Top 8 sliced hams tested

IT puts pep in our sandwiches, works well with eggs, salads and adds more flavour to fresh vegetable dishes, cooked chickpeas and lentils — ham has a lot going for it.

It is produced by adding salt and nitrite (saltpetre) to raw pork. The additions help to preserve it, fight bacteria and also provide its distinctive red/pink colour and taste.

It is usually wet cured (not rubbed with salt as dried ham is).