Too salty ham can reduce the enjoyment of your dinner. Remove salt from the ham before cooking by soaking it in clean water and rinsing off any excess salt on the surface. You can also try boiling the ham to get rid of the salt or use it less when cooking.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Removing Salt from Ham
Step 1. Reduce the salt content of the ham as much as possible before cooking
If you can, you should reduce the salt content before cooking the ham. Try to reduce the salt content before you grill, bake, or heat the ham. This will ensure that you can get rid of as much of the salt present in the ham as possible.
Step 2. Wet with water
If your ham is too salty, dissolving the salt on the surface with water is best. Take the ham and place it in a container of cold water. Cover the container with the lid or use aluminum foil. After that, place the container in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours. This will reduce the saltiness of the ham.
- You can soak the ham for up to 72 hours to remove the saltiness. The longer it is soaked, the less salty it will taste.
- If you soak the ham for more than 4 hours, be sure to change the water frequently. Change the water every 2 hours to reduce the growth of bacteria.
Step 3. Rinse the ham after soaking
After soaking the ham, rinse it with water. Make sure you use clean cold water to rinse it off. Rinse the ham thoroughly. This will help remove the salt from the surface of the meat. You can cook rinsed ham.
Step 4. Boil the ham
If soaking things doesn't reduce the saltiness, you can try boiling them. Cut the ham into large pieces, then place the meat in boiling water. Boil the hash for 10 minutes. This will remove any remaining salt in the ham.
- Taste the ham after simmering for 10 minutes. If it's still too salty, re-boil the ham for 1 or 2 minutes.
- Do not boil the ham for too long as this can cause the ham to dry out, become tough, and become unpalatable.
Method 2 of 2: Masking the Salty Ham
Step 1. Serve with dairy products
If your ham is too salty, you can reduce the saltiness by serving it with a dairy product such as cheese, sour cream, or soft cheese. The taste of the milk will help reduce the saltiness of the ham.
- Cut the ham into small pieces, then cook with the potato wedges.
- Add salty ham to an omelette with cheddar cheese and vegetables and serve for breakfast or lunch.
Step 2. Add a little lemon juice when cooking the ham
The sour taste can mask the saltiness of the ham. If the ham is too salty, add a few drops of lemon juice to cover the taste. Make sure you don't use more than a tablespoon of lemon juice. Apply lemon juice to the surface of the ham and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.
- You can also try using white vinegar to get rid of the saltiness.
- Taste the ham after 15 minutes. If it's still too salty, let the vinegar or lemon juice soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3. Reduce the use of ham in recipes
If you have leftover ham that is too salty, use less. For example, if you're using ham in a soup or stew, use 2/3 the amount of meat indicated in the recipe. This will reduce the saltiness and allow you to use up any leftover ham.
