How Is Toupie Ham Made? A Step-By-Step Guide to the Manufacturing Process

Toupie ham, also known as top round ham or pea ham, is a delicious and versatile cut of meat that is a popular choice for meals and gatherings. But have you ever wondered how this tasty Toupie ham gets made? The manufacturing process for Toupie ham involves a number of steps and techniques to transform whole muscle meat into the final product. In this article we’ll walk through the step-by-step process to give you an inside look at how Toupie ham is made.

An Overview of Toupie Ham

First let’s start with an overview of what exactly Toupie ham is. Toupie ham is made from the top round muscles of the pig’s hind leg. It gets its name from the French word “toupie” meaning top or summit referring to its origin from the upper portion of the leg.

Compared to other cuts of ham, Toupie ham is leaner with less fat marbling. It has a milder flavor since it uses muscle that gets less exercise than other areas. When sliced Toupie ham has a round compact shape. It can be enjoyed cooked or uncooked in sandwiches, appetizers, main dishes, and more.

Selecting and Preparing the Meat

The first step in manufacturing Toupie ham is selecting and preparing the right pork meat. The butcher will remove the top round muscles from the hind legs of the pig. These muscles don’t get much exercise, so they tend to be lean and mild in flavor. The butcher trims off any excess fat sinew silver skin, or membranes so the meat has a clean surface.

The meat is then sorted by color so that all the pieces used for a batch of Toupie ham are uniform in appearance. Muscles of similar size are also grouped together so they will cure evenly.

Injecting the Curing Solution

Next, the meat is injected with a special curing solution. This solution contains salt, sodium nitrite, phosphates, and other ingredients. The salt helps extract proteins from the meat to create a sticky binding agent. The sodium nitrite lends Toupie ham its characteristic pink color and unique flavor while also preventing bacteria growth. Phosphates help the meat retain moisture.

The curing solution is pumped into the meat pieces using specialized injection equipment. Around 10-15% of the meat’s weight in curing solution is added. Even distribution and the right amount of solution are vital for proper curing.

Tumbling and Massaging the Meat

After injection, the meat goes into large rotating drums called tumblers. As the meat tumbles around inside, it massages and tenderizes the muscles while evenly distributing the curing solution.

Tumbling releases myosin, a sticky protein that acts as a natural binding agent. The phosphates enhance this protein extraction. Tumblers are kept cold, usually between 36-38°F, to aid protein release.

The meat is tumbled for several hours, often with periods of rest in between. This ensures the curing solution fully penetrates the meat.

Stuffing the Meat Into Molds or Casings

Once tumbling is complete, the cured meat pieces are loosely stuffed into a mold or casing to form the Toupie ham shape.

For boneless Toupie hams, the meat is stuffed into a cooking bag, vacuum sealed, and placed into a ham-shaped mold. Pressure is applied to the mold to press the pieces of meat together.

Alternatively, the cured meat can be stuffed into a large diameter fibrous casing. The casing gives the ham its signature rounded form.

Cooking the Ham

The stuffed molds or casings then go into large cooking ovens or vats of hot water. Cooking temperature is critical – too low and dangerous bacteria could survive, too high and the meat dries out. Ideal cooking temperature is between 148-160°F.

Cooking time depends on ham size, but usually requires 30 minutes per pound. The ham must reach an internal temperature of at least 137°F to eliminate any potential trichinosis bacteria.

For best texture and flavor, Toupie ham is cooked until the internal temperature hits around 155-160°F. Cooking both binds the meat proteins together into a cohesive ham and gives the meat its characteristic pink color.

Cooling and Storing

Once cooking completes, the Toupie ham is cooled down gradually. This prevents shrinkage and a rubbery texture. The ham is held at room temperature as it cools, then chilled in a refrigerator overnight.

Excess moisture released during cooking creates a viscous protein gel. This gel helps keep the ham juicy. For consumer appeal, some processors add potato starch to absorb excess gel.

Finally, the cooked Toupie ham is removed from the mold or casing. It retains the molded ham shape. The ham is now ready to be sliced and packaged for distribution and sale. Proper refrigerated storage preserves quality and freshness.

Additional Processing Steps

There are a few additional steps that may be incorporated into the Toupie ham manufacturing process:

• Smoking – Some Toupie hams are smoked after curing and before cooking to add flavor. The ham is smoked for several hours at low temperature.

• Glazing – A sticky glaze made from honey, brown sugar, and other ingredients is sometimes spread on the ham exterior before cooking. This adds flavor and promotes browning.

• Aging – For more complex flavor, Toupie hams may be cured and held for several days or weeks before cooking. Enzymatic activity during aging enhances the meat’s flavor.

• Slicing – Finished hams are thinly sliced on commercial deli slicers for individual portioning. Slices are usually 0.5-1 inch thick.

• Packaging – For retail sale, slices are packaged together in rigid plastic containers or flexible pouches. Vacuum packaging prolongs freshness.

Quality Control Checks

Throughout the Toupie ham manufacturing process, quality control checks are conducted to ensure food safety and product standards:

• Microbial testing to identify any pathogenic bacteria like salmonella
• Monitoring of cooking times and temperatures
• Verification of proper handling, sanitation, and storage procedures
• Evaluation of ham appearance, texture, yields, and other metrics
• Lab analysis of curing chemistry, moisture content, and other attributes

With stringent controls and adherence to procedures, commercially produced Toupie ham offers tasty, convenient, and nutritious meat for consumers to enjoy. While the manufacturing process is quite complex, each step works together to build the signature texture, flavor, and quality that makes Toupie ham a cherished kitchen staple.