Ham produced in Jinhua Zhejiang is the most well-known. Ham looks bright with a clear distinction color between red and white. Lean meat smells good and is salty with little sweet. Fatty meat is delicious and appetizing but not greasy. Ham is famous for its bright red color . In the old time , it was usually made by roast smoking . According to local chronicles, Jinhua ham was created in Song Dynasty. Zhejiang people used it to serving anti-gold troops led by Zong Ze and listed as an article of tribute. So far, it had eight hundred years’ history. By Qing Dynasty, Jinhua ham had been sold to Japan, Southeastern Asia, Europe and America.
Ham practices were clearly recorded in Discussion on Investigating Things • Diet written by Su Dongpo, “ham is boiled with pig pancreas to eliminate grease. Ham won’t become fat hidden in grains for decades.”Jinhua Ham is the famous local specialty. Zong Ze, the hero resisting Jinguo was from Yiwu Zhejiang. One time he took ham pickled in his hometown and offered it to Song Qinzong as a tribute. The pickled ham was good in color, aroma and flavor. As its color is red like fire, Song Qinzong granted the name “huotui (ham), the Chinese character for “ham”. Since then, ham had become article of tribute. Jinhua Ham should have been made from rear leg of Jinhua pig. However, as Jinhua pig is almost dying out, modern standard ham use ordinary leg as the raw material ( leg salted in freezer). There are several technological processes to make ham. Ham is rich in mineral substances and protein. It is not only delicious food, but also food of highly nutritious value. There are many places producing ham, including Jinhua, Dongyang, Lanxi, Yiwu, Wuyi, Pujiang, Yongkang, which all belong to Jinhua City. Therefore, hams produced in these places are jointly called Jinhua ham.