What Is Turkey ham and How Can I Use It?
If turkey ham has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 9 recipes to try it in.
Key Points
- Turkey ham is cured turkey thigh meat shaped like ham, leaner and containing no pork.
- Sold fully cooked; slice for sandwiches or dice into omelets, bakes, and creamy pastas.
- It is cured and salty, so taste before adding more salt; once opened, use within 3 to 5 days.
What is turkey ham?
Turkey ham is cured turkey thigh meat, seasoned and shaped to look and slice like pork ham. It is made almost entirely from dark thigh meat, which is why it can mimic ham's color and bite, then cured and often smoked for that familiar salty, savory flavor.
It is sold fully cooked, usually as a deli loaf or sliced lunch meat, and it runs noticeably leaner than pork ham.
Despite the name, no ham or pork is involved. It is turkey through and through.
How to Use It
Treat it like any cooked ham, just leaner. It slices for sandwiches, dices into omelets and breakfast bakes, and cubes into a Muffin-Tin Breakfast or a Waist-Watching Western Omelet.
It also folds into creamy pasta and potato dishes where ham brings salt and smoke, like Low Fat Creamy Ham & Pasta, Creamy(Turkey) Ham Ziti, or an Idaho Potato Supreme. Because it is already cooked, you are only warming it, so add it late and keep the heat moderate.
The one watch-out is salt. Turkey ham is cured, so it is salty; taste before you add more salt to a dish that already has it in there.
Substitutes and Storage
Real pork ham is the direct swap when you want more richness and do not mind the fat. Smoked turkey breast or a lean deli ham both stand in for sandwiches, and Canadian bacon works where you want a similar cured, low-fat bite.
Being fully cooked, it is about freshness. An unopened deli package keeps to its date; once opened, use it within 3 to 5 days. It freezes for 1 to 2 months, best wrapped tight in a single piece rather than loose slices, which dry out faster.
Quick facts
- In Chinese
- 火鸡火腿
- British (UK) term
- Turkey ham
- en français
- jambon de dinde
- en español
- jamon de pavo
Recipes using turkey ham
There are 9 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Lemon Chicken Asparagus
Chicken breast turned out juicy, made my own seasoned bread crumbs by toasting some bread and using a food processor adding some Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, turned out a bit dark but awfully tasty. I used speck, a smoked prosciutto instead of the turkey ham and the flavors matched up well. I made a sauce by deglazing the pan with a bit of white wine. Overall a nice combination and quite easy to make.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Easy Chicken Cordon Blue, stuffed chicken breast with ham and Swiss cheese with a quick sauce.
Ham & Potato Bake
Ham and potato bake folds diced cooked potatoes and cubed ham into a sharp cheddar cream sauce with bright pimento. Five-ingredient one-dish casserole that turns leftovers into dinner.
Muffin-Tin Breakfast
Two-in-one muffin tin breakfast with eggs baked in turkey ham cups alongside fresh muffins. One pan, one bake, and a complete breakfast ready in 30 minutes.
Waist-Watching Western Omelets
Light western omelets with turkey ham, red and green bell peppers, and extra egg whites for volume without extra fat. A low-calorie high-protein breakfast ready in 20 minutes.
Cheese Fondue, American Style
Sharp cheddar cheese fondue made with cream of cheddar soup, garlic, and a splash of kirsch. Serve with crusty bread, meats, and fresh veggies for a crowd-pleasing party dip.
Creamy(Turkey) Ham Ziti
Creamy turkey ham ziti with a blended spinach and sour cream sauce, Dijon mustard, fresh dill, and red bell pepper. A lighter pasta dish with a vivid green sauce.
Idaho Potato Supreme
Baked Idaho potatoes topped with a creamy broccoli, mushroom, turkey ham, and Dijon mustard sauce made with yogurt instead of cream. A lighter loaded potato that's microwave-quick.
Low Fat Creamy Ham & Pasta
Low fat creamy ham and pasta cooks bow-tie pasta with peas and turkey ham, then folds in a quick reduced-fat cream cheese sauce. Five ingredients, 30-minute weeknight dinner.
