Can you still eat slimy ham?

There is something about ham that is perfect for any occasion. It makes a great centerpiece for a holiday meal or you can grab one from the store to make sandwiches, omelettes and other delicious meals throughout the week.

Ham is a type of preserved meat that is made from the hind leg of the pig. It can be wet or dry cured with different spices, sweeteners and flavorings to create a unique and delicious meat product. Some hams are smoked, but this is not a requirement.

But what happens if you grab a ham from the store, enjoy a few pieces for dinner or a family lunch, and then put it back in the fridge, forgetting about it for several days?

You often open the fridge and find that your ham has turned slimy on the outside and you wonder if that means it’s bad.

So can you eat slimy ham? In general, slimy ham is an indicator that bacteria has begun to grow in and on the meat, which can cause food poisoning and other unpleasant symptoms. To be on the safe side, I don’t recommend eating raw dry-cured ham that has become slimy, even if the outside has been cut off.

Read on to find out more about how ham is made, how long it lasts in the fridge, can you eat slimy ham, is cooking slimy ham safe, and more!

How is ham made?

Before we delve into whether it’s safe to eat slimy ham, it’s important to understand how ham is made.

Ham products are made from the hind leg of a pig, and there are many types of ham that you can enjoy.

Some types are dry-cured, while others are wet-cured, some are smoked, and some are a combination of two of these different processes.

There is no water to make a dry-cured ham. The cut of meat is either rubbed with lots of salt to kill off any bacteria (salt is antibacterial) or buried in salt and then covered in other seasonings like pepper or sugar.

Once the meat is well salted, it is hung for several weeks or several months.

Essentially, this process removes blood and other fluids from the ham, so you’re left with a dry-cured piece of meat. One of the most popular types of dry-cured ham, and my personal favorite, is prosciutto.

Moist-cured ham is made with a brine, which is a mixture of salt and water . Many producers add their own special ingredients to the brine to create a unique flavor, such as liquid smoke, sugar, and spices.

The piece of meat is left in the brine for at least several days so that it penetrates inside.

Once the ham is wet-cured, it can be cooked or smoked . Moist-cured ham is usually the most popular type of ham you’ll find in the store, so be sure to find out if it’s ready to eat or needs to be cooked first.

Both dry and wet cured hams can be smoked to add another layer of flavor.

How long does cured ham last?

Once you pick up your cured ham, it’s important to find out how long your cured ham will last. Normally, if it is vacuum sealed, it can last a couple of months in the fridge and you should indicate that on the expiration date.

Other hams that have been processed locally or have been slow to arrive at the store may only last a few days in the fridge. Once the ham is opened, you must consume it within 3 to 5 days to prevent it from spoiling.

While the curing process kills any bacteria present on the ham at the time, once processed in the store or opened at home it is exposed to bacteria from work surfaces and hands.

These bacteria love to live in moist environments, so moist-cured ham is susceptible to spoilage.

That is why it is so important to eat the ham a few days after opening it. If you don’t think you’ll be able to consume a whole ham in that time frame, it freezes very well.

See the instructions at the end of the article to properly freeze your ham for long-term storage.

Is it safe to eat slimy ham?

Unfortunately, when it comes to slimy meat, especially a whole ham, the safest thing to do is throw it away. Slimy meat is a sign that the ham has been colonized by bacteria.

These bacteria can cause food poisoning if eaten, so the safest thing to do is throw away a slimy ham.

There may be other signs that your ham has gone bad, such as a sour or rotten smell or greenish, grayish or other colored parts.

The slimy exterior cannot be cut from the ham either, as it only indicates that bacteria are present. They are likely to be all over the interior as well.

Once the ham has finished the curing process, it is packaged and shipped to grocery stores and butcher shops.

From there, the deli attendants and meat counter can package and prepare it as they see fit. Cured hams should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour in the heat of summer).

Some stores are more or less strict with food safety, which means that there is a chance that your meat could be contaminated in the store itself.

It also increases when you bring it home and start handling it, which can transfer bacteria from your countertop, knives and hands to the meat.

If your ham becomes slimy, it’s better to be safe and throw it away than risk food poisoning.

If you think you won’t be able to eat the ham within 3-5 days of opening it, I recommend that you divide it into portions and freeze it for long-term storage. Below I share the tips on how to do it.

Can a slimy ham be cooked so that it is safe to eat?

As I mentioned above, once the ham has become slimy on the outside, it is likely to be full of bacteria all the way to the end.

Trimming the slimy bits off the ham won’t do any good, and as far as I can tell, cooking it doesn’t guarantee that all pathogenic bacteria are killed either.

If your ham has passed the safety point and has become slimy, cooking it is not going to do any good.

If you don’t want to get food poisoning, but you know you won’t eat all the ham in 3-5 days, you can freeze it to store later. This process will prevent food waste and food poisoning.

How to properly freeze leftover ham

If you caught a giant ham and have a lot of leftovers, freezing them is a great way to keep them from going bad and slimy.

It’s super easy and the ham will last about 6 months in the freezer. You can keep it longer, but it may not be as good quality or it may get freezer burn.

Follow these steps to properly freeze and store your ham:

1. The first thing you should do is cut the ham in the thickness you prefer. You generally don’t want to freeze the whole ham, as that means you’ll have to thaw it and eat it whole, which could lead to more spoilage and food waste down the road.
2. Once you’ve cut the ham, divide it into reasonable portions that you think you could eat in about 3 days.
3. Once you’ve divided the ham into portions, place the slices in freezer bags. Gently press out all the air and seal them.
4. Once you have sealed all the slices of ham, take a piece of masking tape and write the date and content on it. Make one for each bag and glue them together. This step will help you remember when you have frozen the ham. Don’t try to trust memory; I have lost many delicious foods in that trap.
5. Place the bags of sliced ham in the freezer. For best results, use within 3-6 months.

How to defrost ham

Once you’ve decided that you want to enjoy your ham slices, there are a couple of ways to defrost it for the best results:

1. I like to let my ham thaw overnight in the fridge. I just grab a baggie from the freezer before I go to bed and place it on the top shelf with some room around it to thaw overnight.
2. If you’re in a hurry, you can let the ham thaw on the counter at room temperature. Just make sure you don’t leave it out for more than 3-4 hours as it can start to grow bacteria and go bad.
3. Finally, if you need the ham right away, you can place the sealed freezer bag in a bowl of cold (NOT hot) water. Leave it there for 30-60 minutes until it softens.
4. You can also take the ham out of the freezer bag and put it on a microwave-safe plate. Hit the defrost function and microwave until thawed.