Italian equivalent of a joint of gammon?
Replies: 26 - Last Post: Dec 11, 2012 2:24 PM Last Post By: VinnyD
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Italian equivalent of a joint of gammon?
My son usually brings a joint of gammon over from London for Xmas (well, he did last year...) but this time he will be sailing in northern Italy with my husband and they will be returning (by coach) on 23 December, so it crossed my mind that they could perhaps pick up a nice joint of .. something Italian that would be equivalent to a joint of gammon. But I know nothing about Italian hams, apart from their cured (and very expensive) hams. Does anyone know anything about a joint of ham that doesn't cost the earth and which one could roast?If not, I can always ask them to buy some cured ham, but I don't know much about that either. Any suggestions? they will be near Genoa where they will no doubt do some supermarket shopping for... wine and the ham..
1
Most Italian ham is either cooked (cotto) or cured (crudo).Crudo is the most expensive and considered the best...in particular Parma Ham and San Daniele,which is my favourite (from Friuli in the NE of Italy).
Not really anything like gammon,and not to be cooked.But great to eat ;-)
Price is around 25-30 euros a kilo for decent quality San Daniele...
2
In the UK....does the last sentence make sense?from wiki.
"Gammon is the name given to the meat from the hind legs of a pig that has been cured in the same way as bacon. The main difference between gammon and ham is that gammon will be sold raw and needs to be cooked; ham is sold cooked or dry-cured and ready for eating.
Once gammon is cooked it can be called a ham and may be sold as a gammon ham."
4
this is the kind of thing I was referring to :http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-17717-essential+Waitrose+smoked+British+large+gammon+joint
But I think San Daniele sounds scrumptious so may go for that instead this year.
6
"I've never heard of a 'gammon ham' in the UK...Maybe its an American name? "
I don't think Gammon is a customary term in America. I believe if I were to mention that I am having Gammon for dinner...I would certainly get blank stares and glazed over expressions...now if I would say "I'm getting a Honey Baked Ham" I'd be right there in the conversation.
I
9
According to the BBCGammon is the name given to the meat from the hind legs of a pig that has been cured in the same way as bacon. The main difference between gammon and ham is that gammon will be sold raw and needs to be cooked; ham is sold cooked or dry-cured and ready for eating. Once gammon is cooked it can be called a ham and may be sold as a gammon ham.
Gammon joints are sold at various weights, with or without the bone, smoked or unsmoked. In the past, gammons needed soaking overnight in cold water to remove excess saltiness; nowadays this is generally unnecessary because of modern curing methods - check when buying as some more traditionally cured gammons may benefit from soaking. Gammon joints can be boiled or roasted and gammon steaks (cut thickly from the joint) are best grilled or pan-fried.
Gammon joints are sold at various weights, with or without the bone, smoked or unsmoked. In the past, gammons needed soaking overnight in cold water to remove excess saltiness; nowadays this is generally unnecessary because of modern curing methods - check when buying as some more traditionally cured gammons may benefit from soaking. Gammon joints can be boiled or roasted and gammon steaks (cut thickly from the joint) are best grilled or pan-fried.
So it sounds like traditionally, gammon was like country ham, but nowadays they use a brine method.
I think in the US, it would just be called "uncooked ham" or "fresh ham," if it's brine cured, or "country ham" if salt cured. A "picnic ham" is a cured shoulder instead of a leg.
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