Ham is very versatile and easy to use. However, the shelf life of ham is cut short once it is opened. Therefore, in order to avoid eating spoiled ham from your refrigerator you need to be well vexed on the topic of how long ham will keep in the refrigerator. This will help you to make use of it before it turns bad. The article below has a few guidelines that will help you to know the shelf life of ham.
Contents
How long will ham keep in the refrigerator?
How long unopened ham will keep in the refrigerator
Unopened ham will keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. The main reason why unopened ham will last for some time in the refrigerator is because it will be packaged while vacuum sealed. So air and moisture will not be able to affect its shelf life.
How long opened ham will keep in the refrigerator
Ham that has been opened will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. In order to ensure that the leftover ham keeps for 3 to 5 days you have to store it in an air tight container. This will help to protect the cooked ham from premature spoilage.
How long canned ham will keep in the refrigerator
Once you have opened your canned ham it will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Therefore, you need to eat it within that time frame. It is important to know that once you have opened canned ham you need to throw away the can and store the ham in an air tight container. This is because once you open any canned goods it becomes poisonous to store them in their original container.
How long will ham keep in the freezer?
The freezer is also another viable option that you can use to store leftover ham. This method actually preserves the ham for a longer period of time as compared to when you keep ham in the refrigerator. Ham will keep in the freezer for 4 to 6 months. Therefore, you need to consume it within that time frame to avoid disappointment.
How to keep ham in the refrigerator
In order to keep leftover ham in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days you need to start by placing it in an air tight container. Alternatively you can place the ham in a freezer bag. Take out as much air as possible from the bag before sealing it. This will help to ensure that the ham will keep for some time in the refrigerator. Once you have packaged the ham simply place it in the refrigerator. Ham will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
How to keep ham in the freeze
NB: this is actually the best method of storing ham especially if you want to preserve it for a longer period of time.
Step 1
If your ham requires cooking then you need to cook it first before freezing. This is because it will actually be easier for you to use it once thawed.
Step 2
Slice the ham and divide it into portions. This will help you in the long run since you only have to defrost the portion you need to use instead of the whole batch.
Step 3
Once you have divided the ham into portions, pack it into freezer bags. Before sealing the freezer bags take out as much air as possible from the bags. This will help to prevent freezer burn and premature spoilage.
Step 4
Label the freezer bags with the date in which you are storing the ham in the freezer. This will help you to recall when your cooked ham is likely to turn bad. The next thing is to store the ham in the freezer.
How to thaw ham
Once you place ham in the freezer you need to start by thawing it. In order to do this simply transfer it from the freezer into the fridge. You should let the ham thaw overnight in the fridge. The fridge is the best option for thawing ham since it reduces temperature shock. Furthermore, the temperatures in the fridge are favourable they do not expose the ham to bacteria. If you have run out of time then you can always thaw your ham in the microwave but, you need to consume it as soon as possible so that you do not expose it to any bacteria.
How to tell when ham has turned bad
The first thing to take note of is the date on the packaging of your ham. If the date is indicating that the ham has expired then you definitely need to throw it away. This is because it might look perfectly fine on the outside but it would have turned bad. The other thing to take note of is the texture of the ham. Ham that has turned bad usually has a slimy texture to it. If you notice that it has a slimy texture you need to throw it away immediately. Eating ham that has turned bad can lead to sickness. The other thing that you need to take note of is the colour. If the ham has a grey like colour chances are high that it has turned bad. Ham that has turned bad also tends to have a bad odour. If you smell anything that feels weird on your ham chances are high that it has turned bad. Therefore, you need throw it away so that you do not get sick. The last thing to pay attention to is the taste. If your ham has an off taste you should definitely throw it away.
Conclusion
Ham will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days once it has been opened. It is worth highlighting that you can store uncooked, cooked and canned ham in the refrigerator. Although the refrigerator is a good option for storing ham, the freezer is a better method. This is because it really extends the shelf life of the ham.