Ham comes from the rear leg of a pig and is usually cured by salting, smoking, or drying. In older culinary history, the practice of curing pork leg is traced back to ancient China, and the word itself comes from Old English.

Quick Scoop

  • Animal source: pig, specifically the hind leg.
  • Typical processing: curing, smoking, or drying.
  • Historical roots: early cured pork traditions were developed in China, then spread through Europe and later the Americas.

Simple version

If you mean “what is ham made from?”, the answer is pork from a pig’s leg.

If you mean “where did ham originate?”, the best-known early origins are in ancient China, with later regional styles developing in Europe and beyond.

Tiny example

A holiday ham on the table is usually a cured pork leg that has been cooked, often with smoke or glaze for flavor.