 H - Guide to Buying Freezing and Storing
Guide to Buying, Freezing, and Shelf Lives - Food: H
HAM
HAM, WHOLE, HALF, CANNED (UNOPENED)
Half and whole hams should be stored in the refrigerate for no more than a week before use; ham steaks for 3 – 4 days, sliced boiled ham and prosciutto for up to 3 days, and bacon for 5 – 7 days (see Bacon).
Smoked hams are usually sold fuly cooled and ready to serve. Flavor and texture are improved by heating them to an internal temperature of 140F, or as label directs. Some cook – before – eating hams are available, these should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 – 170F.
Fully Cooked Hams:
Bone-in ham or its two halves – but half and shank half. If sold as portions, several center slices probably would have been removed for separate sale.
Partially Boned Hams are either shank-less or semi-boneless. In the latter case, both shank bone and aitchbone will have been removed, leaving only the leg.
Boneless hams, known as “rolled”, “shaped”, or “formed” hams, are sold whole, weighting 7 – 14 pounds, in halves, quarters, pieces, and slices or steaks.
Canned hams are always boneless and fully cooked, and may be smoked or unsmoked. Some are also flavored.
Boiled ham is sold sliced by the pound or prepackaged.
Prosciuttio is an Italian-style pressed ham, deep red in color, with a strong flavor. It is sold in paper thin slices.
Cook Before Eating Hams:
Are Usually sold bone-in. The include the “country” hams – “Smithfield”, “Tennessee”, “Kentucky”, and “Virginia”. Country hams are usually heavily cured and smoked, and require soaking and precooking unless label directs otherwise.
CANNED HAMS
Smoked picnics are sold whole and usually fully cooked. When sold boneless they are called pork shoulder roll.
Re: STORAGE GUIDE for freezer, refrigerator, and pantry items
HERBS and SPICES
Spices and herbs are aromatic natural products that are used to flavor food. Spices are the dried seeds, buds, fruit or flower parts, bark, or roots of plants, usually of tropical origin. Herbs are the leaves and sometimes the flowers of plants, usually grown in a climate similar to the Mediterranean.
There are three ways to determine whether spices and herbs are fresh: appearance, smell, and taste. Visually, you can check your spices and herbs to make sure that their color has not faded. Loss of color is an indication of flavor loss. A fragrant, intense aroma is characteristic of fresh spices and herbs. Crush the spices and herbs in your hand. If you do not smell the aroma, or if you taste them and the flavor is not apparent, it's time to replace your spices and herbs.
Store: Spices and herbs should be stored in airtight bottles, away from the exposure to heat, moisture and direct sunlight. These elements hasten the loss of flavor and aroma of spices and herbs. Avoid storing your spices and herbs over the stove, dishwasher, sinks, or near a window. Members of the red pepper family (capsicums), such as paprika and chili powder, should be refrigerated to help retain color and guard against infestation. This is important especially during the summer months and in particularly hot climates.
The shelf life of properly stored spices and herb, at room temperature, s is approximately 3-4 years for whole spices and seeds, 2-3 years for ground spices, 1-3 years for leafy herbs, and 1-2 years for seasoning blends.
Freezing spices:
Spices and herbs should not be stored in the freezer. Freezing does not extend the shelf life of regularly used dried spices and herbs. If stored in the freezer, and repeatedly removed for use, the bottles may develop condensation, which can accelerate loss of flavor and aroma.
Tips:
Measure seasonings in a bowl, then add seasonings to the pot. Do not sprinkle spices and herbs directly from the bottle over a steaming pot. Steam introduced into a bottle will hasten the loss of flavor and aroma. Steam will also result in caking. Make sure the measuring spoon is completely dry when you dip it into the spice bottle. The added moisture may cause caking or flavor loss.
The flavor of ground herbs and spices doesn’t hold up well during lengthy cooking, so add them towards the end of cooking time; if added at the beginning, refresh the flavor with an extra pinch or two just before the dish finishes cooking.
Re: STORAGE GUIDE for freezer, refrigerator, and pantry items
HONEY
Honey will keep indefinitely if stored in a sealed container. It is best stored at room temperature. Refrigeration promotes granulation. Granulation is a natural characteristic of pure honey which does not harm it or indicate any deterioration of the honey. It is also easily reversed by carefully heating the honey container in hot water.
Honey darkens with age and becomes a bit stronger in flavor. It will not spoil.
Store: Honey will keep indefinitely at room temperature.
Tips: seal lightly. If honey forms crystals, warm opened jar in a pan of hot water or microwave a few seconds until crystals have dissolved.
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