Consuming
Thoughts
Fay Strickler
Penn State Extension
Home Economist
For Berks Co.
Did you ever wonder how ham
became the traditional meat for
Easter dinner? Back in the days
before refrigeration, hogs were
traditionally butchered in the Gall.
This was done so that the meat
could be cured over the cold win
ter months. The fust hams, there
fore, were ready in early spring,
often making ham the cook’c
choice for the Easter menu.
Ham, for all its fine and high
nutritive value, is a delicate meat
and requires care. Cooked hams
can be stored in the refrigerator
safely for a week. Hams can be
frozen, but should be used within
two months. Freezing is not re
commended as a routine proce
dure because of possible flavor
and texture changes.
Canned hams should not be
frozen. Most should be stored in
the refrigerator and may be kept
TOWN AND COUNTRY
POURED WALLS
• Manure Pits
• Retaining Walls wTajay
• House Basements
• Trench Silo Walls
Profit
from winter
lime application
unopened up to six months. Some
smaller hams may be kept at room
temperature if unopened. These
will be labeled accordingly.
Check each label for storage in
structions.
Many shoppers are confused
about die term “water added” on
ham labels. When hams are pro
cessed. a curing solution is forced
under pressure into the meat After
a curing period, the hams are heat
ed and smoked, evaporating most
of the moisture of curing solution.
If the hams are heated to the point
when all the curing is evaporated
and the ham weighs the same as it
did before curing, then the term
“water added” is not required.
Generally, these hams are too
dry for most consumers. Hams
that retain up to 10 percent mois
ture must be labeled “water add
ed,” a term which may be a little
misleading. If more than 10 per
cent moisture is retained in the
ham after processing, it must be
labeled “imitation ham” because it
does not meet regulations of mini
mum standards.
Some shoppers are concerned
about excessive fat in canned
hams. These shoppers are general
ly mistaking gelatin for fat. Can
ned hams have gelatin added to
help hold the boned ham together
during shipping, storing, 4i)d slic
ing. Gelatin is added in dry form
just before the can is vacuum-seal
ed and cooked. It will fill all the'
air-spaces and form a cushion.
The old-fashioned, dry-cured
country hams are still very popu
lar. Country ham or country-style
ham is processed by the dry-cure
method, as was done in the days
before refrigeration. A dry mix
ture of curing ingredients, mostly
salt, is rubbed onto the ham in an
amount sufficient to ensure com
plete penetration of the curing
mixture.
Federal regulations require at
least 45 days of cure penetration
and additional minimum of 25
days for the drying period. Many
hams are cured for longer periods
than the minimum requirements.
If these hams are labeled Smith
field. Virginia, Kentucky, etc.
they must have been produced in
the geographical area indicated.
Otherwise they must have the
word “style” in the name, for cx
Improve your soil by applying
Martin’s quality Hi-magnesium or
Hi-calcium agricultural limestone.
Call your local Martin Limestone
dealer or call Blue Ball, Pa.
(800) 233-0205
(717) 354-1370
Martin
LIMESTONE
Lancaster FtnrUnfl, Saturday, March 26, 199445
ample, “Kentucky-style” or Coun
try-style” ham.
In the smoking and drying pro
cess much of the original moisture
is lost producing a firm-textured
Hot Line
For Easy
Many government agencies
have established toll free numbers
to assist citizens. You may want to
keep this list of Information Hot
lines handy.
Aids Hotline 800-342-2437
Alcohol and Drag
Helpline (800)821-4357
Alzheimer’s
Disease...
American Lyme Disease
Foundation ~..(800)867-LYME
Auto & Highway Safety
Complaints 800-424-9393
Cancer
Information 800-227-2345
Consumer Product Safety
Complaints 800-638-2772
Domestic Violence
Hotline 800-288-3854
Drag Abuse Treatment
~..800-272-3900
Refenal 800-COCAINE
Energy Conservation
Information 800-428-2525
Environmental
Protection 800-759-4372
Family Planning ....800-882-5440
Federal Student Financial
Aid 800433-3243
TV And Your Family
LEESPORT (Berks Co.)
How does the television and its
many shows fit into the life of
your family? Television can be an
excellent source of recreation time
but balancing your family’s TV
viewing and television-free activi
ties can be a difficult task. Parents,
caregivers and grandparents are
encouraged to attend this educa-
ham. These dry-cured hams take
special preparation before they are
ready to place in the oven for bak
ing. Consult a good cookbook or
reference for instruction in proper
handling.
Numbers
Reference
Flood Insurance .....800-638-8820
Hazardous Waste... Boo-424-9348
Income Tax
Fbrms.....
Income Tax
...800-329-3676
Questions 800-829-1040
Meat & Poultry
Safety 800-535-4555
Medicare Hotline ...800-638-6833
Missing & Neglected
Children 800-843-5678
National Council on
Aging (800)424-9046
National Runaway
Switchboard 800-621-4000
Pennsylvania Department
of Health (800)832-0912
PA Dept, of Health State AIDS
Hotline (800)662-6080
Safe Drinking
Water 800-426-4791
Social Security 800-772-1213
Small Business Adminis
tration 800-U-ASK-SBA
Department of
Veterans...
Youth Crisis
Hotline...
800-448-4663
....800-448-4663
tional program to learn the bene
fits and drawbacks of television
viewing and to understand what
role the TV should play in a
healthy family’s life.
WHAT: TV and Your Family
WHEN: Wednesday, April 13
WHERE: Ag Center
TIME: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
COST; $2 person, $3 couples