Why is gammon so preservatived?

[mrs quoad]

I want a gammon. A lump of gammon. Without a half bucketload of sodium derivatives.

This seems to be incredibly hard to find. Sainsburys and Tesco - both small and very large stores - sell nothing but sodium infused gammon.

I attempted Waitrose today, and even their gammon was stuffed full of sodium related derivatives. (It was, at least, 97% gammon. And a whole gammon. Both of which are considerable improvements over Sburies and Tesco's offerings).

Why is this?

I assume that going to our butcher will actually secure me a gammon gammon?!

 

[bi0boy]

why not buy a pork?

 

[fishfinger]

I thought gammon was salted or brined pork leg? If it isn't salted then it's just pork

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I thought gammon was salted or brined pork leg? If it isn't salted then it's just pork

well yeah, me too

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I thought gammon was salted or brined pork leg? If it isn't salted then it's just pork

Me as well. Nowt wrong with a bit of sodium anyhow - puts hairs on yer chest.

 

[DotCommunist]

because pork and shellfish can harour nasties that woul literally have you shitting yourself to death

 

[The Boy]

Yeah, salt in the brining/curing and no doubt the other stuff they acts as a preservative but is also scary sounding thing to be in food - saltpetre, possibly?

 

[Greebo]

<snip>I attempted Waitrose today, and even their gammon was stuffed full of sodium related derivatives. (It was, at least, 97% gammon. And a whole gammon. Both of which are considerable improvements over Sburies and Tesco's offerings).

Why is this?

I assume that going to our butcher will actually secure me a gammon gammon?!

Gammon is, by definition, cured. That means salted.
Saltpetre = potassium nitrite.

Nitrites and nitrates can boost the circulation in a similar way to sodium (that's how Viagra works).

 

[alan_]

You can get rid of a lot of the brine/cure by soaking overnight changing water if necessary. Also you can bring to boil and discard water before cooking

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Gammon is, by definition, cured. That means salted.
Saltpetre = potassium nitrite.

Nitrites and nitrates can boost the circulation in a similar way to sodium (that's how Viagra works).

So how much gammon would a man need to eat to get an inadvertant erection?

 

[fishfinger]

So how much gammon would a man need to eat to get an inadvertant erection?

You don't eat it, just shove it down your dick

 

[Greebo]

So how much gammon would a man need to eat to get an inadvertant erection?

Not sure, but, because of the way it's grown, commercially grown lettuce is pretty high in nitrates/nitrites too.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

You don't eat it, just shove it down your dick

Gammon stiffy straws?

And a handy snack for afterwards.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Not sure, but, because of the way it's grown, commercially grown lettuce is pretty high in nitrates/nitrites too.

So that is the reason vegetarianism is a growing trend.

 

[8ball]

Nitrites and nitrates can boost the circulation in a similar way to sodium (that's how Viagra works).

Now, if you'd said poppers...

Seems like an uphill task finding gammon without sodium. Pretty sure it wouldn't taste like gammon. Not without a whole load more chemical jiggery pokery, anyway.

 

[Fuchs66]

So how much gammon would a man need to eat to get an inadvertant erection?

If it's the good stuff one slice does it for me!

Could be coincidence mind!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

If it's the good stuff one slice does it for me!

Could be coincidence mind!

Gammon with special sauce?

I feel sorry for mrs quoad as the thread has been derailed in less than twenty posts into a discussion about erections.

 

[eoin_k]

You never see uncured bacon these days.

 

[mrs quoad]

Ahhhhhhhh (!)

Well that was a waste of petrol, then.

(Though the trip to waitrose did allow me to stock up on some staples, like wholewheat couscous and £1.49 proper rye flour, thumbs)...

 

[The39thStep]

Out here in Portugal gammon and proper bacon is a rarity so I have ordered some curing rub to have a go at making a gammon joint from a pork one. Prob have a go at this in October.

 

[bluescreen]

Out here in Portugal gammon and proper bacon is a rarity so I have ordered some curing rub to have a go at making a gammon joint from a pork one. Prob have a go at this in October.

Have a gleg at this. Keep meaning to have a go. I reckon it wold work as well with a leg joint.
How to make your own tasty home cured bacon without a smoker | The Cottage Smallholder

 

[bi0boy]

You never see uncured bacon these days.

Or unsmoked kippers

 

[Greebo]

Have a gleg at this. Keep meaning to have a go. I reckon it wold work as well with a leg joint.
How to make your own tasty home cured bacon without a smoker | The Cottage Smallholder

That would still result in a highly salted lump of meat.

 

[eoin_k]

If smoking is bad for you why does it cure fish?

 

[bluescreen]

That would still result in a highly salted lump of meat.

Indeed. I don't see how you can have gammon without it, since curing is the definition.

E2A - I was assuming the OP was looking for less salt, not none.

 

[Greebo]

Indeed. I don't see how you can have gammon without it, since curing is the definition. <snip>

This is mrs quoad we're talking about - you can't expect logic!

 

[Callie]

This is mrs quoad we're talking about - you can't expect logic!

Au contraire I find the quoad logical and he's got a cat that he made big ladder access thing for there fires he's the winner.

Yes gammon is the finally salty though imo

 

[DrRingDing]

I want a gammon. A lump of gammon. Without a half bucketload of sodium derivatives.

This seems to be incredibly hard to find. Sainsburys and Tesco - both small and very large stores - sell nothing but sodium infused gammon.

I attempted Waitrose today, and even their gammon was stuffed full of sodium related derivatives. (It was, at least, 97% gammon. And a whole gammon. Both of which are considerable improvements over Sburies and Tesco's offerings).

Why is this?

I assume that going to our butcher will actually secure me a gammon gammon?!

It's rotting pig flesh you effing great 'nana.

 

[pogofish]

That would still result in a highly salted lump of meat.

Smoked meat almost invariably has a lower salt content compared to unsmoked/cured.

 

[Greebo]

Smoked meat almost invariably has a lower salt content compared to unsmoked/cured.

Gammon isn't always smoked, but it is by definition, clamped or otherwise compressed before being cured in a brining mixture.