Ham is a cut of meat taken from the hind leg of a hog.
Ham can be bought fresh, but most host ham is sold already processed in some way. The salting, smoking and aging of pork was an invention of the Gauls and was an ancient European method of preserving backyard pigs that were slaughtered in the autumn and preserved for winter.
Ham can be dry-cured by coating it with salt -- as in the case of Italian prosciutto -- and may also be smoked like Spanish Serrano ham or Bayonne ham from France. It can be brined in a process called sweet-pickle curing (when sugar is added it's called sweet-cured) or injected with brine like the majority of mass-produced hams. So-called country-cured hams from the American south include Virginia's famous Smithfield ham.
Do I need a digital instant-read meat thermometer?
Do I need a digital instant-read meat thermometer?
For $10-25, you'll have the most foolproof way to ensure that the meat you cook is done to how you (and the people you're feeding) like it. It's simply the most reliable way to get meat right.
Here are the temperatures to aim for. If you're going to let the meat rest before serving it (which is a good idea), take it out 3F (single pieces of meat) to 5F (roasts and whole birds) cooler than the temps listed below:
Pork
slightly pink: 150F
Poultry (chicken, turkey, cornish hen)
160F
Beef
rare: 125F-130F
medium-rare: 130F-135F
medium: 135F-150F
Lamb
rare: 125F
medium-rare: 130F
medium: 135F
Duck
Whole duck: 170F in the thigh
Breasts:
rare: 130F
medium-rare: 135F
medium: 140F
Sausages and ground meat:
170F
Note that trichinosis (which used to be danger with under-cooked pork) is killed at 137F. Salmonella is killed at 160F. If you're worried about salmonella, cook everything to 160F.
what you should know
All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. "Whiskey" is produced all over the world and can be made with a number of grains, notably barley, rye and corn.
To be called "bourbon," a whiskey must be made in the United States, and its mash must be at least 51% corn. Then, the resulting liquid must be aged for two years in charred new oak containers. After that, it's "bourbon."
you don't know jack Jack Daniels? George Dickel? They're not bourbons. Since they're filtered through maple charcoal (using a method known as the Lincoln County Process), they're labeled "Tennessee Whiskey."
spiritual center Not all bourbon is made in Kentucky, but most of it is. The town of Bardstown is the Bourbon Capital of the World. There you'll find, among other bourbon-related attractions, the Museum of Whiskey History.
and they're off Lots of contenders in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. (We're going for a Monba-Big Brown-Recapture the Glory trifecta.) Even if you don't care for the ponies, be sure to tune in just to see the world's largest mint julep, which will be on display this weekend at Churchill Downs.
what you need
While there are many Parker-esque buying guides available to help you choose the right whiskey, our favorite source is Chuck Cowdery, the Mike Royko of bourbon. His classic book Bourbon Straight begins: "It is February, 1621. The Mayflower colonists are panicked because they are running out of beer."
Chuck also writes about bourbon (and Blues and politics) at his blog, where he recently declared that "the best bourbon is free bourbon."
Depending on your poison, you might be interested in the history of Jack, Jim or Pappy.
While a faceted lowball glass feels right for a liquid lunch, we prefer a heavy-bottomed, smooth old fashioned glass.
Do you collect silver julep cups? Keep these tips in mind when shopping.
what you do
In her excellent new book, Bon Appétit, Y'all, Virginia Willis reinterprets the traditional honey baked ham by adding bourbon to the glaze.
If you want some really solid ribs in just a few hours, try Washington Post food editor Joe Yonan's first-timer's ribs.
Buttery maple-bourbon sauce pools in the curves of grilled acorn squash.
A simple bourbon-infused whipped cream adds complexity to Steamy Kitchen's easy apple tart (and any other simple dessert).
If a Mint Julep is too bourbon-y for you, try an Old Fashioned or a Rebel Yell.
featured recipe Bourbon loves sweet potatoes, and we love these bourbon-glazed sweet potato tarts. The recipe came from Stephanie of Adventures in Shaw.
