What Type Of Ham Could It Be?

[Barsel]

My brother and I were both born and bred in Manchester and food was bought from the local shops. Brother met and married a lass from a small village in Derbyshire and I would often go to stay with them. The food was completely different there. Her Father had an allotment and all the food they ate was home made and fresh.I remember particularly the ham my sister in law used to cook/boil which we would have in salads or on sandwiches.It was so much nicer than the sliced, synthetic, processed boiled ham I was used to, but I never knew what type of ham it was called. Cannot ask S-I-L as she is no longer with us, and my brother doesn't have a clue.Pretty sure it was on the bone and she would have bought it from the butchers but as I don't use butchers shops I would feel stupid going into one to ask about the ham so I'm hoping one of you might know what I'm on about. Thanks for any suggestions.

[EDDIE51]

You can still buy traditional roast ham which is carved from the whole joint.
You need to look for a small local butcher or deli though, you will not find it in a supermarket.

[EDDIE51]

It would have been traditional dry cured ham, most ham now is cured by injecting it with saltwater. You can buy traditional ham here
http://www.broadlandhams.co.uk/
or as I said find a traditional butcher or deli ( there are 2 in our small town) by buy from them but specify you want traditional dry cure ham.

[Barsel]

EDDIE51 the reason I was hoping to find the name of the ham is because I don't like to go in shops unless I know what to ask for. As you said, I won't find it in the supermarket. It must come from a certain part of the pig and that's what I need to know.x

[Barsel]

Our posts crossed there. So I just go into the butchers and ask for a traditional dry cure ham joint and then would I boil it? Will just have a look at the link you've put on.x

[Baldric]

/// It must come from a certain part of the pig ///

HAM is a processed pork foodstuff, which undergoes preservation through curing, smoking, or salting. Ham was traditionally made only from the hind leg of swine, and referred to that specific cut of pork. Wikipedia

[hc4361]

Probably gammon on the bone, which can be bought in supermarkets especially in the run up to Christmas. Find it on the bacon shelves.

[bhg481]

Barsel - no need to feel stupid; nobody knows everything. Just go into a small butchers, tell him you're clueless about meat and tell him what you've told us. If he can help you, he will only be too pleased to do so.

[Prudie]

I agree with hc, almost certainly just a homecooked gammon joint. Just ask for that, we always have it, along with millions of others, at Christmas with turkey.

[jno]

yep, your ham is where your hamstrings are - technically, the back of your knee; and so it's come to mean a leg of a pig.

[Barsel]

Might do that bhg481. I'll take a friend for support :-) How ridiculous not to have enough confidence to go into a butchers shop! So used to buying from the supermarket and just choosing something from there. x

[237SJ]

Must have been bone in gammon because she boiled it. Ham has already been cured when you buy it.

[shaneystar2]

It might have been ham hock .I would imagine a gammon joint would have been very expensive back in the day .My Mum used to buy a hock and boil it and I still do the same .Lovely meat .

[Barsel]

Think were getting there. Have taken on board what jno has said about the leg of the pig and found an illustration of a pig sectioned, (no, not that kind of sectioned!)and the leg starting at it's bottom is Ham, then Shank End, then Hock ending with the Foot.So perhaps as shaneystar2 has suggested, it's hock. The only other one being shank. So which do you think it was, Hock or Shank? x

[237SJ]

Hock is quite bony so not good for slicing. It`s also called the knuckle. It tends to be used in stews etc but it could be that because it`s a cheaper cut.

[Barsel]

Do you know what Shank is used for 237SJ? x

[shaneystar2]

I buy ham hocks in Morrisons on the butchers counter .There's loads of meat on them .I soak it overnight first ,then into fresh water let it simmer away and then go cold .
You can then eat it as ham or chop it up and put it back into the stock for soup with split peas etc. There is a good covering of fat but you just peel that away.The meat is lovely .The nearer the bone ,the sweeter the meat :)
Shank ,hock ,knuckle ,all the same thing .

[Barsel]

Thanks shaneystar2, will check if they have it in my local Morrisons. x

[Chintz]

We buy joints of Gammon ham ready for boiling from our local Morrisons.Prices range from around 4 pounds upwards . Look them over and select with the amount of fat you need.

[boxtops]

If you are stuck then do ask the Morrisons butcher - it's what they are for, and they don't mind at all!

[shoota]

My son and I are having boiled bacon in a cheesy leak and mushroom parsley sauce, boiled pots and a selection of baby veg.
So there!