Cured Meats

bacon and salt pork

sausages

cold cuts

ham
 Bacon

American bacon 

back bacon

bacon = American bacon =

streaky bacon (British) 
Pronunciation:  BAY-kuhn 
Notes:   Bacon is a very fatty
slab taken from the underside of
a pig.  The bacon sold in
markets is usually cured and
smoked, but it's also possible to
buy uncured fresh bacon =
pork belly = side pork. 
Smoked bacon is often fried and
served with eggs or in
sandwiches, or it's sometimes
wrapped around lean meats to
keep them moist while they're
cooking.   Substitutes:  turkey
bacon (less fat, doesn't shrink as
much as regular bacon) OR
vegetarian bacon OR imitation
bacon bits OR smoked ham OR
Canadian bacon (leaner) OR
pancetta OR salt pork (in
sauces) OR smoked sausage OR
ham OR fatback (for barding) 

 
imitation bacon bits  Notes:  
This is soy protein that's
flavored to taste like bacon.  It's
cheaper and lower in fat than
real bacon.    Substitutes:  
bacon (Fry bacon until crisp,
then crumble into small pieces.)
OR nori (Crumble toasted nori
sheets over a salad for a
healthful alternative to bacon.)
OR turkey bacon (crumbled)
OR vegetarian bacon
(crumbled)

 
Canadian bacon = back bacon
= bacon (British)  Notes: 
Canadian bacon tastes like ham
and is much leaner than
American bacon.  It's made
from pork loin that's been
smoked and cured.  Note that
Irish bacon is also sometimes
called back bacon.   Substitutes:
Irish bacon OR ham OR
pancetta OR bacon (not as lean)

 
fatback  Notes:  This is a slab
of fat that runs along the back of
a pig.  You can render it into
lard, cut it into barding strips to
wrap around lean roasts, or use
it to line terrine or pâté pans.  It
you're cutting it into sheets, it
helps to put it in the freezer first
until it's firm.  It's also
sometimes cured like bacon.  It's
hard to find, ask your butcher. 
Substitutes:  caul fat (great for
making terrines or pâtés, but
hard to find) OR bacon (blanch
before using; good for barding
or lining terrine pans) OR salt
pork (blanch first)
  
gypsy bacon   Notes:  
This Hungarian specialty
consists of a slab of bacon
that's been roasted and then
seasoned with paprika.  It's
then cut into thin slices and
served on rye bread.  Look
for it in German or
Hungarian markets. 
Irish bacon = back bacon
Notes:  This is a lot leaner
than American bacon. 
Note that Canadian bacon
also is sometimes called
back bacon.  Substitutes:
Canadian bacon OR
pancetta OR regular bacon
(consider blanching first to
remove smoky flavor)

pancetta = Italian bacon  

Pronunciation:  pan-SHEH-tuh   Notes: 
Pancetta is the Italian counterpart to our
bacon.  It's cured, but not smoked, and it's
often used to give a subtle salty flavor to
pasta sauces.  Deli counters often carry
cylinders of it, and slice it to order. 
Substitutes:  equal parts prosciutto and salt
pork OR unsmoked lean bacon OR bacon
(Blanch it first in boiling water for a couple
of minutes to tone down the smoky flavor.)
OR prosciutto

 
 salt pork  Notes:   This is a salt-cured
chunk of fat that comes from pork
bellies.  It's used in much the same way
as bacon, though salt pork is fattier and
not smoked.   Substitutes:  bacon OR
ham OR pancetta

vegetarian bacon = tofu bacon = soy bacon   Notes:    Many meat

analogs are disappointing, but some variations on vegetarian bacon are
surprisingly tasty.   To make your own:   See the recipes for Vegan
Bacon, Tempeh Bacon, or Tofu Bacon posted on www.vegweb.com. 
Substitutes:  turkey bacon

streaky bacon

turkey bacon  Notes:   Different brands of turkey bacon have wildly

different amounts of fat, but most have much less fat than ordinary bacon. 
The flavor suffers a bit, though.  Substitutes:  bacon (higher in fat) OR
vegetarian bacon

 
 Sausages

Synonyms:  snags = bangers = salsiccia = wurst = sausissons

Pronunciation:  SAW-sidge

A typical sausage consists of ground meat that's

combined with fat, flavorings, and preservatives,
and then stuffed into a casing and twisted at
intervals to make links.  Pork is most commonly
used, but butchers also use beef, lamb, veal, turkey,
chicken, or game, and some also use fillers like
oatmeal and rice to stretch the meat a bit.  Casings
vary too--in addition to intestines or artificial
casings, butchers sometimes use stomachs, feet,
skins, or they do away with casings altogether and
sell the sausage in bulk.  After assembling a
sausage, a butcher can either sell it as fresh sausage,
or else cure, dry, or precook it in some way. 

Varieties:

abruzzo sausage  

andouille = Cajun andouille = Louisiana

andouille  Pronunciation:  ahn-DWEE or ann-
DO-ee  Notes:  This is a spicy smoked Cajun
sausage that's used in jambalaya and gumbo. 
Don't confuse it with the milder French
andouille sausage.   Substitutes:   kielbasa 
andouillette  Pronunciation:  ahn-dwee-YET   Notes:   This tripe sausage
is a small version of French andouille sausage.  Definitely not a party
pleaser, but some people have grown accustomed to its taste.  
Substitutes:  French andouille (larger) OR Italian sweet sausage

bauerwurst = bauernwurst 
Pronunciation:  BOW-er-wurst OR
BOW-er-vurscht   Notes:  This is a
chunky German farmer's sausage that's
often grilled and served on a bun or
cooked with sauerkraut.

black pudding

black sausage

blood pudding

blood sausage = blood pudding = black

pudding = black sausage = boudin noir 
Notes:   These eggplant-colored sausages
are made of pig's blood mixed with fat, a
filler like bread crumbs, and other
flavorings that vary from region to region. 
They're usually sold precooked, but most
people heat them before serving.  Regional
varieties include Germany's blutwurst,
Louisiana's boudin rouge, and Spanish
morcilla. Substitutes:  zungenwurst OR
boudin blanc

 
 blutwurst  Notes:  This is a spicy and salty
German blood sausage made from pork,
beef, and beef blood.  Germans like to snack
on it, or mix it with sauerkraut.  It comes
already cooked, but it's usually heated before
being served.  Substitutes:  blood sausage

bockwurst    Pronunciation:   BAHK-

wurst OR BAHK-vurscht  Notes:  This is a
mild German sausage made with veal, pork,
milk, and eggs, and seasoned with chives
and parsley.  You need to cook it before
serving.  Use it soon after you buy it--it's
very perishable.   Substitutes:  bratwurst

boerewors = boeries = wors = boerewurst  

Notes:  This is a spicy South African farmer's
sausage, made with beef, pork, and pork fat, and
seasoned with coriander.  You need to cook it
before serving. 

boudin blanc = white boudin  Pronunciation: 

boo-DAHN BLAHN  Notes:   This is a white
sausage made of meat (pork, chicken, or veal)
and rice.  France produces a very delicate milk-
based version, while the Cajun version includes a
lot of rice as a filler, making it chewier and more
flavorful.   Substitutes:  weisswurst OR bratwurst

boudin rouge = red boudin   Pronunciation:   boo-DAHN ROOZH 

Notes:   This Cajun specialty is similar to boudin blanc, except that it also
includes pork blood.  Use it soon after you buy it.    Substitutes:  blood
sausage OR boudin blanc OR blutwurst
 bratwurst  Notes:  This is made with pork
and sometimes veal, and seasoned with
subtle spices.   It usually needs to be cooked
before eating, though some markets carry
precooked bratwurst..    Substitutes:
weisswurst OR boudin blanc OR bockwurst

breakfast sausage patty  Notes:  These pork

patties are heavily seasoned.  They're usually
fried before serving.

banger   Notes:  This is a mild British pork

sausage. 

chaurice   Pronunciation:  shore-EESE  Notes:  This spicy pork sausage

is used in jambalaya and other Creole and Cajun dishes.  It's available
either in links or patties, but it's hard to find outside of Louisiana. 
Substitutes:  andouille

chipolata sausage  Pronunciation:  chippo-LAH-tuh  Notes:  These pork

sausages are as small as Vienna sausages, but they're much spicier. 
Substitutes:  Vienna sausage OR cocktail wieners

chorizo, Mexican   Shopping
hints:  This is fresh pork mixed
with lots of spices.  Don't confuse
Mexican chorizo, which needs to be
cooked, with Spanish chorizo,
which is dry-cured. To make your
own:    See the Chorizo recipe
posted on SOAR.  Substitutes:
Italian hot sausage OR mild Italian
sausage OR spicy breakfast sausage
OR Spanish chorizo
  
chorizo, Spanish    Shopping
hints:  Don't confuse Mexican
chorizo, which is moist and needs
to be cooked, with the Spanish
version, which is dry-cured and
ready-to-eat.  Spanish chorizo is
made from pork, and it's very hot
and spicy.   Substitutes:  kielbasa
OR pepperoni OR other dry-cured
pork sausage OR linguisa (hotter)
OR Mexican chorizo (This needs to
be cooked)

 
chourico = chouriço 
Pronunciation:  shore-EE-so  Notes:  
This is a heavily seasoned Portuguese
pork sausage.  Look for it in
Portuguese markets.  Substitutes:
Spanish chorizo OR linguiça (milder)
OR linguica (milder) OR hot Italian
sausage OR garlic sausage OR
pepperoni

cocktail wieners  Notes:   These are

smaller than hot dogs, but larger than
Vienna sausages.  Substitutes:  hot dog
(cut into smaller pieces) OR Vienna
sausages
 cotechino  
Pronunciation:   koh-
TEH-kee-noh   Notes:   
This is a mild and fatty
Italian pork sausage. 
The links should be
pierced before cooking
to allow some of the fat
to drain out.

Cumberland sausage  Notes:   This British pork sausage is usually

displayed in markets as a long coil, and it's sold by the length rather than
by the link.  It's often baked in the oven with cabbage and potatoes.  

frank

frankfurter

French andouille sausage  Pronunciation:  ahn-DWEE   Notes:   Don't

confuse this with Cajun andouille, which is much spicier.   Substitutes:  
andouillette (smaller)

goetta   Notes:  This is Cincinnati's answer to scrapple.  It's a mixture of

oatmeal and sausage that's fried.  Substitutes:  scrapple  

grützewurst = grutzewurst

haggis  Pronunciation:  HAG-iss  Notes:   This large Scottish sausage is

made by stuffing a sheep's stomach with the animal's heart, lungs, and
liver, and then adding oatmeal, onion, fat, and seasonings.  It's usually
steamed before serving. 
 hot dog = wiener = weiner (a common
misspelling) =  frankfurter = frank =
tube steak = wienerwurst = griddle   
Notes:   An American staple, hot dogs
are mild, smoked, and usually skinless
sausages that are traditionally served in a
bun with relish and mustard. They've
declined in popularity in recent years
because they're relatively high in fat and
sodium. This decline was hastened in
late 1998 when several people died after
being exposed to Listeria, a deadly
bacterium which was traced to some
improperly prepared hot dogs and deli
meats.  Substitutes:  Vienna sausage OR
bockwurst OR banger   Links: See the
USDA fact sheet on hot dogs.

Italian sausage   Notes:   This is a pork

sausage that's often added to pasta sauces.
Varieties include sweet Italian sausage =
mild Italian sausage, which is flavored with
garlic and fennel seed, and hot Italian
sausage, which also has a shake or two of
crushed chile peppers.  It's sold either as links
or in bulk.  Cook thoroughly before serving.

 
kielbasa = kolbasa = kolbasz =
Polish sausage = knublewurst =
Polnische wurst   Pronunciation: 
kill-BAH-suh or keel-BAH-suh or (in
Poland) KEHW-bah-sah  Notes: 
Kielbasy are smoked Polish sausages
made with pork and/or beef and
flavored with garlic, pimento, and
cloves.  They come already cooked,
but most people heat them before
serving.   Substitutes:  andouille OR
Spanish chorizo OR linguica 
 kishke = kishka = kiske = kiska
= kiszka = der·ma = stuffed
derma   Pronunciation:  KISH-
kah   Notes:  This Jewish specialty
consists of beef intestines stuffed
with matzo meal, onion, and suet. 

knackwurst = knockwurst =
knoblauch  Pronunciation:   NAK-
worst OR NAK-vursht  Notes:  These
smoked beef sausages are seasoned with
lots of garlic.  They should be cooked
before eating, and they're often served
like hot dogs or smothered in
sauerkraut.  Substitutes:  hot dogs 

kolbasz  Notes:  This Hungarian sausage

is similar to Polish kielbasa, except that it
has paprika added to it.   Substitutes: 
kielbasa 

landjager = landjaeger   Notes:   The name

means "hunter," perhaps because this smoked
beef sausage needs no refrigeration and is
handy to take on hunts.  Look for thin flat
sticks in German delis.   Substitutes: 
pepperoni OR salami

 
 lap cheong = lap chong = lap chung =
lop chong  = Chinese dried sausages =
Chinese sausage   Notes:   These pork
sausages look and feel like pepperoni,
but they're much sweeter.     Substitutes:
chorizo OR salami OR ham (diced) 

linguica = linguiça  Pronunciation: 

lin-gwee-SAH   Notes:   This is a fairly
spicy Portuguese smoked garlic
sausage.   You need to cook it before
serving it.  Substitutes:  linguisa OR
kielbasa OR Spanish chorizo OR
andouille 

linguisa  Substitutes:  kielbasa OR pepperoni OR chorizo (milder)

longanisa = longaniza   Substitutes:

kielbasa

loukanika   Pronunciation:  loo-KAH-nih-kah  Notes:  This spicy Greek

sausage is made with lamb, pork, and orange rind.  Cook it before serving.

medisterpoelse sausage  Notes: 

This is a Danish pork sausage. 
Cook it before serving.

 
 merguez sausage = mirkâs    Notes:  
This North African lamb sausage is
seasoned with garlic and hot spices. 
It's often used in couscous dishes.  

mettwurst = metts  
Pronunciation:  MET-wurst OR
MET-vursht  Notes:   At least two
kinds of sausages answer to the
name mettwurst.  People in
Cincinnati use the name to describe
a kielbasa-like sausage that's made
with beef and pork, seasoned with
pepper and coriander, and smoked. 
They like to grill it and serve it on a
bun.  Elsewhere, mettwurst is soft
like liverwurst and ready to eat.  It's
usually spread on crackers and
bread.  Substitutes:  kielbasa (for
Cincinnati's mettwurst) OR
bratwurst (for Cincinnati's
mettwurst) OR teewurst (for
spreadable mettwurst)

morcilla  Notes:  This is Spain salty version of blood sausage, usually

made with onion or rice as a filler.  Substitutes:  boudin rouge

pepperoni   Notes:  This spicy sausage is

made with beef and pork.  It's hard and
chewy, and makes a terrific topping for
pizza.  You don't need to cook it before
eating.  Substitutes:  salami OR lap cheong
(sweeter) OR Spanish chorizo OR Canadian
bacon (Works well as a pizza topping.) 

 
 pickled pork = pickle meat = Creole
pickled pork   Notes:   Louisiana cooks like
to add this to bean dishes.  It's hard to find
outside of Louisiana, but it's fairly easy to
make from scratch.  Substitutes:  ham hocks
OR smoked ham OR tasso

pinkelwurst  Notes:  This German

sausage is made with beef and/or pork,
onions, oat groats, and bacon.  It's often
served with potatoes.  

potato korv  Notes:  This is a

Swedish pork sausage.  Cook it
before serving.

scrapple   Notes:  A Pennsylvania

Dutch specialty, this is a mixture of
sausage and cornmeal.  It's often
slowly fried and served with eggs and
grits.  Substitutes:   goetta OR bacon
(as a side dish to eggs)
 

smoked bratwurst  Notes:  This is a smoked

variation of German bratwurst.  Substitutes: 
bratwurst

sujuk = soujouk = yershig  Notes: 

This is a spicy Lebanese beef
sausage.  Look for it in Middle
Eastern markets.  Substitutes:
pepperoni OR salami

tocino   Notes:  Tocino is Spanish for

bacon, but in the Philippines, it refers to
cured pork that's been marinated in a
sweet red sauce.  Look for it in Asian
markets.

Toulouse sausage  Pronunciation:  too-LOOZ   Notes:   This exquisite

French sausage is usually made with pork, smoked bacon, wine, and
garlic.  It's a great sausage for a cassoulet.  Cook it before serving. 
Substitutes:  kielbasa (works well in a cassoulet) OR Italian sweet
sausage 

tube steak
 Tuscan sausage

Vienna sausage = Vienna-style frankfurter 

Notes:  These small, squat hot dogs come in cans. 
They're often used to make hors d'oeuvres. 
Substitutes:  cocktail wieners OR hot dog (Cut
into smaller pieces if you like)

weiner

weisswurst = weißwürste = white

sausage Pronunciation:   WICE-wurst
OR VICE-vurscht  Notes:   These are
mildly seasoned German veal sausages,
very light in color.  Germans like to eat
them with potato salad during
Oktoberfest.  Cook before eating.  
Substitutes:  bockwurst OR bratwurst
OR boudin blanc

wiener = wienerwurst

yershig
 Cold Cuts

Synonyms:   lunch meats = luncheon meats = sandwich meats =

cooked meats = sliced meats = cold meats

These are precooked sausages or meat

loaves that are usually served cold in
sandwiches or on party trays.  You can buy
them already sliced in vacuum packs, or
have them sliced to order at a deli counter. 
Most cold cuts are high in fat and sodium.  

Varieties:
 Alpino salami  Notes:  This is an
Italian-style salami.  Substitutes:  salami

basturma = bastirma = pastirma =

basterma = pasterma  Notes:   This
Armenian specialty consists of beef that's
marinated in spices and air-dried.

bierwurst = beerwurst = beer salami  

Pronunciation:   BEER-wurst OR
BEER-vurscht  Notes:  This is a
chunky, tubular German sausage that's
usually sliced and served cold in
sandwiches.  It's made with pork and
beef.   Substitutes:    krakauer OR
bierwurst OR jagdwurst OR bologna

blockwurst  Notes:   This is a spicy German pork sausage that's usually

served in sandwiches.  It comes ready-to-eat.  Substitutes:  cervelat (very
similar) OR bierwurst

bologna = baloney = balogna  

Pronunciation:  buh-LONE-uh OR
buh-LONE-ee OR buh-LONE-yuh 
Notes:  This soft, mild sausage is a
sandwich staple.  It's made from beef
and/or pork and usually smoked.  It's
usually sold sliced and ready-to-eat.  
Substitutes:  mortadella 
 Calabrese sausage  Notes:  This spicy
dry Italian salami is made out of pork
and hot chile peppers.  Substitutes: 
salami OR pepperoni

coppa salami = coppa   Notes: 

This has bits of ham in it.  

corned beef   Notes:  This is cut

from a beef brisket that's been cured
with salt and spices and then
simmered in water.  It's traditionally
served hot on rye bread. 
Substitutes:   pastrami (more
tender, but otherwise very similar)   

 
 csabai   Pronunciation:   chah-BUY  Notes: 
This is a Hungarian smoked sausage that's
heavily seasoned with paprika.   Rings of it are
sold in German delis.  

finocchiona

foie gras entier  Pronunciation:  fwah grah ahnt-YAY  Notes:  This

pricey French delicacy is simply goose or duck liver that's been lightly
cooked.  When aged, it becomes very rich and flavorful.  Goose livers are
tastier and more expensive than duck livers.  Some people refuse to eat
foie gras because the animals are force-fed to enlarge their livers. 
Substitutes:  pâté de foie gras

galantina   Notes:  This is cold cut

resembles a chunky mortadella. 
Substitutes:  mortadella OR
bologna 

gelbwurst   Notes:   This pork and

veal sausage is very mild and fine-
grained.  The name means "yellow
sausage" in German, but that refers
to the color of the casing rather
than cream-colored sausage itself. 
You can put it into sandwiches or
pan-fry it.   It's called "diet
bologna" in Germany since it's
relatively low in fat.   Substitutes:
bologna
headcheese  Notes:  This is made
from parts of the hog's head, which
are boiled together with spices and
gelatin, then cooled and sliced.  The
result is a mosaic of meat chunks.  It's
good in sandwiches.   Substitutes: 
sulze OR zungenwurst

jagdwurst   Notes:  This is a coarse,

mild German cold cut that's often
served on sandwiches with mustard. 
It's made of pork, beef, and
sometimes garlic.  Substitutes: 
krakauer OR bierwurst 

krakauer  Notes:  This is like

bologna, only it's studded with
chucks of ham.  You can serve it cold
in sandwiches, or fry it for breakfast. 
Substitutes:  jagdwurst OR bierwurst

Lebanon bologna  Notes:  This is a

highly seasoned smoked beef sausage
based on a Pennsylvania Dutch
recipe.  Substitutes:  salami OR
summer sausage
 leberkäse = leberkase  
Pronunciation:  LAY-ber-ka-suh 
Notes:   Despite its name ("liver
cheese" in German), this Bavarian
specialty contains neither liver nor
cheese.  It's a pork, beef, and veal
meatloaf with the color and
consistency of bologna.  Germans
like to fry thick slices of it and serve
them with potatoes.  Substitutes: 
bologna

liverwurst = liver sausage = leberwurst 

Notes:  This is a family of pork liver sausages
that are creamy enough to spread.  One
variety is braunschweiger, which is smoked
liverwurst.  Substitutes:  pâté OR teewurst
OR mettwurst (the spreadable kind) OR
gelbwurst

mortadella = mortadella bologna  

Pronunciation:  more-tuh-DELL-uh
Notes:  This exquisite smoked pork
sausage is similar to bologna, only it's
flavored with garlic and has bits of fat
and sometimes pistachios in it.  It's a key
ingredient in a muffaletta sandwich. 
Always serve it cold.  Substitutes:
bologna OR olive loaf

 
 olive loaf  Notes:   This is like
bologna, only with bits of stuffed
olives embedded in it.  Substitutes: 
mortadella OR bologna

pastrami  Notes:  This is beef

brisket that's been seasoned
and dry-cured.  It's often
served hot on rye bread. 
Substitutes:  corned beef (not
as tender, but very similar)

pâté = pate = paté = liver

paste  Pronunciation:   pah-
TAY Notes:   Leave it to the
French to come up with this
buttery rich delicacy.  Goose
pâté is pricier and more subtle
than duck pâté, and is the best
choice if you plan to serve the
pâté cold.  Duck pâté works
best in warm dishes.  Some
people refuse to eat pâté de
foie gras from France because
the animals are force-fed to
enlarge their livers.
Substitutes:  liverwurst OR
foie gras entier OR monkfish
liver

pepper loaf = pepper loaf  Notes:   This is a pork and beef loaf that's
liberally seasoned with cracked peppercorns.

 
 plockwurst

rauchfleisch  Notes:  A German specialty,

this is smoked beef that's normally sliced
thin.  

ringwurst = ring bologna = fleischwurst 

Notes:   This pork and beef sausage looks
and tastes like bologna.  Germans like to
heat it up and serve it with potato salad or
bread.  Substitutes:  bologna

salami = salame  Notes:   This is a

family of ready-to-eat sausages that are
made with beef and/or pork and heavily
seasoned with garlic and spices.  They're
often used in sandwiches or antipasto
plates.    Many salami, like the popular
Genoa salami, are air-dried and
somewhat hard.  Others, like cotto
salami, are cooked, which makes them
softer and more perishable.  Most salami
are made of pork, but all-beef kosher
 salami are also available.   In Italian,
salame is the singular form and salami
the plural, but Americans often talk of
one salami and many salamis.   
Substitutes:  Lebanon bologna OR
summer sausage OR pepperoni

schinkenwurst = bier schinken = ham

bologna  Notes:   This German cold cut
consists of ham suspended in a bologna-
like emulsion.  It's usually served cold on
sandwiches.  Substitutes:   krakauer OR
bierwurst OR jagdwurst

soppressata = soppresata =
soprassata = finocchiona 
Notes:  This is a fatty Italian pork
salami that's seasoned with
peppercorns.  Substitutes:
Another Italian salami

 
 sulze = sulz = sülze   Pronunciation: 
SOOL-zuh  Notes:  This is made from a
mixture of calves' feet or pig snouts,
eggs, and other meats that's been cooked
and then allowed to gel.  There's no need
to cook it further; the cold slices are
usually served as appetizers. 
Substitutes:   headcheese

summer sausage = cervelat =

cervelas  Pronunciation:  SUR-vuh-
lat   Notes:   This is a family of spicy,
somewhat dry pork and/or beef
sausages that are great for sandwiches. 
They don't need to be cooked. 
Varieties include landjaeger and
thuringer. Substitutes:  blockwurst

teewurst = teawurst   Notes:   Germans like to

spread this smoky "tea sausage" on crackers or
bread at teatime.     Substitutes:   mettwurst (the
spreadable kind) OR liverwurst

textured sausages  Notes:  These have chunks of meat suspended in them

that form a mosaic pattern when sliced.  Varieties include schinkenwurst,
jagdwurst, tyroler, Ansbacher pressack, tongue sausage, and zungenwurst.
 thuringer = thueringer  
Pronunciation:   THUR-in-jure 
Notes:   This is a mild summer
sausage that's made of pork and
sometimes beef.  Substitutes:  cotto
salami 

tongue loaf = tongue sausage   Notes:   Delis

often stock loaves of pork, lamb, veal, or beef
tongues that have been cooked, pressed,
jellied, and/or smoked.    Substitutes: 
zungenwurst

touristenwurst  Notes:  This is a pork and beef

soft salami ring.  Substitutes:  salami

wunderwuurst  Notes:  This is liverwurst dotted with pistachios. 

Substitutes:  liverwurst

zungenwurst = blut zungenwurst =

blood tongue sausage  
Pronunciation:  ZUNG-en-wurst OR
ZUNG-en-vurscht  Notes:  This
German blood sausage includes pieces
of pickled tongue.  It comes ready to
eat, but it's often heated before
serving.    Substitutes:  blood sausage
 Ham

Synonym:  gammon = schinken

A ham is a pork cut that's taken from a

hog's upper hind leg. There are three types
of American hams: city hams, country
hams, and fresh hams. City hams are the
most common. They're soaked in brine (or
injected with it) and then boiled or lightly
smoked.  Many gourmets prefer country
hams, which are dry-cured and then
smoked and aged for added flavor. Fresh
hams aren't cured at all and need to be
cooked. 

America also imports several dry-cured

hams from abroad, including prosciutto,
Bayonne ham, Serrano ham, Black Forest
ham, Westphalian ham, York ham, and
Ardennes ham. These hams are similar to
our country hams, except that they're
often eaten raw while country hams are
usually served cooked.  

Ham is relatively low in fat, but even low-

salt hams are high in sodium.   
Substitutes:   Canadian bacon (usually leaner than ham) OR pork (A pork
loin roast has less sodium than ham.) 

Varieties:

Ardennes ham    Notes:    This is an air-dried ham that's similar to

prosciutto.  Substitutes:  prosciutto OR Bayonne ham OR Westphalian
ham

bauerschinken

Bayonne ham = jambon Bayonne   Notes:   This boneless French ham is

similar to prosciutto.   Substitutes:  prosciutto OR York ham OR
Ardennes ham OR Westphalian ham 

Black Forest ham   Notes:   This moist

German ham is smoked over pine and
fir, and coated with beef blood to give
it a black exterior.  Substitutes:
Smithfield ham OR Westphalian ham
OR prosciutto OR Virginia ham

boned ham  See city ham. 

boneless ham   See city ham. 

brine-cured ham  See city ham. 

butt end  See half ham. 

butt half  See half ham. 

canned ham  Notes:  These are boneless hams that are sealed in a can and
then cooked.  They're not as flavorful as other kinds of ham, and they have
a higher moisture content, which makes them more perishable.  Store the
unopened can in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it, and use
leftovers within a week.  Substitutes:  sliced ham OR Canadian bacon

capocolla = capicola = capacollo =

capacola = capocollo = capacolla  
Notes:  Italian in origin, this is a
sometimes spicy dry-cured pork
shoulder.  Substitutes: prosciutto OR
bresaola

Chinese ham  Notes:   This category includes the well-regarded Yunnan

ham = Xuanwei ham.   Chinese hams are dry-cured and resemble
American country hams.   Substitutes:  Smithfield ham (very close
substitute) OR fatty prosciutto OR Westphalian ham OR Ardennes ham
OR Serrano ham OR Bayonne ham 

city ham = brine-cured ham =

pumped ham = wet-cured ham  
Notes:  This is America's most
popular ham, the kind that's pink,
moist, and sweet.  Fresh hams are
soaked in brine (or injected with it)
and then boiled or lightly smoked. 
Boneless hams = boned hams are
easier to carve, but they're not as
flavorful or attractive as bone-in
hams.  A good compromise is to buy
a bone-in spiral-sliced ham, which
combines good flavor and
convenience, or a ham steak
(pictured at right).  City hams usually
come fully cooked (check the label),
but most people reheat them before
serving.  Substitutes:   picnic ham
(This is cured like a ham, but cut
 from the hog's shoulder. It's not as
tender and lean as a true ham and it
cooks much quicker.)  OR country
ham (saltier, but with a more complex
flavor)

 
country ham = dry-cured ham  
Notes:   These are made by rubbing
salt over a fresh ham and then
hanging it out to dry.  They're often
smoked as well.  They tend to be
salty, but gourmets often prefer them
over city hams.  You cook them
either by simmering them in water or
frying them.  Some people soak them
in water first to leech out some of the
salt.  Mold often forms on country
hams, but it's harmless and should
simply be scrubbed off.   Country
hams are common in the Southeast;
elsewhere you can get them by mail
order, or at Chinese markets. 
Varieties include Virginia ham and
Smithfield ham.   Substitutes:
prosciutto  

culatello  Pronunciation:  coo-lah-TELL-oh   Notes:   This expensive,

dry-cured red ham hails from Parma.  It's usually sliced paper-thin and
served like prosciutto.   It's hard to find in the United States.   Substitutes:
prosciutto (This isn't as lean or as well regarded as culatello.)

deviled ham  Notes:   This is a dip or

sandwich spread made with chopped ham,
sour cream, and various seasonings.

 
dry-cured ham  See country ham.

gammon

half ham   Notes:   Whole hams are too large for many families to handle,
so manufacturers often cut them in half.  The butt half = butt end is
higher up on the hog, and is meatier, fattier, easier to carve, and more
expensive.  The shank half = shank end = hock half = hock end is
leaner and, some say, sweeter.  

hock end  See half ham.

hock half  See half ham. 

jamon serrano

lachsschinken   Pronunciation: 
LAHK-shinken  Notes:  This dry-
cured smoked pork loin is wrapped
in a thin layer of fat. It hails from
Bavaria.  Substitutes:  prosciutto

nuss schinken   Notes:  This

German ham is cured, smoked,
and dried.  Substitutes: 
Westphalian ham

picnic ham = picnic shoulder = pork shoulder picnic ham  Notes:  This
is cured like a ham, but cut from the hog's shoulder. It's not as tender and
lean as a true ham, and it cooks much quicker.  It's a good, inexpensive
choice if you want chopped ham for soups and casseroles.   Substitutes: 
city ham OR Boston butt
 prosciutto   Pronunciation:  pruh-
SHOO-toh   Plural:  prosciutti 
Notes:   Prosciutto hails from Italy
and is reknown for its delicate, salty
flavor.  It's usually cut into paper
thin slices and served raw. 
Especially well regarded is Parma
ham, which comes from Parma in
Italy.  Select a prosciutto that's shiny
and deeply colored.  Substitutes:
culatello (better than prosciutto)
OR Serrano ham OR Bayonne ham
OR York ham OR Ardennes ham
OR Westphalian ham (saltier) OR
Smithfield ham OR Black Forest
ham OR bresaola (stronger flavor)
OR capicola OR other dried cured
ham OR lean bacon (blanch it first in
boiling water for a few minutes, then
rinse and drain)

pumped ham  See city ham. 

schinkenspeck  Notes:  A
German specialty,
schinkenspeck is lean pork
that's been dry-cured and
aged.  It's normally sliced
paper-thin and served cold.

Serrano ham = jamon serrano  

Notes:   This Spanish dry-cured ham
doesn't need to be cooked before
eating.  It's not smoked, and it's usually
cut into very thin slices.  Substitutes:
prosciutto OR Bayonne ham OR York
ham OR Ardennes ham OR
Westphalian ham (saltier) OR
Smithfield ham OR Black Forest ham
OR capicola OR other dried cured
ham 
shank end  See half ham. 

shank half  See half ham. 

sliced ham  Notes:  Sliced ham is moister than other kinds of ham, which
makes it far more perishable.  Store it in the refrigerator and use it within a
few of days after buying it.  Substitutes:  other kinds of ham OR cold cuts

Smithfield ham    See country ham.

smoked ham hock   Notes:   These are

sometimes thrown into Southern stews to lend a
smoky flavor.  Substitutes:    cubed ham
(substitute 1/4 pound ham per hock) OR
smoked turkey drumsticks OR salt pork
OR bacon

smoked hog jowl     Notes:   The

jowl (which is pronounced "jole"
in the South) is the hog's cheek. 
It's often cut into pieces and used
to flavor stews, collard greens,
and bean dishes.  Substitutes:  
bacon OR smoked ham hock

smoked pig's foot  Notes: 

These are great for flavoring
stews and soups.  
 smoked pork neck bones =   
Notes:  These are often used to
flavor bean dishes.

spiral-sliced ham  See city ham.

tasso = tasso ham  Notes:   This is a

heavily smoked ham with a spicy,
peppery rind.  It's often used in Cajun
dishes.    Substitutes:  smoked ham
OR Canadian bacon

Virginia ham  See country ham.

Westphalian ham =
Westfalischer Schinken 
Notes:   This choice German
ham is smoked over
beechwood and juniper and has
a salty, smoky flavor.  It's
usually cut into very thin slices
and eaten raw.  Substitutes:
Black Forest ham OR
prosciutto (This is moister than
Westphalian ham.) OR
Smithfield ham OR Ardennes
ham OR Bayonne ham

wet-cured ham  See city ham.  

York ham  Notes:  This is a lightly smoked, dry-cured British ham.  It's
saltier but milder in flavor than other European dry-cured hams.  
Substitutes:  Black Forest ham OR prosciutto (This is moister than
Westphalian ham.) OR Smithfield ham OR Ardennes ham OR Bayonne
ham