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Meat thermometer and other kitchen utilities

JanJal (1243 posts) • 0

Got this christmas ham to prepare, but haven't found a meat thermometer in neither Walmart nor Metro, and it's too late for online shopping.

Anyone by chance seen such for sale in Carrefour or other stores?

Also to generalize the question, what's the best brick and mortar store in town for shopping for kitchen utensils - considering also tools that are less common in Chinese home kitchens?

bilingualexpat (219 posts) • 0

Carrefour has a bunch of Fackelmann kitchen utensils.

Last minute reminder... this morning 10am at Carrefour and Muji is the last day of 60 minus 30rmb via Unionpay using SamsungPay, ApplePay, HuaweiPay, MiPay, and/or MeizuPay.

I'll be going to battle with antsy shoppers in two hours. I'll keep an eye out for meat thermometers.

bilingualexpat (219 posts) • 0

Nope, no thermometer in stock at Carrefour nor Muji.

The cheaper "Carrefour Home" utensil brand is giving Fackelmann run for their money.

Good luck with that x'mas ham! Remember, imperfect family TLC time is more valuable than perfect tenderness of ham.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • +1

Ham is pretty safe to cook as it is a cured meat. You can eat it raw if you so desired.
All of the recipes I have state 20mins/pound, at 160 degrees (open) to 20 mins/lb at 190 deg covered in foil.
The problem is also likely to be setting the oven temperature, as most oven thermostats are pretty inaccurate I would set the temps to maybe 175, to at least hit 160.

Because baking ham can dry it out, I would certainly consider a pot roast in a slow cooker for maybe 6 hours. If it is a local ham I would also change the water a couple of times during cooking as Chinese ham is more salty than we get back home.
If you are going to boil ham, a little trick is to turn it off about 30 mins before it is done, and then let it cool in its own liquor for at least an hour. As it cools it will draw moisture back into the meat, giving a more succulent joint.

NB I never used a meat thermometer, but used the Xmins/lb+Xmins equation. We would spear poultry and check that the juices running out were no longer pink/red.

bilingualexpat (219 posts) • 0

Perhaps a pack of hungry tigers would prefer to devour it raw as the main feast, lol. Moreover, raw pork may not sit well with Chinese families given recent scare of African swine fever outbreak.

Shouldn't elevation & pressure variables be plugged into that equation? Our 1,900m above sea level ought to increase temp or lengthen the cooking time a bit, no?

cloudtrapezer (756 posts) • -1

Never even heard of a meat thermometer. Cook until done then serve.

cloudtrapezer (756 posts) • 0

As for ham, only the Chinese cook it as far as I know. But they cook everything.

cloudtrapezer (756 posts) • +1

You're right about the altitude though. No three minute eggs here

JanJal (1243 posts) • +1

Thanks all. I guess I'll have to go by minutes/weight as well.

Also I'll add, that in my culture (Nordic) Christmas ham (most of the time) comes uncooked, and simply resting it in salty water is not considered to make it ready to eat.

In addition, it is then prepared in oven in low temperature (100C), approximately 1.5 hours per kg.

I am not sure of the English terminology, but I have seen terms "city ham" and "country ham" been used.

"City ham" referring to the ready-to-eat type, which you can just glaze and heat (if you prefer) to eat, and "country ham" referring to the type that has only been salted, and requires longer oven time.

On that note, I do have specifically the "city ham" type which I purchased online from a shop that advertised in Kunming Expats FB group.

For anyone who's interested, they said that they use American breed of pigs, that are raised on a farm in Inner Mongolia. The company itself is in Shanghai. Delivery to Kunming was by cold chain delivery of SF Express.

They also deliver Chilean turkeys, and other western-style meat products.

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