Boiling a ham to reduce sodium?

Question

I heard someone talk about boiling a ham to remove some of the sodium. Has anyone heard of this or any other method to reduce the sodium in a ham? I will also glaze in the oven. The ham is already spiral cut.

Dizzy, you are either tired or you are not a cook! If you think this is funny, check out the Chowhound site. You will laugh yourself into a coma. Happy New Year.

Answer 1

I have heard of this, too. Though not for a modern, spiral cut ham. Only for old-fashioned dry-cured hams. At one time, you would wash your ham, I mean really scrub it to remove excess salt and mold, cut off the rind and boil it before you baked it.

Unless I really had to watch my sodium, I don't think I'd do it for a spiral cut, though. I think those are wet-cured. Does the ham say it's got water added? That would be a wet-cured ham. I think you'd lose too much flavor.

Answer 2

Usually made with navy beans. I've made it with black beans , kidney beans , and a mix of all three . It all works . Soak the beans overnight, or all day even. Add the ham , a couple chopped onions , a chopped pepper ( optional ) , molasses and mustard ( not sure how much - ~ 1 tbs molasses , 1 tsp dry mustard, or tbsp otherwise ) . Start cooking . After it's actually soup , add salt ( probably don't need it ) and pepper to taste . There are other variations, but that's all optional . I tried "Drunken Beans " , from Chile Pepper magazine. Mmmmmm. Was very good . The beans ( black in the recipe, but doesn't matter) are soaked in 1 beer .Dark, malty beer, such as a brown ale is best The alcohol breaks down the protein in the beans , making them more tender, and more quickly . It disappears in cooking . Here's the twist, add 1 zucchini along with the pepper and onions . That sweetens it , eliminating the need for molasses, or brown sugar .

Answer 3

Yes dearie, I do the same thing. I boil my ham to get rid of the sodium and then I bake it and put my glaze on it. Good Luck!!

Answer 4

i simmer the ham for 20 minutes per pound and change the water about half way through, adding some apple juice or wine to the second batch of water helps too. It might be funny to Daisy, but at least I m not up looking for streams of Gatorade in my back yard at night.

Answer 5

ive never heard of that but id assume it would work because the salt would dissolve in the water and the water would be thrown out... im not sure how much sodium that would actually remove though

Answer 6

I think im really tired cause i thought this was really funny...hahaha