In their normal state, hams appear brightly coloured with a pinkish-grey hue. ), Chapter 7, pages 133 to 171. If in doubt, look for signs that the meat has spoiled. Uncured Ham is a pale pink or a rosey-beige colour. Keep covered, and tilt the lid to allow steam to escape. Next, take a whiff. Just like with any meat, this color change alone does not indicate spoilage. The smell is caused by the ham's enzymes, proteins and fats breaking down. If the meat has been in the refrigerator for a couple of days, hold it close to your nose to be sure it smells as a ham should. If it is a little gray on the inside, that's probably fine. So when you notice colors like brown, gray or green, then you should toss the ham. Vacuum sealers help preserve foods by taking out the oxygen thereby prevent oxidation from occurring. This indicates a chemical change has occurred in the protein of the meat. You see, that gray color isn’t so much when it’s defrosting or thawing, as it’s being (or been) exposed to the air. Prolonged exposure to air and light will also darken meat that starts out bright red, as you’ve probably seen when pre-formed hamburger patties start to turn gray, but are still red or pink inside. From red meat to poultry, here’s why meat can change color and what it means. If the ground beef is gray on the inside and outside, chances are, it has spoiled. If you notice that the smell of the ham isn’t quite right, even if ever so slightly, it’s past its prime, and you should discard it. Ham is the cured leg of pork. Ham can appear normal yet host bacteria that can cause food poisoning, according to Purdue University. A simple sniff test will confirm that for you. We actually set ours up to dry in the kitchen on drying racks with a fan. Smell. If the meat has taken on a pale gray, brown, or yellow hue, it’s probably not safe to eat. What is the usual color of raw poultry? Track the date when you bought the ham so you'll have an idea if the meat is still good. “Turkey” ham is a ready-to-eat product made from cured thigh meat of turkey. The growth can appear as a clear, sticky substance covering the meat. And the ham tasted pretty bad, it actually tasted like turkey. What People Want from a Healer in the Midst of a Pandemic, A Middle School Math Teacher Planning Lessons and Lunch, The Columbus, OH-based Forager Who's Become a TikTok Star, A Food Justice Advocate and Mother Talks Breastfeeding and Herb Gardens, Bryant Terry's Sautéed Cabbage and Roasted Potatoes, Vivian Howard's Baked Pimento Cheese and Sausage. Last but not least, if the taste is off, throw it out. Sometimes, ham turns brown or grey as a result of proteins breaking down. As with red meat, the color variations result from differences in diet, breed, exercise, and age. But interestingly meat can quickly turn brown in minutes when it is vacuum packed. Try to differentiate between slime and what is often a normal, nonsticky shine. This color is a result of the protein in meat called myoglobin, which turns into oxymyoglobin and produces a vivid red color when it comes into contact with oxygen. Not all red meats are the same color, though — color is influenced by factors like diet, sex, exercise, species, and especially age, which can produce darker-colored meat. I took it out to use it, and it was no longer a vibrant red, but instead a rather sickly gray color. Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images. Appearance no doubt plays a big part in what we think of as fresh, and in the case of red meat, you probably equate a bright-red color with freshness. Read the Cooking ham in slow cooker - Ham turned brown discussion from the Chowhound Home Cooking, Slow Cooking food community. Fresh ham is an uncured leg of pork. I ate it all this week. Color isn’t quite as clear a sign. 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