I like the way you think. And the potato chips? I always used to put them on my peanut butter and jelly sandwich to give it some crunch. Sometimes I added a dill pickle. Yum!

“I wonder if braised pork would have enough flavor after cooking.”

It can be delicious stewed or braised with the right cut, such as shoulder/butt.

Like others, the power of suggestion made me shift to wanting a ham sandwich the other day. I stopped by the specialty sandwich shop on the next block where they offer four variants, all on baguette (it is in France): a freshly sliced ham with comte cheese and fleur de sel butter; a version with mayo, edam, tomato, lettuce; prosciutto with cherry tomato, basil, olive oil; a version with serrano ham and machego, olive oil. I went to another specialty shop a few weeks ago where they have the hams lined up and slice it to order -- and a variety of different combinations with more customizations.

Artisan bread, toasted, smeared with mayo and horseradish, small bit of lettuce, a good heaping of ham and a slice of cheese (swiss or something else white, not cheddar).

Gooster and porkchop, both of your offerings sound so good. I still have a little tavern ham left for today's lunch.

And of course, being in France makes just about anything taste good!!!

These were pretty good. Bread. Iberico. Nothing more needed.

floral, I had to ask Siri about Iberico. I'm not familiar with it. I don't think I have ever seen it offered here.

There's a wide variety of ham-type products produced in Europe. Most countries have their own names and traditions for particular ones. Some are the dry style and some aren't.