24
votes
Traditionally, is prosciutto never to be cooked?
'Never to be cooked'… nope. Cook it if you need it cooked.
Saltimbocca alla Romana I'd think to be traditional enough to refute this easily. Jamie Oliver's recipe. There are a million others, but the ...
- 29.9k
23
votes
Traditionally, is prosciutto never to be cooked?
The problem with saying the word "traditionally" in regard to Italian cooking is that traditions vary wildly from region to region (and often village to village). The person you were talking ...
- 1,897
23
votes
Traditionally, is prosciutto never to be cooked?
I believe I can explain where your friend's belief comes from.
There are three main traditional cured pork products used in Italian cuisine: prosciutto, pancetta, and guanciale. Of these, (certified) ...
- 65.5k
20
votes
Accepted
Why does processed meat contain preservatives, while canned fish needs not?
These are two different ways to preserve food.
The canned salmon was boiled and then sealed into a can while it was still boiling sealed into a can and boiled under a specified combination of time ...
- 316
19
votes
How can I keep large packs of ham fresh longer?
The only sensible way is put them into the freezer:
Shortly after purchase, package it into lots that are suitable for eating within a couple of days of thawing. Place packets into a freezer and thaw ...
- 16.2k
12
votes
Why does processed meat contain preservatives, while canned fish needs not?
Canned salmon is sterilized. Sterilization uses heat to render a product safe. Cured hams are preserved with salt, and nitrites in some cases. Some hams are also cooked. Furthermore, some fish is ...
- 77k
12
votes
How can I make my Christmas dinner less dry?
In our family tradition there is always a kind of fruit in a main dinner.
This can be as simple as a can of mixed tropical fruit, it can be prunes which have been soaking overnight or flash cooked, it ...
- 2,131
9
votes
Accepted
Savory Cotton Candy?
After researching this, I think there are a few possibly options you could try (though I haven't personally tried any of them, they seem worth experimenting with).
Isomalt
Apparently isomalt can be ...
- 774
9
votes
How can I make my Christmas dinner less dry?
There are possible ways around this, but a lot depends on how much your family are willing to compromise. As you say, the profile of the meal is dry, sweet, salty and hot and changing that balance ...
- 6,182
8
votes
Accepted
Why do people put Coke on their ham?
sugar. With all the effects it has in a marinade.
caramel coloring. Well, it colors and caramels.
acid. Both the (volatile) carbonation and the phosphoric acid (not that much of it - undiluted ...
- 15.3k
7
votes
Is there a way to make ham in a casserole less salty?
You need to add bulky things with no salt, so that it'll average out to a saltiness you're okay with.
Although cream of mushroom soup sounds like a nice easy way to add some goopiness, it's probably ...
- 58.4k
6
votes
Is there a way to make ham in a casserole less salty?
If you're looking for something with the glue power of a cream soup, without the same salt level, consider making a white sauce (aka. béchamel).
It's a cooked mix of butter, flour and milk (possibly ...
- 81.6k
6
votes
Do modern food stores have a code for "this package of ham was from a bad pig"?
At distribution level products can have varying quality grades and corresponding prices, and stores may purchase both higher and lower grades for sale - though it's common that the packaged-for-retail ...
- 5,361
5
votes
Why do people put Coke on their ham?
Basically, Coca-Cola is flavored sugar water, and serves to create a sweet glaze on the ham. It's similar to a maple glaze, honey glaze, brown sugar glaze -- but using Coke instead of a "plain" sugar ...
- 8,363
5
votes
How can I make my Christmas dinner less dry?
Sprouts stand alone
This year it is all the same characters but the actors switch places. The breadcrumb casserole now is made with the honey carrots instead of brussels sprouts and that sounds so ...
- 6,626
4
votes
Accepted
How do I peel prosciutto from wax paper without it coming off in strips?
I usually use a palette knife (frosting spatula) to separate the slice from the paper by sliding it betwixt the two. It is quick, but does require some care.
- 4,051
4
votes
How can I keep large packs of ham fresh longer?
Freezing is the way to go, but vacuum sealing into packages each of which you can use within a few days might be an efficient use of freezer space. It's not an efficient use of plastic, so I freeze ...
- 45.2k
3
votes
How should I prepare this smoked ham?
Hams are either ready-to-eat or not, thus spoke the USDA. And, by its regulations, a ham that must be cooked has to show cooking and safe handling instructions.
Hams that are not ready-to-eat, but ...
- 2,780
3
votes
Accepted
How can I roast/heat all these foods for one meal?
I would attack it in the following manner:
put the ham in the preheated oven, center rack
gather the ingredients for your pineapple glaze
set the table/buffet/beverage areas
prep your salad, cover it ...
- 1,391
3
votes
Can I use an electric smoker without wood chips as an oven to cook a ham?
I wouldn't recommend it, but that said your ham by definition has already been cured and all you are really doing is heating it.
Smokers are optimized for smoking meats at a lower temperature than a ...
- 709
3
votes
Why do people put Coke on their ham?
A bit of sweetness combined with a savory main meat element and probably some spices is a standard combination in many cuisines. Having many contrasting flavor elements in one dish can be like a ...
- 60.4k
3
votes
Different cooking times and different dishes
I don't think theres a good way to do this if you're cooking them fully from the start. Souffles are usually best done just before serving. Plus, your oven needs to have the capacity to do all this.
...
- 1,977
3
votes
What's the difference between Prosciutto, Jamon Serrano and Speck?
Disclaimer:
This answer doesn't include anything about Speck.
There is a great article by Roberta Schira where the differences between Prosciutto di Parma and Jamón Iberico are explained.
I'll try to ...
- 131
3
votes
Accepted
Sous vide "Jabon de Paris" (Cooked ham)
I don't think you are going to make this shelf-stable, which, in part, comes from the dramatic reduction of water activity in a product. Cooked hams are generally products that must remain ...
- 77k
3
votes
Traditionally, is prosciutto never to be cooked?
What do you mean by traditional? The current de facto standard? What is the standard -- and whose standard? Is "traditional" what your grandparents were used to? What was in the cookbooks 50,...
- 783
3
votes
Traditionally, is prosciutto never to be cooked?
I think the more complete and critical answer is from @FuzzyChef.
I think it captures the essence of the problem.
Some more details should be added regarding what's the situation here in Italy. ...
2
votes
Can I make crackling from cured ham skin?
I just tried it, and It comes out fair. I figured I would do it because I had nothing to lose. My husband loves crispy bacon, and I guess it reminds a little of that, though a bit chewier. It only ...
- 21
2
votes
Crisping prosciutto
I always do bacon in the microwave, on a plate, between paper towels. It's quick and the doneness is very controllable. Maybe try that with prosciutto bits?
- 299
2
votes
Different cooking times and different dishes
You can sometimes make tradeoffs like this, but there will be compromises. For instance, cooking your au gratin potatoes at 350°F means that the top probably won't caramelize nicely; you'll just have ...
- 1,749
2
votes
Accepted
How should I prepare this smoked ham?
Okay, there are a couple kinds of hams that you can deal with -
Dry cured - these hams are rubbed externally with a salt mixture, get covered with the salt mixture, which draws out much of the ...
- 3,644
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