Turkey ham is a

processed meat Processed meat is considered to be any meat that has been modified in order to either improve its taste or to extend its shelf life. Methods of meat processing include salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, and the addition of chemical prese ...

product made from cooked or cured

turkey meat Turkey meat, commonly referred to simply as turkey, is the meat from turkeys, typically domesticated turkeys, but also wild turkeys. It is a popular poultry dish, especially in North America and the United Kingdom, where it is traditionally ...

, water and other ingredients such as binders. Turkey ham products contain no pork products. Several companies in the United States produce turkey ham and market it under various brand names. It was invented by Jennie-O, who first introduced it to consumers that year. Around January 1980, the American Meat Institute tried to ban use of the term "turkey ham" for products that are composed solely of turkey and contain no pork. Turkey ham may also be used as a substitute for bacon where religious restrictions forbid the consumption of pork.

Overview

Turkey ham is a

product made primarily from cooked or cured

and water, formed into the shape of a

ham Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in '' Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39. As a processed meat, the term '' ...

and often sold pre-sliced. It is a ready-to-eat product that can be consumed cold or heated.

Production

Turkey ham is produced from turkey meat such as cured turkey thigh meat and other meat from the animals, which can be machine-deboned. Contrary to the product's name, turkey ham products do not contain ham and pork products. Some turkey ham products are manufactured with added water, which adds moisture and weight, and some include binders, which serves to bind the moisture and fat in the meat to improve texture. Turkey ham is sometimes flavored to resemble the flavor of ham. Turkey ham typically has a 5 percent fat content, and some turkey hams are produced as fat-free. Turkey hams are typically produced in two sizes, whole and half-sized. Some U.S. producers and brands of turkey ham include Butterball,

Cargill Cargill, Incorporated is an American multinational food corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Minnetonka, Minnesota, and incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1865 by William Wallace Cargill, it is the largest privately held c ...

, Jennie-O, Louis Rich, Norbest and

Oscar Mayer Oscar Mayer is an American meat and cold cut producer known for its hot dogs, bologna sausage, bologna, bacon, ham, and Lunchables products. The company is a subsidiary of the Kraft Heinz, Kraft Heinz Company and based in Chicago, Chicago, Illin ...

History

Turkey ham was developed by Jennie-O and was first introduced to American consumers by the company in 1975. Turkey ham was a successful venture for Jennie-O, as the processed meat brought in revenues that were ten times higher compared to those the company realized from unprocessed turkey thighs.

Labeling

Around January 1980, the American Meat Institute (AMI) attempted to ban the use of the term "turkey ham" for products that contain no ham and are entirely composed of turkey, which the AMI described as "flagrant consumer deception". Use of the term "turkey ham" for such products was also opposed by some ham producers in the United States. Circa this time, the U.S. government began requiring turkey ham producers to include the words "cured turkey thigh meat" on turkey ham packaging. In 2010, it was written in the ''Handbook of Poultry Science and Technology, Secondary Processing'' that the term "cured turkey thigh meat" always followed the words "turkey ham" on American turkey ham packaging.

Notes

References