# Why is ham so salty? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786 "2011-12-20T00:15:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/21 "2011-12-20T03:08:04Z")
Is your family by chance using a “country ham”? Those are much saltier than regular old ham. They’re almost like salt pork - you can only eat little shreds of it with a biscuit or something. ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/22 "2011-12-20T03:34:35Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > Is your family by chance using a “country ham”? Those are much saltier than regular old ham. They’re almost like salt pork - you can only eat little shreds of it with a biscuit or something. Indeed. [This site](http://www.newsomscountryham.com) offers some tips on removing some salt - including soaking overnight and then scrubbing under fresh water with a bristle brush. As another poster pointed out, this level of salting was used to preserve the meat before refrigeration was available: “Kentucky country hams, uncut and uncooked, may be kept whole without refrigeration for three years maximum if kept dry and properly protected from insects and rodents.” [(Link)](http://www.newsomscountryham.com/storaghamand.html) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/23 "2011-12-20T03:38:05Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Curing the shoulder would be something else, no? It’s often referred to as [picnic ham,](http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-picnic-ham.htm) although it is smoked rather than salt-cured. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/24 "2011-12-20T04:28:38Z")
> [@Hyperelastic](#): > > Is your family by chance using a “country ham”? Those are much saltier than regular old ham. They’re almost like salt pork - you can only eat little shreds of it with a biscuit or something. That’s what I was going to ask, too. Country hams need to be soaked to get rid of the incredible saltiness, so if someone isn’t doing that, I think they’d be pretty much inedible. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/25 "2011-12-20T05:47:39Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > I believe the term for cured pork shoulder would be “delicious.” I am curing a pork shoulder, or Boston Butt, right now. It takes about ten days. I’m making buckboard bacon. Google it. It’s delicious. I’ve cured turkeys as well. Cured, smoked meats are awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/26 "2011-12-20T06:09:05Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > This is what I always do. I usually do it overnight and change the water a couple of times. Makes it much nicer to roast. Isn’t this kind of like the opposite of brining? Soaking to pull salt out? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/27 "2011-12-20T13:19:17Z")
> [@Aestivalis](#): > > Isn’t this kind of like the opposite of brining? Soaking to pull salt out? That’s the beauty of osmosis. It can work both ways. You use salty brine to force salt into the pork and fresh water to pull the salt back out. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/28 "2011-12-20T13:27:27Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Did you drop it in salt on the way home? Ham is a salty food. It’s not like porridge, or toast, or a pear. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/29 "2011-12-20T13:33:55Z")
> [@Aestivalis](#): > > Isn’t this kind of like the opposite of brining? Soaking to pull salt out? It’s still a bit salty afterwards, but not so salty as to give you stomach ache, which is what happened the first time I made Irish bacon-and-cabbage. I cured a turkey once. In Indochina. Yes, I’m a Vietnam vet. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/30 "2011-12-20T14:38:26Z")
We take our country ham [seriously](http://www.broadbenthams.com/Aboutus.asp) in Kentucky. As you can see, in addition to Newsome’s, from Terry Kennedy’s link above, Broadbent is a ham to be reckoned with. And I can assure you, while people do eat it on biscuits, it is eaten in great ham-steak sizes as well by the ham lovers of the South. A good accompaniment to country ham is raisin sauce for cutting the salty taste. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/31 "2011-12-20T14:43:13Z")
Since this has become a general discussion of cured meats, let’s move it over to Cafe Society. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/32 "2011-12-20T14:53:57Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > I am curing a pork shoulder, or Boston Butt, right now. It takes about ten days. I’m making buckboard bacon. Google it. It’s delicious. > > I’ve cured turkeys as well. Cured, smoked meats are awesome. We’ve also salt-cured and charcoal-smoked turkeys. I really don’t like turkey any other way after that. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/33 "2011-12-20T17:41:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by tim-n-va > Did you drop it in salt on the way home? > [@DCnDC](#): > > Ham is a salty food. It’s not like porridge, or toast, or a pear. I guess I should have wrapped that original quote in “Kids in the Hall” tags… ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/34 "2011-12-20T18:08:34Z")
How about salt cod? I made fish cakes with it once. Even after numerous soakings it was megasalty. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/35 "2011-12-20T18:13:32Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > I guess I should have wrapped that original quote in “Kids in the Hall” tags… I’m somewhat surprised I’m the only one who got it. That sketch was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title. “I work hard all day, I expect a normal ham meal, not, not–Voodoo pork!” ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/36 "2011-12-20T19:47:00Z")
“Get me smelts and a Coke.” ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/37 "2011-12-20T20:12:54Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I’m somewhat surprised I’m the only one who got it. That sketch was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title. > > “I work hard all day, I expect a normal ham meal, not, not–Voodoo pork!” I’m proud to say that it’s the first thing I thought of too! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/38 "2011-12-20T20:13:32Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Did you drop it in salt on the way home? > [@DCnDC](#): > > Ham is a salty food. It’s not like porridge, or toast, or a pear. > [@tim-n-va](#): > > I guess I should have wrapped that original quote in “Kids in the Hall” tags… "You can’t stuff a ham, silly! It doesn’t have a hole to stuff! You stuff a turkey, not a ham! Well, I suppose you could stuff a whole pig. But I wouldn’t want to cook a whole pig! I wouldn’t know how! Barbara would know. I’ll call her…" ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/39 "2011-12-21T05:09:12Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > We’ve also salt-cured and charcoal-smoked turkeys. I really don’t like turkey any other way after that. We frequently cure and smoke turkeys in my family, too. Mmmmm… I have to go to the in-laws’ for Christmas :(. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786/40 "2011-12-21T05:33:03Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > I am curing a pork shoulder, or Boston Butt, right now. It takes about ten days. I’m making buckboard bacon. Google it. It’s delicious. > > I’ve cured turkeys as well. Cured, smoked meats are awesome. I am butchering a pig after the 1st and have been scared of doing my own curing (last one we just had fresh ham). Is it hard to do? The websites I’ve looked at are full of warnings, and an unfortunate Thanksgiving incident documented elsewhere on this site have made me afraid to do my own. Plus, prices at the processor for curing are high. I am beginning to think I need to go for it though, because really…butcher a pig and no bacon!? I don’t think I can go through that again. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-ham-so-salty/606786.md?page=3)