Leftover love!

By Laura Kurella

Now that the big holiday is behind us, there’s nothing left to do but eat lots of ham-yippee!

In my mom’s house, where seven ham-loving, hungry children were always under foot, the hams were eaten to the bone in under a week, but not everyone has piranha-like appetites swimming round their house so, it’s always best to know how to use and store what’s left of that holiday ham.

The National Pork Board (NPB) recommends refrigerating hams at all times.

In fact, they recommend refrigerating any leftovers immediately. Do not wait for the leftovers to “cool down,” since that is the purpose of refrigeration.

If the temperature of your refrigerator is set at 32 degrees, cured ham slices and boneless, noncanned ham can be stored easily for a week.

Shank and rump portions and halves can be stored easily for 2 weeks. Intact, bone-in, smoked, whole hams can be stored for a month. In all cases, make sure the product is covered with a moistureproof wrapping material to prevent dehydration.

They most definitely recommend consuming all ham before a distinct spoiled odor and greenish appearance appear.

The NPB also states that perishable, unopened canned hams can be stored in the refrigerator indefinitely, but once opened and partially used, store the remainders only as long as you would a boneless, noncanned ham.

The National Pork Board does not encourage freezing cooked ham, since it affects the quality and mouth-feel of the meat. However, leftover ham for use in soups or casseroles can be cut up into slices or cubed and stored in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.

According to the USDA, once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to the moisture lost through defrosting.

After cooking raw foods, which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods

Here now are some great ways to indulge in some leftover love that includes a special salad recipe courtesy of McCormick. Enjoy!

Laura Kurella is an award-winning recipe developer, food columnist, and author who enjoys sharing recipes from her Great Lakes Region kitchen. She welcomes comments at laurakurella@yahoo.com.

Leftover Ham and Egg Pasta Salad

Yield: 12 servings

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons McCormick® Perfect

Pinch® Italian Seasoning

2 teaspoons McCormick® Onion

Powder

1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic

Powder

1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Coarse

Ground Black Pepper

8 ounces pasta, such as farfalle or rotelle, cooked and drained

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

2 cups chopped leftover ham

2 cups halved small grape tomatoes

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well blended. Add remaining ingredients; toss gently to coat. Cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend or until ready to serve. Toss before serving.

Heavenly Ham Salad Sandwich Spread

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

2 cups leftover ham

1 cup celery

1 small sweet onion (or 2 whole scallions)

2 hard-boiled eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup hot pickle relish, drained

1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise

In the bowl of a food processor, place ham, celery and onion.

Pulse to a fine dice then add egg and pulse 4 times. Add mustard, relish and mayonnaise and pulse just until blended well. Using a rubber spatula, remove contents and place in a bowl with a tight lid. Refrigerate for one hour for flavors to marry then spread on slices of your favorite fresh bread.

Delightful Deviled Ham Sandwich Spread

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 pound smoked ham, cut into 1inch cubes

1 small sweet onion (or 2 whole scallions)

3 sprigs fresh parsley leaves, stems removed

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup prepared mustard

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon mustard powder

Natural sea salt and pepper, to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, place ham, onion, and parsley. Pulse to a fine dice then add remaining ingredients and pulse just until blended well. Using a rubber spatula, remove contents and place in a bowl with a tight lid. Refrigerate for one hour for flavors to marry then spread on slices of your favorite fresh bread.