# Boneless ham question



## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

I bought a boneless ham today to slice thin for sandwiches and omelets. Is it possible to can the slices instead of freezing them.

didn't think of how I would preserve the meat before I bought it.


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

Sure you can do that. There are plenty of canned hams on the market. Spam, Dak etc.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

I almost bought a ham to can this weekend, but I wanted to save my remaining jars for Chili and chicken. I bought 3 dozen more jars last night online and I'll probably buy the ham this week!


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

OK now do you think that I should go ahead and thin slice it or cut it in 3-4 pieces and can it that way?


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Slice some of that ham and dehydrate it. Instant jerky. Spices are optional.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Freyadog said:


> OK now do you think that I should go ahead and thin slice it or cut it in 3-4 pieces and can it that way?


I'm going to get a ham and cut it into cubes just as I would chicken and roast beef that I've already done.

On the other hand, I am also going to get pig tags try for some feral pigs that we're trying to erradicate around here and if I get one/some I'm going to can the large chunks in cubes and I'll probably have 35-50 lbs of sausage made if size allows. Maybe I'll split that up between meatballs and just plain jarred sausage... also, it wouldnt be a bad idea to use that as a reason to jar more chili!!!


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

I can my ham in chunks - big ones if I want to slice it later, or cube style for adding to scalloped potatoes, etc. 
When ham goes on sale in my neck of the woods, we buy it and either cut it off the bones and freeze it or can it. The bones I boil down to make wonderful ham-flavored broth for bean soups. I have sliced it very thin, and dehydrated it too - hiwall is right, it makes awsome jerky, or if you slice it reeeealy thin (1/16 inch or less, like deli meat) you can dry it that way for rehydrating into creamed ham gravy (over spuds = dinner!)


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

Any idea of shelf life for the Ham Jerky?


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Are y'all talking fresh ham or cured?


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## pawpaw (Dec 21, 2011)

Never thought to dehydrate deli ham! The package says '97% fat-free' , and it's loaded with preservatives anyway. Any pointers from anyone who's done it alot? Thanks!


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

pawpaw said:


> Never thought to dehydrate deli ham! The package says '97% fat-free' , and it's loaded with preservatives anyway. Any pointers from anyone who's done it alot? Thanks!


it dehydrates really fast - around two hours. check often to see how it doing.


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

DJgang said:


> Are y'all talking fresh ham or cured?


DJ
this is one of those already cooked hams in sort of like a big loaf. Can't think of any other way to explain it. The package says 'boneless cooked ham', fully cooked. I wanted to slice it like those little jars of dried beef.

So do I slice and dry first and then can. Or, can the slices without drying first.

trying to think this through. If I dry it first then I would have to rehydrate the meat before using, correct? If I just can the slices or cubes or slabs then I would not have to rehydrate, correct?


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Freyadog said:


> DJ
> this is one of those already cooked hams in sort of like a big loaf. Can't think of any other way to explain it. The package says 'boneless cooked ham', fully cooked. I wanted to slice it like those little jars of dried beef.
> 
> So do I slice and dry first and then can. Or, can the slices without drying first.
> ...


Ok thanks. My mil is big about getting fresh hams and roasting them. I was trying to determine if that was safe for making jerky, ya know?

Anyway, this is what I would try....

Dehydrating, just slice and go.

Canning, slice, dice and can.

It's fully cooked, so I do not think you need to do anything.


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

Freyadog said:


> I bought a boneless ham today to slice thin for sandwiches and omelets. Is it possible to can the slices instead of freezing them......


I've no doubt whatsoever, if this can be done:

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f36/canned-some-dogs-13394/

....then slices of ham should pose no problem.

I have a deboned [brine] cured ham frozen that when I get a roundtooit I intend to slice and can it, mostly for quick breakfast meat.


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

kyredneck said:


> I've no doubt whatsoever, if this can be done:
> 
> http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f36/canned-some-dogs-13394/
> 
> ...


Do I need to add liquid to the sliced ham or just can it dry? to can it what temp and length would you suggest?


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

Freyadog said:


> Do I need to add liquid to the sliced ham or just can it dry? to can it what temp and length would you suggest?


My intent is to can the ham slices dry, kinda like those lil' jars of chipped beef you can buy at the store. I'll stick to the standard 10 psi 75 min for pts 90 min for qts.


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

kyredneck said:


> My intent is to can the ham slices dry, kinda like those lil' jars of chipped beef you can buy at the store. I'll stick to the standard 10 psi 75 min for pts 90 min for qts.


thanks kyredneck. so I'll dehydrate them first and then can them as the dried beef in the little jars that you can buy. Think I will do the pints since it is just Thumper and I.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

kyredneck said:


> My intent is to can the ham slices dry, kinda like those lil' jars of chipped beef you can buy at the store. I'll stick to the standard 10 psi 75 min for pts 90 min for qts.


That's what I was thinking too, sure would be good in an omelette. Yum!

Y'all keep us posted and we wouldn't mind some ham porn if you don't mind!


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Ok, anyone dry canned? Fredyadog? What ya end up doing? I got two hams yesterday vract:


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

DJgang said:


> Ok, anyone dry canned? Fredyadog? What ya end up doing? I got two hams yesterday vract:


Was going to dry the ham last night but Thumper wanted to finish the floor in the livingroom so did not get to it. will try for today. sorry taking so long, between the floor and the little ones having to be taken to the vet to be disbudded we have been busy,


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Freyadog said:


> Was going to dry the ham last night but Thumper wanted to finish the floor in the livingroom so did not get to it. will try for today. sorry taking so long, between the floor and the little ones having to be taken to the vet to be disbudded we have been busy,


Ha, got to take care of those things first and foremost. At least we have the hams, I have no idea when I'll get to mine.


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## kyredneck (Aug 12, 2012)

kyredneck said:


> My intent is to can the ham slices dry, kinda like those lil' jars of chipped beef you can buy at the store. I'll stick to the standard 10 psi 75 min for pts 90 min for qts.





Freyadog said:


> thanks kyredneck. so I'll dehydrate them first and then can them as the dried beef in the little jars that you can buy. Think I will do the pints since it is just Thumper and I.





DJgang said:


> That's what I was thinking too, sure would be good in an omelette. Yum!
> 
> Y'all keep us posted and we wouldn't mind some ham porn if you don't mind!





DJgang said:


> Ok, anyone dry canned? Fredyadog? What ya end up doing? I got two hams yesterday vract:


OK, I got a roundtooit today, so here's some ham porn. I was surprised there was so much liquid in the ham (store bought Robinson brined cured), so it's not like those 'lil' jars of chipped beef you buy at the store'. But that's OK, live and learn, I'm sure it'll eat good. I definitely can see where it can go great in some greens or green beans juice and all. Also I didn't 'pack' the ham in, it looked right pretty standing up on it's edge in the jar before processing. In the future I will 'pack' it into pint jars and be done with it.


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

Thumper got the ham sliced last night after company left. Have it in the dehydrator now. It is a tad thicker than deli ham as the meat slicer would not go that thin.

Will check on it in about an hour and see how it goes. Hopefully tonight I can upload pics after I have canned it.

Took almost 4 hours to get it to the dry stage that I wanted. Tasted it. Man is it good. Tastes like fried crispy bacon. Now have it in the canner will see how it goes.


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

*Update here*

The ham came out of the canner a few minutes ago. However Thumper and a friend are cutting up 2 deer so won't be able to put pics up tonight.

going into the canner the meat looks like ham coming out it looks like jerky. It is awesome....

I do not recommend NOT canning the dried ham slices. It is still a bit oily even after 90 minutes of canning but really really good.

Will invest in more of the ham loafs or whatever you want to call them and put up more. Rehydrated will make an excellent meat for potato and cheese casseroles and also for omelets. Also just to snack or make bacon bits out of for whatever.

Hopefully to get pics up soon.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Ok, so pack the jars full? Since its already cured and cooked just slice everything and pack the hot jars?


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## Freyadog (Jan 27, 2010)

DJgang said:


> Ok, so pack the jars full? Since its already cured and cooked just slice everything and pack the hot jars?


that's what I did. Dehydrated it and then canned it. I just stuffed it in the jars to about where the neck starts. If it broke that is ok since it will be used in smaller pieces.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

My thin sliced deli ham (dried) did not last more than a week before my husband found it and polished it off. Sort of the seal of approval. 
Yes, the deli ham is full of preservatives, so is jerky, even my own ground round jerky has Morton Tender Quick in it (nitrates). But the meat is used more for flavoring than consumption in large amounts, so I don't worry about it as much as I could. BTW, fully-cooked meats that are dehydrated rehydrate much more tender than those that are dehydrated only partly cooked. That's the other reason I like the deli meats and pre-cooked hams. Now as for ham, I have dehydrated the spiral sliced (thin slices) ham in the past, but the fat level in it was unknown, so I kept blotting the fat as it came to the surface of the meat. Then I refrigerated it after drying. I ate it after 6 months, it was good in the soups and chowders I used it in. I do like the canning idea - got me some pint jars to use earmarked for dry ham....


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