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Q: Where can I find Dietz & Watson Premium Meat Delicacies?
A: Dietz & Watson meats are sold in over 35 states in the finest supermarkets, convenience stores and Mom & Pop delis. You can call our helpline at 1-800-333-1974 for the location of a store nearest you. You may also visit our "Where to Buy" page on this site.
Q: What makes Dietz & Watson different from other brands of deli meats?
A: Since 1939, our premium meat delicacies have been prepared from family recipes that demand the highest quality hand-trimmed lean beef, ham, turkey and chicken breast combined with the finest spices and seasonings gathered from around the world. We never use any artificial flavors, colors, fillers, extenders and never any MSG.
Q: How long can Dietz & Watson deli meats be refrigerated?
A: Our premium deli varieties are minimally processed. Therefore, for optimum taste and freshness, we recommend that you consume our meats within 3-5 days of purchase. We also suggest that you store them in the meat drawer of your refrigerator set on the coldest setting.
Q: Can Dietz & Watson deli meats be frozen?
A: We do not recommend that you freeze our premium deli meats as freezing affects both taste and texture. However, if you should choose to freeze any of our premium meats, be sure to defrost under refrigeration.
Q: Where can the nutritional information about Dietz & Watson Premium Meat Delicacies be found?
A: You'll find nutritional facts, as well as ingredient information, on all of our packages and on this website. You can also look for our "Expect The Best" nutritional brochure at your favorite deli or supermarket. Additionally, you can call our helpline at 1-800-333-1974 to request literature about our Dedicated to Your Healthier Lifestyle® Program.
Q: What is Canadian Bacon?
A: It is a cured and smoked pork loin prepared in Canada, but when prepared domestically it must say Canadian Style Bacon on the product label. Dietz & Watson prepares Canadian Style Bacon that is 99% Fat Free.
Q: What is Boiled Ham?
A: It is a term commonly misused by retailers and delicatessen operators for cooked ham. The term "boiled ham" is not permitted on product labeling because the ham is never really boiled but is thoroughly cooked to 165 degrees.
Q: What is a Bratwurst?
A: A fresh sausage of German origin generally prepared with coarsely ground pork and veal or pork and beef. May also be prepared with poultry if identified in the product name, such as "Chicken Bratwurst".
Q: What is Kielbasa?
A: It is a coarsely ground cooked and cured sausage of Polish origin. The meat is generally all pork or primarily pork.
Q: What is Lebanon Bologna?
A: It is a semi-fermented sausage prepared exclusively with beef and cannot contain either extenders or binders.
Q: What is Genoa Salami?
A: It is a coarsely ground dry sausage prepared with all pork or a limited quantity of beef. The salami is air dried but not smoked.
Q: Are Dietz & Watson Franks and Smoked Sausages fully cooked?
A: All Dietz & Watson Franks and Smoked Sausage varieties are fully cooked. We do suggest that you heat these meats before eating to enjoy their full flavor. You can boil them in a pan of water for approximately 10 minutes (or until they float) or you can barbecue them.
Q: Why does the statement "Contains Up To 10% Added Moisture" appear on other company's Roast Beef labels?
A: Some companies that process a lesser quality roast beef choose to extend the meat by adding water to it. The USDA requires that these labels declare the amount of added moisture that the roast beef retains.
Dietz & Watson's Roast Beef is minimally processed and therefore takes a natural shrink while cooking. In other words, when you purchase a Dietz & Watson Roast Beef you are taking home the finest roast beef with no added water.
Q: What is the difference between a "No Water Added" and a "Water Added" ham?
A: USDA regulations allow meat processing companies to inject up to 10% added water to smoked hams; which means that you may be getting one pound of water for every ten pounds of ham that you purchase.
At Dietz & Watson our smoked hams are "No Water Added". We are proud of the quality and deep smoked flavor of our hams and we are determined not to water them down. After all, we believe our consumers want to buy the finest ham for their families, not added water.
Q: What are some types of Dietz & Watson smoked hams?
A: At Dietz & Watson we prepare a variety of Smoked Hams with Natural Juices.
Semi-Boneless Smoked Ham:
Available as a whole or half ham, our semi-boneless smoked ham is a No Water Added ham,
(Whole: 12-14 lbs. avg. wt., Half: 6-8 lbs. avg. wt.), only center bone remains
for ease of carving.
Tiffany Smoked Boneless Ham:
Available as a whole or half (Whole: 6 lbs. avg. wt., Half: 3 lbs. avg. wt.) ham, hand- trimmed
to 97% fat free, yet retains a distinctive old-fashioned old-world smoked ham flavor.
Honey Cured Boneless Dinner Ham:
A no water added, 97% fat free, fully cooked ham available in whole, half and quarters.
A real old fashioned honey cured bone-in flavor without the bone for ease of carving.
Chef Carved Ham:
A fruited, honey glazed and honey cured pre-sliced ham for your serving convenience,
available as a whole (8-10 lbs. avg. wt.) or half (4-5 lbs. avg. wt.). This delicious ham,
sliced end to end, is the pinnacle of spiral sliced hams. It can be served at room
temperature or warmed in the microwave oven. Our Chef Carved Ham is decorated
with pineapple and cherries and is packed in an attractive gift box.
Classic Trimmed & Tied Ham:
Available as a whole or half (Whole: 10-12 lbs. avg. wt, Half: 5-6 lbs. avg. wt.),this is a
boneless, deep smoked old-fashioned ham with natural juices. This easy to carve ham
delivers a "Right Off The Bone Flavor".
All Dietz & Watson smoked hams are slow cured and deep smoked (with natural hickory) the old-fashioned way, using our very own Special Process. This insures a delicate smoke flavor, distinctive color, flavor and texture.
Q: Can Dietz & Watson deli meats be frozen?
A: We do not recommend that you freeze our premium deli meats as freezing affects both taste and texture. However, if you should choose to freeze any of our premium meats, be sure to defrost under refrigeration.
Q: What about the nutritional values of Dietz & Watson ham?
A: Dietz & Watson hams are prepared from the highest quality hand trimmed, lean hams combined with all natural spices and seasonings gathered from around the world. Our hams contain no artificial flavors, colors, fillers, extenders and never any MSG. Many of our hams are 97% - 98% Fat Free and are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.
You can view ingredient and nutritional facts about our hams on our product packages and nutritional booklets that are usually available at your favorite store. You can also view this Website's Ingredient and Nutritional Information Pages or you can request literature about our premium meats from our helpline at 800-333-1974.
Q: How do you carve a Dietz & Watson Semi-Boneless Ham?
A: Place ham on platter, fat side up. Start from your right; make vertical slices at your desired thickness until bone is exposed. Then continue slicing to the bone. Release slices by cutting under and along the leg bone, starting from your right. For additional servings turn ham over to the original position and make slices to the bone.
Q: How long should you cook a Dietz & Watson ham?
A: Our suggested timetable for cooking a Dietz & Watson ham is: Semi-Boneless Smoked Ham: This ham can be sliced and eaten or heated in the oven. To heat, remove wrapper and net covering. Place in a shallow baking pan in a 325° F preheated oven. Bake approximately 15 minutes per pound. Since ovens vary as much as 100° F, be careful not to overcook. For a festive treat, garnish with your favorite fruit or glaze.
Tiffany Smoked Boneless Ham: This ham can be sliced and eaten or heated in the oven. To heat, remove wrapper and net covering. Place in a shallow baking pan in a 325° F preheated oven. Bake approximately 15 minutes per pound. Since ovens vary as much as 100° F, be careful not to overcook. For a festive treat, garnish with your favorite fruit or glaze.
Honey Cured Boneless Dinner Ham: This ham can be sliced and eaten or heated in the oven. To heat, remove wrapper and net covering. Place in a shallow baking pan in a 325° F preheated oven. Bake approximately 15 minutes per pound. Since ovens vary as much as 100° F, be careful not to overcook. For a festive treat, garnish with your favorite fruit or glaze.
Chef Carved Ham: This is a fully cooked ham and may be served cold. Ham can be removed from refrigerator and left in package approximately 2 hours before serving; this will allow ham to be served at room temperature as an excellent buffet item. To Oven Bake: Remove from package and place in a baking pan. Cover with lid or completely cover with aluminum foil to prevent drying. Preheat oven to 325° F. Bake approximately 10 minutes per pound. Since ovens can vary as much as 100° F, be careful not to overcook. To Microwave: Remove outer foil labels. Puncture top of package 3 to 4 verdana, and place on microwave safe plate or dish. Microwave on high 20 to 30 minutes. This is only approximate, as all microwaves vary, be careful not to overcook.
Classic Trimmed & Tied Ham: This ham can be sliced and eaten or heated in the oven. To heat, remove wrapper and net covering. Place in a shallow baking pan in a 325° F preheated oven. Bake approximately 15 minutes per pound. Since ovens vary as much as 100° F, be careful not to overcook. For a festive treat, garnish with your favorite fruit or glaze. Dietz & Watson uses only pure maple syrup.
Q: Where can the nutritional information about Dietz & Watson Premium Meat Delicacies be found?
A: You'll find nutritional facts, as well as ingredient information, on all of our packages and on this website. You can also look for our "Expect The Best" nutritional brochure at your favorite deli or supermarket. Additionally, you can call our helpline at 1-800-333-1974 to request literature about our Dedicated to Your Healthier Lifestyle® Program
Q: When is it acceptable to use the term Maple Flavored?
A: The term Maple Flavored may appear in the product name if the product contains sufficient maple syrup, sugar or flavoring to impart a characteristic flavor. Maple cured meats must contain 3% or more maple syrup.
Q: Why does the statement "Contains Up To 10% Added Moisture" appear on other company's Roast Beef labels?
A: Some companies that process a lesser quality roast beef choose to extend the meat by adding water to it. The USDA requires that these labels declare the amount of added moisture that the roast beef retains.
Dietz & Watson's Roast Beef is minimally processed and therefore takes a natural shrink while cooking. In other words, when you purchase a Dietz & Watson Roast Beef you are taking home the finest roast beef with no added water.
Q: What are Artificial Colors?
A: This refers to coloring containing any dye or pigment which has been manufactured by a process of synthesis or by extracting natural dye or pigment from a plant or other material from which the dye or pigment was formed. Artificial colors in food must be FDA approved and must be declared on the label.
Dietz & Watson uses only the finest all natural ingredients and NEVER any artificial colors.
Q: What are Artificial Flavors?
A: This refers to a flavoring containing any sapid or aromatic substance manufactured by synthesis or similar process. They generally are composed of esters, ketones and aldehydes and need only be in the ingredient statement. The labeling on meat and poultry meats containing artificial flavoring must bear the phrase "Artificial Flavor Added" or "Artificially Flavored".
Dietz & Watson uses only the freshest lean meats combined with all natural spices and seasoning and never any Artificial Flavors.
Q: What about Salt and Salt statements?
A: Salt is commonly used in the formulation of meat and poultry recipes as a seasoning and as a preservative (USDA recognizes salt only as a flavoring, therefore meats that contain salt but no other preservative can claim "no preservatives"), and must be listed in the product label ingredient statement. The term salt is applied only to sodium chloride. As a condiment or seasoning salt is used at relatively low levels, depending upon the desires of the processor. It also serves the function in sausage meats of aiding in the emulsification of fat.
Q: What does the term Natural indicate?
A: The term Natural may be used on labeling of meat and poultry meats if:
a) The product contains no artificial flavor, flavoring, color ingredient or chemical preservatives.
b) The product and its ingredients are minimally processed.
Q: What is Natural Smoke Flavor?
A: This statement on a product label means that flavoring of the meat or poultry comes from the smoke generated from the burning of hardwood or its coal. If labeled hickory smoked, it must be from the smoke of that particular wood. Meat and poultry subjected to heat vaporized natural smoke flavor may be labeled "Smoked".
Q: What are Nitrates & Nitrites?
A: They are USDA/FDA regulated ingredients used as curing agents by means of absorption or direct addition to a product's formulation and are listed on the product label ingredient statement. (Also refer to Sodium Nitrate/Nitrite)
Q: What is NonFat Dry Milk?
A: It's a very high quality dairy food product which may be found in premium meat and poultry meats and is listed on the product label ingredient statement.
Q: What are Casings and what are they made from?
A: These are sleeves that are stuffed with meat to form sausages and frankfurters. There are three different types of casings:
1) Artificial Casings are made from plastic, fibrous synthetic or similar non-food material. Artificial Casings are non-edible.
2) Collagen Casings are made from natural collagen protein that is extruded into a uniform shape. Collagen Casings are edible.
3) Natural Casings are the cleaned and salted small intestine of either sheep or hogs. These casing types have been used for centuries in Europe, are edible, and are one of the reasons Dietz & Watson's Traditional European Sausages (German Weiners, Bratwurst, Cheddarwurst, etc.), are truly a taste of the Old-World.
Q: What is Carrageenan?
A: It is an extender used in lower quality turkey breasts. Processed from seaweed or certain types of beans it is used to extend product weight by retaining many verdana its weight in water.
Dietz & Watson uses only large Tom Turkey breasts and never any Carageenan.
Q: What is Caramel Coloring?
A: It's a coloring substance made by partially breaking down sugar with heat. When added to a meat or poultry product it is regarded as coloring. The product must be labeled "Artificially Colored" or "Caramel Colored". Caramel coloring occurring on the surface of a baked meat product as a result of the application of heat is regarded as a characteristic of the product.
Q: What are Corn Syrup Solids?
A: They are flavoring agents with sweetening power greater than or equal to sugar. Its use is limited to two percent meats which makes it an excellent sweetener. In poultry its use is unlimited which means that it can be used as an extender. Dietz & Watson chooses not to use Corn Syrup Solids or any other extenders in our recipes.
Q: What is Dextrose?
A: It is a natural sweetener derived from corn which may be used in meat and poultry and is frequently used as a carrier for spices and/or flavoring mixtures. It must be listed on the product label ingredient statement.
Q: What are Extenders?
A: These are inexpensive substances (fillers) which are added to meats that lower the meat content and quality of the meats. Certain sausage items, meat and poultry, may contain extenders and binders such as cereal, vegetable starch, soy protein concentrate, dried whey, reduced lactose, whey, whey protein concentrate and calcium lactate. Extenders must be listed by name on the product label ingredient statement.
Dietz & Watson begins with the finest lean trimmed meat, pork, ham and poultry and NEVER includes any extenders in our recipes.
Q: What are Flavorings?
A: The use of the term "Flavoring", "Natural Flavoring" and "Natural Flavor"" is restricted to the following ingredients: spices, spice extractives (including essential oils, oleo, oleo resin essence, extractives or distillates of spices), onion powder, garlic powder and celery powder. Flavorings must be listed by name on the product label ingredient statement.
Q: What is referred to as Food Starch?
A: The unqualified term "Food Starch" means corn starch. Starch from other sources must be designated by the source - potato starch, etc. Starch that has been hydrolyzed is "Modified Food Starch". In lesser quality meats, food starch is used to extend the meats weight by retaining many verdana its weight in water.
Dietz & Watson begins with the finest lean trimmed meat, pork, ham and poultry and never includes any extenders in our recipes.
Q: What does the term Fully Cooked mean?
A: An acceptable term seen on labeling of cured, cooked or smoked meats provided they have been heated to an internal temperature of at least 148 degrees F, and the finished product has the characteristics of a cooked product which include browning of surface and separation of meat from the bone. Dietz & Watson's recipes call for cooked, cured or smoked temperatures of 160 degrees F, which we feel insures a better quality product.
Q: What are Phosphates?
A: They are USDA/FDA approved and regulated ingredients used to help retain natural moisture and PH balance of meat meats and are listed on the product label ingredient statement.
Q: What is Potassium Sorbate?
A: It is a USDA/FDA approved and regulated ingredient that is used to retard mold growth on meats such as dry sausage and is listed on the product label ingredients statement.
Dietz & Watson prepares a complete assortment of reduced salt recipes as part of our Dedicated To Your Healthier Lifestyle varieties.
Q: What does the term "Smoked" mean?
A: A product labeled "Smoked" must have been exposed to smoke generated from the burning of hardwoods, corncobs or their coals or exposed to natural smoke by atominizing during the heat processing of the product so that the smoke is transformed into a true gaseous state by the heat.
Q: What is Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)?
A: MSG is a flavor enhancer, which is used in lesser meats to bring out flavor that has been lost due to poor processing methods. Its principle component is an amino acid called glutamate.
Note: Studies have concluded that MSG can cause many physical difficulties such as heart irregularities, depression, migraine headaches, shortness of breath, asthma attacks, balance problems and disruptive behavior in children.* *George A., Schwartz, MD, "In Bad Taste" The MSG Syndrome", The Penguin Group, 1998
Dietz & Watson NEVER uses MSG in any of our meats - never have, never will.
Q: What is Sodium Erythorbate?
A: It is a USDA/FDA approved curing ingredient that works with sodium nitrite as a natural curing agent which develop a traditional cured meats color and flavor and is listed on the product label ingredient statement.
Q: What is Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite?
A: They are USDA/FDA approved and regulated ingredients used as a curing agent in conjunction with Sodium Erythorbate. They are not preservatives although they retard the growth of harmful bacteria. Using modern curing techniques, fully cured meats retain very little residual nitrates or nitrites (usually no more than 7 to 10 parts per million) - much less that is found naturally in spinach.
Frequently ask questions that we receive about Dietz & Watson Dinner Hams found in the meat department of your favorite store:
Q: What is the difference between a "No Water Added" and a "Water Added" ham?
A: USDA regulations allow meat processing companies to inject up to 10% added water to smoked hams; which means that you may be getting one pound of water for every ten pounds of ham that you purchase.
At Dietz & Watson our smoked hams are "No Water Added". We are proud of the quality and deep smoked flavor of our hams and we are determined not to water them down. After all, we believe our consumers want to buy the finest ham for their families, not added water.
Q: What about the nutritional values of Dietz & Watson ham?
A: Dietz & Watson hams are prepared from the highest quality hand trimmed, lean hams combined with all natural spices and seasonings gathered from around the world. Our hams contain no artificial flavors, colors, fillers, extenders and never any MSG. Many of our hams are 97% - 98% Fat Free and are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt.
You can view ingredient and nutritional facts about our hams on our product packages and nutritional booklets that are usually available at your favorite store. You can also view this Website's Ingredient and Nutritional Information Pages or you can request literature about our premium meats from our helpline at 800-333-1974.
Q: How do Dietz and Watson meats affect those with a lactose intolerance?
A: A two ounce serving of Dietz & Watson meat that contains nonfat dry milk has approximately 0.85 grams of lactose. Compare this to an eight ounce glass of 70% lactose reduced milk which contains approximately 3.1 grams of lactose. Therefore ANYONE can enjoy Dietz & Watson delicious varieties of deli meats.
Q: Are Dietz and Watson meats gluten free?
A: Nearly all Dietz & Watson Meats are gluten free except: Rotisserie Style Chicken, Scrapple, Bockwurst, Fat Free Beef Franks, Gourmet Lite Franks, Gourmet Lite Beef Franks, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Chicken Florentine and Chicken Portabella. All the rest of our meats are free of wheat, rye, barley and oat proteins.
Q: What does the Feingold® Association think of Dietz and Watson Meats?
A: Dietz & Watson meats appear on the Feingold® Association's list of foods safe for hyperactive children and people with sensitive diets. Feingold® informs the public of how foods and synthetic additives affect health, learning and behavior.
Q: What about other food allergies?
A: If you are concerned about soy, wheat or milk allergies, please check our complete Ingredient List for each of our items. At Dietz & Watson, we prepare over 300 varieties of premium meat delicacies. If you can't find your favorite item, please contact us.