is ham red meat

Is Ham Red Meat? Categorizing This Popular Deli Favorite

Take a trip down the refrigerated section of any supermarket and you’ll invariably come across pre-packaged ham, considered one of the most popular and versatile sandwich and lunch meats. But despite its distinctive pink color, many who enjoy ham in everything from sandwiches to omelets and entrées wonder – should it be classified as a red or white meat?

As it turns out, ham’s pinkish appearance is deceptive. While not as deep red as raw beef, ham is indeed categorized as a red meat according to both conventional definitions and USDA labeling standards. Let’s examine what qualities make cured ham a tasty red meat option for any meal or occasion

What Factors Define Red Meat?

In simple terms, red meat comes from mammals and white meat comes from birds. Some key attributes of red meat:

• Comes from livestock like cows, pigs, sheep.

• Higher in myoglobin, a protein that stores oxygen in muscles.

• Darker in color when raw due to iron in myoglobin.

• Still pinkish when cooked due to myoglobin.

So beef, pork, veal, lamb and goat all qualify as traditional red meats. And any parts from these animals’ muscles are considered red meat cuts.

What Gives Fresh Ham its Red Color?

Fresh ham refers to raw pork from the hind leg of pigs. It has a distinctly red color due to:

• Myoglobin in the muscles that need oxygen for energy.

• Iron that makes up part of the myoglobin molecule.

• Blood supply capillaries that spread through the active leg muscles.

This high myoglobin concentration gives fresh ham its red meat attributes and appearance.

How Does Curing Change Ham’s Color?

Traditional dry cured ham undergoes a process that preserves and flavors the raw pork:

• Salting draws out moisture, inhibits bacteria.

• Smoking contributes anti-microbial phenols.

• Air drying concentrating flavors as water evaporates.

This curing process causes chemical changes in the meat:

• Salt breaks down myoglobin protein molecules.

• Nitrates breakdown myoglobin further.

• Heat denatures and stiffens muscle fibers.

These structural changes modify the meat’s color from dark red to pink as it becomes ham through curing.

What Gives Modern Ham its Color?

Today, commercial ham manufacturing methods aim for fast, consistent results:

• Salts and nitrites (sodium nitrate or nitrite) quickly cure meat.

• Smoking replaced by liquid smoke flavors.

• Brine injection speeds curing through the meat.

• Cooking and smoking done rapidly at low temperature.

So modern cured ham retains its iconic pink color due to rapid curing and reduced myoglobin breakdown from minimal cooking. The pinkness closely resembles traditionally cured pork.

Why Pre-Packaged Ham is Labeled as Red Meat

Given its light pink color, you might assume that deli-style ham would be classified as a white meat. However, both legally and by convention, ham is categorized as a red meat for the following reasons:

• It’s produced from pig legs, which are red meat cuts.

• Pork is the primary component of commercial hams.

• The curing process originated exclusively for pork.

• USDA labeling laws designate ham as red meat since it’s pork-based.

• Other lighter red meats like veal and lamb are still considered red.

• Cooked ham retains a noticeably pinker hue than white poultry meat.

So despite some visual resemblance, cured ham’s meat source, process history, and regulations all dictate its identity as a red meat product.

How Ham Compares to Other Deli Meats

Looking at other pre-packaged luncheon meats highlights the clear distinction between ham and white poultry-based meats:

• Turkey – Made from poultry, so a white meat.

• Chicken – Another white meat from poultry.

• Roast Beef – Always red meat from beef.

• Salami – Usually pork and beef, so red meat.

• Bologna – Red meat from a blend of beef and pork.

The cured pork content firmly places ham in the red meat arena according to both conventional definitions and food safety labeling laws.

Factors Influencing Ham’s Red Meat Attributes

The following aspects contribute to ham’s quintessential red meat qualities:

• Source – Pork legs are a red meat cut.

• Major component – Cured pork makes up the bulk.

• Curing process – Developed specifically for pork.

• Color – Retains a light pink tone.

• Flavor – Distinctive salty, smoky pork flavors.

• Texture – Can be tender yet dense like red meat.

• Nutrition – Higher in nutrients associated with red meat.

So while ham differs visually from fresh pork, the curing process preserves many of the product’s original red meat attributes.

Should Ham’s Meat Category Influence Your Purchases?

There are a few reasons the red meat distinction may factor into your deli ham-buying decisions:

• Dietary restrictions – Avoid if require pork-free red meat.

• Health concerns – Limit if watching saturated fat or sodium.

• Ingredient preferences – Brands vary in ratio of pork to other meats.

• Environmental impact – Red meat generally has larger carbon footprint.

• Taste – Cured pork flavor more pronounced as “real” ham.

• Price – 100% pork versions usually cost more than blended lower-grade meats.

For most customers, ham’s meat grouping is secondary to aspects like cost, flavor, or specific dietary needs. But the red meat categorization can be relevant for some purchase choices.

The Verdict: Ham is a Red Meat

While the curing process lends ham its distinctive pink coloration, it remains a red meat product both legally and by convention. Whole ham originates from the pork legs, a cut of red meat. And even after curing, ham retains a number of quintessential red meat traits from its primarily pork composition. So the verdict is clear – pre-packaged ham belongs squarely in the red meat category despite its lighter color compared to fresh pork. With that solved, all that’s left is to savor the smoky, salty, umami satisfaction of ham on a sandwich or skillfully incorporated into your favorite recipes.