# Soaking cured hams **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113 "2018-04-09T20:40:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![susancrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@susancrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susancrow)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/1 "2018-04-09T20:40:33Z")
Do you have to refrigerate cured hams (Smithfield) while soaking?? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/2 "2018-04-09T21:06:53Z")
**Moderator Action** Welcome to the SDMB, **susancrow**. Questions about food generally belong in our Cafe Society forum. It’s no biggie. I will move the thread there for you. Moving thread from GQ to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/3 "2018-04-09T21:18:16Z")
No. Cooked hams don’t have to be soaked at all. Smithfield Marketplace has more details about preparing cooked and uncooked cured hams. FTR, we don’t normally soak them, cooked or uncooked. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/4 "2018-04-09T23:27:30Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > No. Cooked hams don’t have to be soaked at all. > > . If you have a Smithfield country ham in a burlap bag, it’s not cooked. When I soak mine(overnight and much of the next 24 hours, changing water), I put a freezer thingy in to keep it cool. But I don’t think you need to. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/5 "2018-04-10T00:18:04Z")
If it is warm were you are refrigeration would be smart. Change the water several times over 24 hours. I have never soaked more than 12 hours myself, but the going time seems to be 24. YMMV. ETA, if it’s cooked no need to soak, as above said. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/6 "2018-04-10T03:32:45Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > When I soak mine(overnight and much of the next 24 hours, changing water), I put a freezer thingy in to keep it cool. But I don’t think you need to. Of course not. The point of ‘curing’ pork into a ham is that it is a way of preserving meat. One of a very few ways of preserving meat before refrigeration. In pioneer days, cured hams could hang from the rafters for months before being used. That’s why you did it. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/7 "2018-04-10T13:28:34Z")
I’ve never heard of soaking a ham! What is the reason for soaking? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/8 "2018-04-10T14:41:53Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I’ve never heard of soaking a ham! What is the reason for soaking? > [@](#): > > **city ham = brine-cured ham = pumped ham = wet-cured ham** > This is America’s most popular ham, the kind that’s pink, moist, and sweet. Fresh hams are soaked in brine (or injected with it) and then boiled or lightly smoked. > > **country ham = dry-cured ham** > These are made by rubbing salt over a fresh ham and then hanging it out to dry. They’re often smoked as well. They tend to be salty, but gourmets often prefer them over city hams. You cook them either by simmering them in water or frying them. Some people soak them in water first to leech out some of the salt.[RIGHT][CITE](http://www.foodsubs.com/MeatcureHams.html)[/RIGHT] This particular thread is discussing the, clearly inferior, ‘country ham’! CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/9 "2018-04-10T14:56:34Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I’ve never heard of soaking a ham! What is the reason for soaking? IMHO, people who soak a ham were raised on a different type of ham. They think that country hams (or picnic hams, or whatever you want to call them) are much too salty. Rubbish! We start by slicing about two pounds of the ham and frying the slices. These are put out for brunch, where people make ham biscuits or just eat the pieces plain. Are they salty? Hell, yeah! The remainder of the ham is divided evenly between bacon-like purposes and serving as the basis for a nice split-pea soup (or fish chowder or anything that requires a nice ham flavor). TL;DR: Many people buy a country ham and try to convert it to the kind of ham they should have bought in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/10 "2018-04-10T15:08:52Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > TL;DR: Many people buy a country ham and try to convert it to the kind of ham they should have bought in the first place. Oh, look, it’s another “someone is cooking and eating their food wrong” post. :dubious: The lady of my acquaintance who had an opinion of country ham was a fine Southern lady of good standing and strong opinion, from City Point, VA. And she insisted that you must soak out the country ham for 12 hours in Coca-Cola. She also had strong opinions about folks who didn’t know enough to do that. But I can’t repeat those here, because they’d wind up looking too targeted (if the shoe fits…) and probably belong in the Pit. (Politely-worded strongly-held opinions, of course. She was one of those stereotypical Southern ladies who wielded “Bless your heart” like a dagger.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/11 "2018-04-10T15:24:55Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I’ve never heard of soaking a ham! What is the reason for soaking? As said above, it’s the same reason that a lot of people might soak a corned beef before cooking it: to get rid of all the salt. If, say, you’re boiling a corned beef in a ton of water, then you’re usually fine. But, if you braise/bake/smoke it, depending on the corned beef in question and its salinity, you might want to soak it for a bit to get rid of some of the excess salt. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/12 "2018-04-10T16:10:53Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a country ham in stores. I’ve been wanting to try one since I found out about them. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/13 "2018-04-10T16:43:21Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever seen a country ham in stores. I’ve been wanting to try one since I found out about them. A lot of times they are near the refrigerated meat section, often just one or two hanging on a hook by the display with things like mustard and spices. If you’re not looking for a country ham, it almost looks like a prop for the dry goods display. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/14 "2018-04-10T17:22:41Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Oh, look, it’s another “someone is cooking and eating their food wrong” post. :dubious: > > The lady of my acquaintance who had an opinion of country ham was a fine Southern lady of good standing and strong opinion, from City Point, VA. And she insisted that you must soak out the country ham for 12 hours in Coca-Cola. She also had strong opinions about folks who didn’t know enough to do that. But I can’t repeat those here, because they’d wind up looking too targeted (if the shoe fits…) and probably belong in the Pit. (Politely-worded strongly-held opinions, of course. She was one of those stereotypical Southern ladies who wielded “Bless your heart” like a dagger.) I appreciate the POV, but, as I said “many people,” I did not mean that NOBODY knows what they’re doing. I spent many years in southern VA and now live in NC. Some people buy a country/picnic ham and then complain about it being way too salty for their purpose. I am merely suggesting that those people might want to buy a different type of ham. Country/picnic hams can certainly be prepared and eaten in many different ways without soaking them (in Coca-Cola or otherwise). Hams are like potatoes…you buy the kind you need based on what you want to do with them. ---
**Author:** ![Batano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@Batano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batano)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/15 "2018-04-10T18:22:36Z")
A picnic ham is from the front leg, not sure what that has to do with the issue of soaking. A real country ham that is going to be baked is usually soaked. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/16 "2018-04-10T18:33:49Z")
> [@Batano](#): > > A picnic ham is from the front leg, not sure what that has to do with the issue of soaking. > > A real country ham that is going to be baked is usually soaked. Exactly. I used “country/picnic” as shorthand for an uncooked, heavily salt-cured ham and probably should have been clearer. Go back a generation or two and I believe that you would find it a common practice to take slices from these hams. As my father-in-law (fourth-generation tobacco farming family) has related, they seldom baked a whole salt-cured ham. His mother whittled away at it over a period of time. That’s one reason that fried slices of (unsoaked) ham remind him so much of his childhood. If he wants baked ham, he buys a Honeybaked or similar. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/17 "2018-04-12T14:03:21Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever seen a country ham in stores. I’ve been wanting to try one since I found out about them. Now I’m more confused! Isn’t what you call a country ham the ham I buy for Easter dinner? Smoked and fully cooked. It gets “baked” to heat it through. That’s the most common ham around here. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/18 "2018-04-12T14:08:23Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > Now I’m more confused! Isn’t what you call a country ham the ham I buy for Easter dinner? Smoked and fully cooked. It gets “baked” to heat it through. That’s the most common ham around here. This is what I think of: > **[Genuine Smithfield Ham Uncooked](https://www.smithfieldmarketplace.com/product/uncooked-bone-in-ham/country-hams)** > > Salt Cured Aged & Smoked Uncooked Slice Thin! > > Hand-salted and dry cured from a centuries old recipe. Seasoned with black pepper and smoked over fires built from aged hardwoods, permeating the ham for up to12 months resulting in its... ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/19 "2018-04-12T15:22:43Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > Now I’m more confused! Isn’t what you call a country ham the ham I buy for Easter dinner? Smoked and fully cooked. It gets “baked” to heat it through. That’s the most common ham around here. no, that’s a city ham. country ham is dry cured for a relatively long time, then soaked for a while before cooking, and tends to be sliced very thin due to its salt content. Country ham is more along the lines of prosciutto. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soaking-cured-hams/812113/20 "2018-04-12T18:12:27Z")
There is different ham terminology depending where you’re from. So, no matter where you are from, if you want a ham-like object, you need to know that there’s more than one kind, and need to know what the difference actually is, not just the name - in case you come across someone who uses different words for the same thing. The main differences are: 1. Back leg or front leg - front leg is technically not called ham at all, but it’s a ham-like object so you need to know. 2. Curing method - dry or brine. 3. Cooked already, or not 4. Supposed to be eaten raw, or not (e.g. prosciutto is raw, except for the cooked kind :))