Name: Boyles, Juan Miguel D.

Date:02/25/2024
Group No. 4
Laboratory Exercise No. 4
Effects of Curing Methods on Ham Production

Introduction

Curing is the addition to meats of some combination of salt, sugar, nitrite and/or nitrate

for the purposes of preservation, flavor and color (Curing and Smoking Meats for Home Food

Preservation, n.d.-b). It is widely used in food preservation due to its simplicity, gives an

additional unique flavor to it, and also its effectiveness in preserving meat. Ham, is part of a hog

which contributes to 18- 20 percent of the carcass, that has a high source of protein and vitamin

B complex. Due to their low fat content, hams are usually cured and preserved. It is essentially a

process of checking the growth of spoilage bacteria by the application of curing agents; and, until

such agents are sufficiently concentrated to protect the centre of the ham, the meat must be kept

at a low temperature (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2024b). In this exercise, different

ingredients were used in processing cured ham, as well as understanding the role of the curing

material and methods in creating quality. Lastly, the students should develop their skills in

different methods of ham curing.

Materials and Methods

One kg of pork ham was used, ensuring it remained adequately chilled throughout the

preparation process. The meat was trimmed, weighed, and washed before being left to drip in a

colander for 30 minutes. Subsequently, the necessary ingredients were calculated based on the

fresh trimmed weight of the meat, with a dry mixture comprising 70% salt, 15% sugar, and 15%

Prague powder, each serving specific percentages relative to the meat's weight, hence the sweet

pickle method was assigned in the group. The sweet pickle method required dissolving the

ingredients in water, filtering the solution, and injecting it into the ham before refrigerating for

the same duration. The meat was put in a container and allowed to cure for 5-7 days. Following

the curing period, the meat was washed with warm water to remove excess salt and prepared for

cooking by draining it. For every kilogram of meat, a mixture of beer, cloves, bay leaves,

pineapple juice, and brown sugar was boiled, and the ham was simmered in this mixture until

tender. Once cooked, the ham was removed, and the remaining liquid was reduced to a thick

syrup before being poured over the ham.

Results and Discussion

Table 1. Worksheet

Kind of meat used Weight of fresh Weight of trimmed Weight of fresh cured
untrimmed meat meat meat
(g) (g) (g)
Pork 1015.66 888.91 995.08
Percent processing shrinkage
Weight after curing % shrinkage due to Weight after cooking % shrinkage due to
(g) curing (g) cooking
1020 +102.50% 678 66.47%
Table 2. Sensory Evaluation

Fresh Meat Cured Meat Cooked Ham

Method Color Color Color Taste Gen.
Acceptability
(1-9)
Sweet Pickle Reddish Pink Dark reddish Light Pink Sweet &Salty 8

The pork sample weighed 1015.66g before trimming and was reduced to 888.91g after fat

was trimmed. After injecting the curing solution, the sample weight increased to 995.08g due to

the type of method used which is the sweet pickle method. The sample was cured for 5-7 days in

a refrigerator and its weight increased to 1020g, a 102.50% increase in its mass. This increase

occurred during the curing process. However, after cooking, the weight decreased to 678g, a

66.47% decrease in its cured weight. This weight decrease was mainly lost during the cooking

process.

For the sensory analysis, the sweet pickle method was applied. After the curing process,

the meat had a dark reddish color compared to the reddish pink color when it was fresh meat.

When the cured meat was cooked, light pink color was observed as the meat was sliced which is

caused by the nitrite contained in Prague powder. The salts of nitrite and nitrate are commonly

used for curing meat and other perishable produce. They are added to food to preserve it and also

help hinder the growth of harmful microorganisms, in particular Clostridium botulinum, the

bacterium responsible for life-threatening botulism (Nitrites and Nitrates Added to Food, 2017).

They’re the reason why cured meat is pink or red. In meat, nitrites turn into nitric oxide. It reacts

with proteins in the meat, changing its color and helping preserve it (BSc, 2020). The taste is

sweet and salty as ingredients of beer, sugar and pineapple juice influenced the sweetness while

saltiness comes from the juice of cured ham. A general acceptability of 8 over 9 was given as it
was flavorful and juicy at the same time, edible most importantly. The curing process takes effect

on the meat it preserves its freshness and also improves its appearance through the curing

process.

Questions

FinalWeight
1. %Recovery= ×100 %
Initial Weight

Given: Initial Weight (before cooking) = 1020g

Final Weight (after cooking) = 678g
678
Percent Recovery= ×100 %=66.47 %
1020
2. Name at least 5 other meat products that are cured.

 Longganiza, Chorizo, Bacon, Pastrami, Salami

Conclusion

The meat curing exercise was a success as the given objective was achieved, and the

product was successfully preserved and edible for human consumption. The sweet pickle method

effectively preserved the meat inside because the brine was injected inside which created a pink

color of meat when it was cooked. Nitrite plays a vital role in the curing process as not only it

gives color and flavor but also the assurance that the processed product is free from toxic

microorganisms, and safe to eat.

References

Curing and smoking meats for home food preservation. (n.d.).

https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/lit_rev/cure_smoke_cure.html#:~:text=Curing%20is
%20the%20addition%20to,of%20 salt%20with%20nitrates%2Fnitrites.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2024b, January 11). Ham | Definition, Types, Curing,
& Baked. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ham-meat

Nitrites and nitrates added to food. (2017). www.efsa.europa.eu. Retrieved February 25, 2024,
from https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/corporate_publications/files/nitrates-nitrites-
170614.pdf

BSc, K. G. (2020, February 10). Are nitrates and nitrites in foods harmful? Healthline.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-nitrates-and-nitrites-harmful#what-they-are