# Why does "lumpy" ham left in the fridge open for a couple of days taste better?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 28, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107 "2012-10-28T04:01:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107/1 "2012-10-28T04:01:38Z")

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Why is it that if you leave “lumpy” ham, by which I mean ham that is not in thin slices,but at the same time not a joint or anything either - I’m basically talking about ham offcuts that are roughly the same size you would get from diced meat, refrigerated but with a non sealed packet it is ususally far nicer after one or two days?

And why don’t they just do this to the ham to start with?

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**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107/2 "2012-10-28T04:13:10Z")

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Probably because, instead of juicy and tender, you prefer your ham somewhat dehydrated and chewy? \<shrug\>

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**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107/3 "2012-10-28T06:33:23Z")

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They “age” beef, reduce it’s water content to make it taste better. [Maybe it’s the same thing.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_aging)

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**Author:** ![DonLogan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DonLogan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DonLogan)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107/4 "2012-10-28T10:12:02Z")

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Because it dries out and rots a little.

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**Author:** ![Crab\_Rangoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107/5 "2012-10-28T15:14:11Z")

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The bacteria are lending the ham their “special sauce”.

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**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107/6 "2012-10-28T22:28:54Z")

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Mmmmm, bacteria!

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**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107/7 "2012-10-28T23:54:50Z")

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I’m still not understanding “lumpy.” But for spiral cut ham, sometimes it “jellifies” and sort of becomes an aspic. If that floats your boat?

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**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lumpy-ham-left-in-the-fridge-open-for-a-couple-of-days-taste-better/639107/8 "2012-10-29T00:12:10Z")

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> [@voltaire](#):
>
> Probably because, instead of juicy and tender, you prefer your ham somewhat dehydrated and chewy? \<shrug\>

+1. Yes, I couldn’t have said it better. 😛

wtf