The Christmas holidays are fast approaching! We’re all looking forward to having our favorite Noche Buena dishes, especially the sumptuous sweet and salty “hamon”. However, before you indulge in your favorite hamon, keep in mind that these hams vary in preparation and cooking requirements, as well as special food safety guidelines. Here are some tips from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will make it easier for you to prepare ham successfully – and safely.

• Hams are either ready to eat or ready to cook. For hams that must be cooked first, look for the safe handling and cooking instructions on the label.
• Always wash and dry your hands before preparing or handling ham. Prepare the ham with clean utensils and ensure that any surfaces that it will touch, such as counters and serving platters, are clean as well.
• Cooked vacuum-packed hams, canned hams, and spiral-cut cooked hams can be eaten cold. If you’d like to warm them, heat the slices in the oven until they reach an internal temperature of 60 °C, as measured with a food thermometer. For cooked hams that have been repackaged in any other location outside the processing plant, or for leftover cooked ham, heat the slices to 73.88 °C.
• Foodborne pathogens associated with ham are Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. These pathogens can be destroyed by proper handling and thorough cooking to an internal temperature of 60 °C.
• Any ham that has been left out at room temperature must be discarded to ensure safety. Do not mix old and new hams together.