The old-fashioned, portly shank of ham boasts a scaled-down, sleek image for the '90s.
Forget the excess poundage of the '80s or before.Ham has trimmed its fat content to produce a mean, lean shape for health-conscious American consumers.
"You can't deny it," says Horst Kruppa, product development chef with Hormel, who visited Salt Lake recently. "Ham suffered with a public perception problem. It was a fatty food with a high sodium content - two no-no's on the healthy eating scales. That description no longer applies."
Today's hams, on the whole, are produced from leaner animals and processed to compete with other meats in calories and fat content. In fact, some extra-lean varieties boast as few as 90 calories and three fat grams per three-ounce serving.
Nutrition is a definite concern, according to Kruppa, but convenience really sells the consumer on ham.
"People tell us they worry about nutrition and flavor, but if the product isn't convenient, we can forget it selling," Kruppa explains. "People are too busy doing too many other things to spend hours in the kitchen, particularly during the holidays."
The holiday season brings both the flavor and convenience of ham center stage. Distinctive as a menu anchor or spread through salads, soups and sandwiches, ham fills everyday seasonal needs.
Extraordinarily easy to prepare, ham merely slides into the oven for a warm-up; most hams are ready-cooked and need only a brief heating.
A novice cooking lesson with guaranteed results.
But for the gourmet with an extra five minutes, Kruppa offers a variety of tasty glazes to contrast and complement the traditional ham taste.
"Preparing a glaze for ham is so simple and economical," says the chef, "you may even decide to serve several different glazes with your meal. Use any combination of flavors that comes to your mind; just add additional ingredients to the basic glaze."
Kruppa starts the list with traditional honey or pineapple glazes, then diverts with an oriental touch or a barbecue sauce.
In addition to the more familiar sweet glaze options, the chef encourages experimentation with savory sauces as well. A basic savory glaze can be intensified with herbs, mustards or even nacho cheese.
A glaze may be basted and baked with the ham or served as a condiment, the chef says.
To lend additional variety to ham slices that escape holiday main course consumption, recycle the meat for sandwiches, salads, soups, pasta sauces or stir frys.
"You don't have to suggest people make a ham sandwich," Kruppa laughed, "but you have to get them thinking beyond the ham sandwich. Ham is so versatile and can be used in so many creative ways. Think of a fresh vegetable or primavera sauce for pasta or vegetables sliced for a stir fry. Remember your ham is as good the second time around."
In order to make the second time around easier, the chef suggests you prepare the ham as julienne strips, cubes, steaks or slices. Repackage in desired portion sizes and freeze for later use if desired.
RECIPES
CRANBERRY CUMBERLAND GLAZE WITH BAKED HAM
1 orange
1 lemon
1/2 cup cranberry juice
2 1/2 cups water, divided
3/4 cup light corn syrup, divided
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 can (16 oz.) whole cranberry sauce
3 pound boneless ham
Zest orange and lemon and then finely chop remaining fruit; combine with cranberry juice, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup corn syrup and dry mustard. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes; add cranberry sauce and 1/4 cup ham drippings if desired.
Score ham and add 1 cup water to pan; brush with remaining corn syrup. Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minute per pound, basting ever 30 minutes.
Serve with warm cranberry sauce.
- Each 1/3-pound serving with 2 tablespoons sauce contains 220 calories; 4 gm fat; 820 mg sodium; 21 mg cholesterol.
STUFFED PEACH RICE APPLES
12 small red apples, cored and dipped in lemon water
1 can (16 oz.) diced peaches, reserve juice
1/2 cup white rice
1 cup half and half or milk
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Prepare apples; set aside.
Combine reserved peach juice with rice, half and half, nutmeg and cinnamon; simmer until rice is tender. Remove from heat; stir in peaches. Fill in hollowed apples; bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Makes 12 servings.
- Each serving contains 132 calories; 2 gm fat; 7 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol.
APPLE RED BEET WALNUT SALAD
1 jar (12 oz.) pickled beets, drained and diced
3 medium Golden Delicious apples, cored and diced
1/3 cup walnuts
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Combine all ingredients; garnish with walnut halves if desired. Makes 8 servings.
- Each serving contains 104 calories; 5 gm fat; 113 mg sodium; 3 mg cholesterol.
SWEET CUCUMBER SALAD
10 medium cucumbers
1 small red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup fresh dill or chives, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground celery seeds
Wash cucumbers under very hot water to remove wax coating; remove ends and thinly slice. Toss onion with salt and cucumber. Press, in colander, to remove as much juice as possible. Transfer cucumbers and onions back to large bowl; toss with remaining ingredients. Pack tightly in a quart jar until serving. Makes 8 servings.
- Each serving contains 128 calories; 0 gm fat; 553 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol.
SUGAR SWEET RISOLE POTATOES
36 tiny red potatoes
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
Parsley, chopped
Wash potatoes; peel a strip of peeling the width of the peeler from the center of each potato. Boil potatoes until soft but firm; drain and dry. Melt butter or margarine in cast-iron skillet; stir until lightly browned. Add potatoes and coat with butter; stir until browned. When browned, add sugar and glaze each potato.
To serve, garnish with parsley or dill. Makes 8-10 servings.
- Each serving contains 310 calories; 12 gm fat; 182 mg sodium; 31 mg cholesterol.
RASPBERRIES ON A CLOUD
1 pint fresh raspberries
2 kiwi fruit
1 pint whipping cream, whipped
1/2 cup white chocolate, shaved
2 cups angel food cake, diced
Fresh mint, optional
Place about 1/4 cup cake squares in each of 8 stem goblets. Whip cream and fold in shaved chocolate. Spoon over cake; garnish liberally with berries, kiwi and fresh mint, if desired. Makes 8 servings.
- Each serving contains 397 calories; 30 gm fat; 57 mg sodium; 96 mg cholesterol.
SAVORY GLAZE
1 cup water
1 chicken or vegetable bouillon cube
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash each of pepper, nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce and dry mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Fine Herb Glaze:
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped chives of scallion tops
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
Dash each of basil, thyme and marjoram
Mustard Country Glaze:
3 tablespoons seeded prepared mustard
3 tablespoons white wine, optional
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
3 tablespoons heavy cream, optional
Nacho Cheese Glaze:
1 cup nacho cheese dip
1/4 cup green chilies, diced
Combine all ingredients; heat to boiling and then turn off heat. Use part of glaze to baste ham but leave some for a condiment. Makes glaze for 11/2 pound ham.
For variations, add selected combination of ingredients to the basic savory glaze.
- Each two-tablespoon serving of Savory Glaze contains 6 calories; 0 gm fat; 101 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol.
- Each two-tablespoon serving of Fine Herb Glaze contains 12 calories; 1 gm fat; 2 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol.
- Each two-tablespoon serving of Mustard Country Glaze contains 18 calories; 1 gm fat; 99 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol.
- Each two-tablespoon serving of Nacho Cheese Glaze contains 44 calories; 4 gm fat; 204 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol.