Glossary

COTTAGE "HAM":
A cut from the top end of the shoulder, known as the shoulder butt, which has been cured in brine. Because it is not from the hind leg of the hog, it doesn't meet the definition of ham. The meat is not cooked. Another term for it is "cottage roll."

 

FULLY COOKED or COOKED:
Needs no further cooking because it is fully cooked at the establishment where it was produced and packaged. Product can be eaten directly as it comes from its packaging or reheated. Fully cooked is synonymous with cooked.

 

HAM:
Cured leg of pork. In order to be labeled as "Ham," the product must be at least 20.5% protein in lean portion as described in 9 CFR 319.104. Added water is permitted in a product labeled as "Ham." In fact, water will be declared in order of predominance in the ingredients statement. This is how the cure solution is introduced into a ham.

 

HAM AND WATER PRODUCTS X% of Weight is Added Ingredients:
Product contains more additives than a "Ham Water Added," but the product name must indicate percent of "added ingredients." For example, "Ham and Water Product 25% of Weight is Added Ingredients" for any canned ham with less than 17.0% protein.

 

HAM, FRESH (or uncured):
The uncured leg of pork. Since the meat is not cured or smoked, it has the flavor of a fresh pork loin roast or pork chops. Its raw color is pinkish red and after cooking, grayish white. Ham that does not contain a cure must be labeled either "Fresh" or "Uncured" – prepared without nitrate or nitrite. This also applies to cooked product, and must be labeled cooked product "Cooked Uncured Ham."

 

HAM SALAD:
Product must contain at least 35% cooked ham. Chopped ham may be used without it appearing in the product name.

 

HAM SHANK END, HAM SHANK HALF or HAM SHANK PORTION:
The lower, slightly pointed part of the leg. A "portion" has the center slices removed for separate sale as "ham steaks." A half ham does not have slices removed.

 

HAM, SKINLESS, SHANKLESS:
A ham with all of the skin and the shank removed. The leg bone and aitch (hip) bone remain.

 

HAM STEAK:
Another name for ham slices.

 

HAM - WATER ADDED:
The product is at least 17.0% protein with 10% added solution.

 

HAM with NATURAL JUICES:
The product is at least 18.5% protein.

 

HICKORY-SMOKED HAM:
A cured ham which has been smoked by hanging over burning hickory wood chips in a smokehouse. May not be labeled "hickory smoked" unless hickory wood has been used. Atomized liquid hickory smoke and heat can combine to produce "hickory smoke."

 

"LEAN" HAM:
The term "lean" may be used on a ham's label provided the product contains less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams cholesterol per 100 grams and Reference Amount Customarily Consumed (RACC).

 

"EXTRA LEAN" HAM:
A ham labeled "extra lean" must contain less than 5 grams fat, less than 2 grams saturated fat and the same cholesterol as allowed per the amount of "lean" ham.

 

PORK SHOULDER PICNIC:
A front shoulder cut of pork. The term "picnic" cannot be used unless accompanied with the primal or subprimal cut. Pork shoulder picnic is not always a cured item. A shoulder "picnic" comes from the lower portion of the shoulder.

 

SECTIONED AND FORMED HAM or CHUNKED AND FORMED HAM:
A boneless ham that is made from different cuts, tumbled or massaged and reassembled into a casing or mold and cooked. During this process it is usually thoroughly defatted. The qualifying phrase "sectioned and formed" is no longer required on boneless ham products, e.g., "ham" and "ham-water added." The addition of small amounts of ground ham added as a binder to such products may be used without declaration. The amount of ground ham that may be used can represent no more than 15% of the weight of the ham ingredients at the time of formulation. Products containing more than 15% ground ham trimmings must be labeled to indicate the presence of the ground ham, e.g., "a portion of ground ham added."

 

For questions, call 513-251-6991. © 2009 Schad Meats, Inc.