Editing Ham (section)

=== Smoking ===
Ham can also be additionally preserved through [[smoking (cooking)|smoking]], in which the meat is placed in a [[smokehouse]] (or equivalent) to be cured by the action of smoke.

The main flavor compounds of smoked ham are [[guaiacol]], and its 4-, 5-, and 6-methyl derivatives as well as 2,6-dimethylphenol. These compounds are produced by combustion of lignin, a major constituent of wood used in the smokehouse.<ref>Wittkowski, Reiner; Ruther, Joachim; Drinda, Heike; Rafiei-Taghanaki, Foroozan "Formation of smoke flavor compounds by thermal lignin degradation" ACS Symposium Series (Flavor Precursors), 1992, volume 490, pp 232–243. {{ISBN|9780841222229}}</ref>