You can either refrigerate or freeze the ham once you get it home until it’s time to eat it. It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3 to prepare: thaw it, pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds, and voil! It’s so delicious that you could eat it by itself. Or, even better, serve it with traditional Queso de Bola, bread, and wine!
When did the exceptional Ham begin?
Dr. Ariston Bautista and his wife Petrona Nakpil, according to Bobbi, erected the house, which is a Quiapo icon. Petrona’s brothers and sisters were invited to live with the childless couple.
Julio Nakpil, a Katipunero and musical composer, was one of her brothers, and he was commissioned by Andres Bonifacio to produce a draft for the Philippine national song. Gregoria de Jesus, Andres Bonifacio’s widow, was later married to Nakpil.
We discovered that Dr. Bautista enjoyed entertaining. It was stated that the Bahay Nakpil-Bautista was always bustling with parties, orchestral music, and delectable food.
We headed out on foot from Bahay Nakpil-Bautista to explore Quiapo. Carlos led us to the side entrance of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, also known as Quiapo Church, where we paid our respects and prayed to the Nazareno, passing by candle merchants.
From there, we explored Quiapo through the eyes of a foodie, stuffing our bayong with as many goodies as we could. Everything was cheaper by the tumpok: the brightly colored peppers, the massive kalamansi, the veggies, the dried fish, everything was nicely laid out for picking.
We also had some of its delectable treats, which were presented in famous locations:
Lumpia House on the Globe. The restaurant first opened along Quezon Boulevard in 1953, but three years later it relocated to Raon (now Gonzalo Puyat Street) at the former Globe Theater, earning it the name Globe Lumpia House.
According to Reynaldo Lantin, the lumpia recipe was passed down to his grandfather from his great grandmother in China. The recipe is exclusively passed down to the sons, according to tradition, because the daughters will eventually leave to live with their spouses.
The lumpia’s popularity, according to Lantin, stems from using the freshest ingredients and selling it at the lowest feasible price (as his lolo often reminded the clan). It now costs P16, down from 20 centavos in 1953.
Outstanding ham. Its one and only store, which opened in 1963, is still located at 155-157 Carlos Palanca Street (formerly Echague). It goes without saying that its ham is still the best! Quiapo merienda is complete without its wonderful pineapple ham, which is served as palaman in Vienna Bakery pan de sal.
Tin Hopia Factory of Kim Chong. It is home to the greatest hopia in town, still produced by hand and baked in pugon, and is located directly next to Excelente Ham.
According to legend, an orphan named Ong Pei Pee immigrated to the Philippines from China and served as a houseboy for a family who peddled hopia. He taught himself how to make the pastry and, with enough money saved from his employment, founded his own hopia shop in 1927.
Perseverance, luck, and loyalty to the Nazareno are the reasons why the family business continues to thrive, according to his grandson Kiko Ong, who is now in charge of the store.
Hopiang mongo with salted egg, condol with bacon, and condol with pig are my particular faves. I’ve returned to Quiapo three times since then since I’ve been craving this delicious hopiaflaky with smooth and creamy cores.
We couldn’t pass up Muslim Quiapo favorites like Arab Spice Chicken at Moud Halal Restaurant (829 Globo de Oro St.); Pater Rice (flaked tasty chicken over rice for P10); and fish eggs and balbacua (bulalo fried with turmeric) at Junairah Halal Restaurant, which is situated on Globo de Oro St.
We returned to Bahay Nakpil-Bautista two hours later, where I prepared a few of meals using items obtained during our stroll: tinola with turmeric and palapa (spice paste from the Muslim market) and fried rice perfumed with dried tuna, which I purchased next to the palapa vendor.
An heirloom recipe from the Nakpil family, Lola’s Pinatisang Alimango, prepared by Dominic Faustino, completed the dining experience. He claimed it was Gregoria de Jesus’ dish.
Mercedez Nakpil-Zialcita and her mayordoma Manang Lucha passed down the recipe to him.
Ingredients:
- 3 alimangos in the wild (1 female, 2 male crabs)
- Dayap/calamansi/lemon
- 3 garlic segments, macerated
1. Remove the crab shells from the back of the crab; scoop out the aligue with your fingers and place it in a clean bowl.
2. Remove the aligue from the bodies, but leave the black gelatinous substance behind. Each item should be thoroughly cleaned.
3. Cut each half in half between the appendages into three pieces.
4. If desired, clip the tips of the appendages and discard them. The claws’ shells must be broken. Place all of these items in a safe place.
5. Strain the aligue, then add 1 1/2 cup of water and strain again. Season with patis and dayap juice.
Cooking:
- 1/2 cup frying oil, heated in a kawali When the water is hot enough, add all of the alimango pieces.
- When the pieces are red, remove them from the fire. Remove all of the pieces and place them in a safe place. Allow the oil to cool before using.
- Then reheat the oil, saut the garlic, and pour in the aligue sauce that has already been prepared. Continue to stir until it is cooked, then add all of the alimango pieces.
- Allow to boil for 30 minutes before adjusting the seasoning with either dayap juice or patis.
The Nakpil-Bautista kitchen requires restoration. Contact Bobbi Nakpil Santos-Viola at 0917-8517455 or 7319305 if you have additional tiles, cement, wood, wires, or any materials that you would want to donate to help maintain the splendor of this Quiapo heritage home alive.
In the Philippines, how many different kinds of ham are there?
Without the presence of one valued itemham, a Christmas table would be incomplete! The two most frequent forms of ham in the Philippines are Western and Chinese. The Western-style ham has a sweet, often smokey flavor, whereas the Chinese-style is saltier and harder in texture.
To assist you, we’ve collected a list of businesses in the metro where you can acquire the best Christmas hams to take home or bring to a potluck. For that perfect pair, don’t forget to grab a ball or two of queso de bola!
What is the shelf life of excellente ham?
- How long can a whole or half ham be stored in the refrigerator or freezer? The exact answer is highly dependent on storage circumstances; ham should be kept chilled at all times.
- Fully cooked whole or half hams are often cured and/or smoked, and shelf life varies depending on the manufacturing procedure employed; consult the label for storing directions.
- What is the shelf life of a whole or half ham in the refrigerator? In the fridge, a properly stored whole ham or half ham will last for 5 to 7 days, or until the expiration date on the package.
- When refrigerating, unopened entire hams or half hams should be stored in their original store packaging; to extend the shelf life of whole hams or half hams, do not open the box until ready to use.
- How long can you keep a whole or half ham at room temperature? Bacteria develop quickly at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit; if left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, the whole ham or half ham should be thrown.
- Freeze entire or half ham to extend shelf life; when freezing, insert whole or half ham in freezer before the number of days indicated for refrigerator storage has gone.
- To avoid freezer burn, wrap a whole ham or half ham in airtight heavy-duty aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or freezer paper over the original store packaging or place the container inside a heavy-duty freezer bag.
- How long can you keep a whole or half ham in the freezer? It will keep its finest quality for around 1 to 2 months if properly stored, although it will be safe for longer.
- The freezer time indicated is for optimal quality only; ham that has been stored frozen at 0F for an extended period of time will keep permanently.
- How long does a frozen and thawed entire ham or half ham last? Whole or half hams that have been defrosted in the refrigerator can be kept for 3 to 5 days before cooking; whole or half hams that have been thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be cooked right away.
- When a whole ham or half ham is cooked at home, how long does it last in the fridge? In the fridge, cooked entire ham or half ham will last 3 to 5 days, and 3 months in the freezer.
- How can you know if a whole or half ham is bad? The best technique is to smell and inspect the whole ham or half ham: a sour smell, dull color, and slimy texture are all symptoms of a rotten whole ham or half ham; reject any whole ham or half ham with an off smell or appearance.
What is the best Christmas ham?
Bone-in hams are sold in half-pound increments. When buying bone-in ham, you’ll need to think about the section of the ham you want.
- It’s a terrific choice for a picture-perfect table because the shank end (or leg piece) has the iconic ham profile. The meat is leaner and has only one long bone, making carving easier.
- The butt end (the upper half of the ham) offers a deeper flavor since the meat is more soft and fattier. It does, however, contain a T-shaped bone that can be difficult to carve around. But don’t worry; we’ve got some pointers on how to cut ham flawlessly.
Editor’s tip: A semi-boneless ham, with the shank bone removed but the leg bone left in, provides a win-win situation of easier carving without sacrificing flavor.
Boneless Ham
Boneless ham is always an option if convenience is more important to you than appearance and bone-in flavor. The bone is removed from this variety, and the ham is pressed into that recognizable oval form. The additional salt breaks down the proteins in the boneless ham, causing it to re-form in a sense. Obviously, this is the simplest way to carve. You can’t go wrong with this recipe for Easy and Elegant Ham.
In the Philippines, what is the best ham?
Manila’s Top 10 Hams
- Pia Ham from King Sue (P399/800 grams)
- Virginia Season’s Delight Ham (P405 per kilogram)
- Fiesta Ham from Purefoods (P525 per kilogram)
- Excellent Chinese Cooked Ham (P1,200/kg with mixed syrup; P1,300/kg with separate syrup)
- Festival Ham from Swift (P525 per kilogram)
Is it possible to eat a two-year-old frozen ham?
Although freezing ham will keep it safe indefinitely, it may lose its flavor after years in the freezer. Here’s what foodsafety.gov says about determining how long frozen ham lasts and retains its quality: 6 months for fresh, uncured, uncooked ham. 3 to 4 months for fresh, uncured, cooked ham.
What is the shelf life of vacuum-sealed country ham?
Refrigerate both plastic-wrapped and vacuum-packaged hams. A ham covered in plastic will last about a week. A vacuum-packed ham should be consumed within 1 week of the “sell by date” or before the “use by date.”
How much does a Christmas ham cost in the Philippines?
Indeed, it has become such a Christmas symbol for Filipinos that it has been adopted as a standard company giveaway. There will now be photographs of ham in supermarkets and wet markets everywhere. People will even be carrying free eco-friendly reusable bags stuffed with the legendary hams we’ve come to love. We can’t dispute that Christmas wouldn’t be the same without hams, whether you chose your ham based on brand, sweetness, or price.
Price increases are unavoidable these days, especially with Christmas just around the way. This is why the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has published a list of proposed retail pricing for supermarkets and public markets. According to DTI, prices for Christmas goods have risen noticeably this year compared to last year. The price of hams that cost less than Php 500 has increased.
We went to Robinson’s and SM supermarkets to compare costs, however your local supermarkets and mini-marts may be selling the same hams for a slightly lower or higher price than these supermarkets. It’s still a good idea to look at their prices before buying your hams. When you buy in bulk, many supermarkets will give you freebies and discounts.
Nonetheless, here are the DTI’s SRP Christmas ham prices. The 500 gram Christmas hams are priced between PHP 137.00 and PHP 169.00. Christmas hams weighing 700 to 850 grams cost PHP 190.00 to PHP 269.00. The 1-kilo hams now range in price from PHP 255.00 to PHP 808.50.
How do you keep a Chinese ham fresh?
Placing a folded paper towel in the bottom of an airtight plastic container is our best suggestion for keeping sliced ham. Place the sliced ham on top of the paper towel after removing it from its packaging. Place another folded paper towel on top of the ham, seal the container tightly, and refrigerate.
