Partially cooked ham is heated to kill trichinae larvae, reducing the risk of trichinosis. It must still be cooked before eating, while cooked hams are safe to eat as-is. Thorough cooking is crucial to avoid trichinosis, which can cause serious illness or death. Partially cooked ham should be refrigerated and cooked to a safe internal temperature.
A partially cooked ham is a ham that has been heated while being processed to eliminate the larvae of the trichina parasite, which causes trichinosis. Partially cooked hams still need to be cooked before they are safe to eat, but the risk of foodborne illness is drastically reduced by purchasing a partially cooked ham and cooking it to a safe internal temperature. Conversely, you can also purchase cooked hams, which are safe to eat as-is, or dry-cured hams, which need to be cooked longer to reach the recommended internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius).
Trichinosis is an unpleasant parasitic infection that starts with the intestinal tract. If left unchecked, it can attack the central nervous system, causing serious damage and sometimes death. The leading cause of trichinosis is the consumption of undercooked pork, followed by the consumption of undercooked game meat, as pigs and game carry the disease-causing trichina worm. To eliminate the risk of infection with trichinosis, it is extremely important to cook pork thoroughly.
This can be challenging with a thick cut like a ham because different parts of the meat cook at different rates and it’s possible for one section to go underused while others are safe to eat. To get around this problem, many pork and ham producers partially cook their meat before selling it, so consumers can be sure that the trichinae larvae are killed, thus ensuring they do not pass on the infection.
A partially cooked ham is heated to a temperature of at least 137 degrees Fahrenheit (58 degrees Celsius), but no more than 148 degrees Fahrenheit (64 degrees Celsius). The internal temperature of the meat is tested at multiple points with a thermometer to ensure the meat has been heated all the way through, and then the meat can be packaged and sold as partially cooked ham.
Partially cooked ham should be refrigerated before cooking, to ensure it does not attract harmful bacteria. When consumers are ready to cook ham, they can prepare it using whichever technique they prefer before cooking it. Long, slow cooking at lower temperatures produces a juicier, more flavorful ham, especially when the meat is regularly glazed during the cooking process. To test the temperature of the meat, insert a thermometer into the meatiest part of the ham, well away from the bone, and allow the temperature reading to stabilize before confirming that the partially cooked ham has reached a safe temperature.
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