So, what's the difference? The preservation process is at the heart of the distinction between cured and uncured ham. Cured ham undergoes treatment with a blend of salts, nitrates, and sugars to ...

I'm not sure a lot of folks even considered whether or not ham could truly be uncured. But, outside of the name, have you ever wondered what makes one ham "cured" and another "uncured"?

Ham that hasn’t been prepared with a cure must be labeled as “fresh” or “uncured.” These types of ham do not contain nitrates or nitrites, per the USDA. Depending on how the ham has been ...