Ham is not an animal, but rather a cut of meat from the leg of a pig that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. Ham is a specific cut of pork meat from the pigs thighs, and it is usually cured and salted. Fresh ham is an uncured leg of pork, and it will bear the term "fresh" as part of the product name. Ham is a compound foodstuff or ingredient, being made up of the original meat, as well as the remnants of the preserving agent(s), such as salt, but it is still recognized as a food in its own right. Ham is available in a ready-to-eat form, while pork is raw meat, ready-to-be-cooked, and can be from any part of a domesticated pig.