<P> Animal factors influencing enzymatic activity include age, weight, and breed . During the process itself, conditions such as temperature, duration, water content, redox potential, and salt content all have an effect . </P> <P> The salt content in dry - cured ham varies throughout a piece of meat, with gradients determinable through sampling and testing or non-invasively through CT scanning . </P> <P> Ham can also be preserved through the smoking method, in which the meat is placed in a smokehouse (or equivalent) to be cured by the action of smoke . </P> <P> 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 thermal breakdown (i.e., combustion) of lignin, a major constituent of wood used in the smokehouse . </P>

How to tell the difference between turkey and ham