The holidays are always full of surprises. Last-minute loved ones and unexpected presents from Santa are all part of the season. But this year, one TikToker received a Christmas surprise that was so sickening it could put the biggest carnivores off meat until at least the new year.
Mechanic Ken (@theamerikenmechanic) was filming his holiday meal preparations when he encountered a disgusting mystery. While cutting into the bone-in ham he had purchased from Washington, Missouri, meat purveyor Frick’s Quality Meats, he found himself staring into a gooey mass that looked like spoiled cheese.
The video of his gruesome find was posted to his account on Christmas Eve. It’s gone on to pick up a staggering 12.1 million views and counting.
“What is going on here?” reads the video’s on-screen text. The clip then shows Ken’s kitchen counter, covered in trimmings from the ham as the camera zooms in on the sickening find.
“Anybody know what this is?” he asks his viewers. “I just bought this today,” he continues as he pans the camera to the label on the cellophane wrapping.
“It’s good until May,” he says, indicating the date. “But it’s got this in it.” He then uses a knife to remove some of the rotten mass.
“Oh my gosh, I’m going to throw up,” he states.
Ken didn’t have to wait too long before his viewers replied with an explanation.
@theamerikenmechanic #thebeardedbutchers #ham #food #appetizing #fyp #gross ♬ original sound – The AmeriKen Mechanic
“As a butcher of 10 years, I can say that that is [an] abscess. Do not eat it,” @colorado_oogie_boogie wrote in the comments section.
“It’s 100% an abscess,” another viewer confirmed, agreeing with hundreds of others who commented on the video.
The off-putting find revolted many viewers. “This would put me off meat for the rest of days,” one wrote.
“I love being vegetarian,” another added.
According to The Pig Site, “Abscesses are pockets of pus that contain dead cell material and large numbers of bacteria. They can affect all pigs and should not be eaten.”
“I’ve seen the butcher cut the abscess meat away and sell the rest of the chunk,” @cigarconspiracy commented.
Another viewer stated, “That is an abscess. Worked in a meat processing plant for 15 yrs. I’ve seen them as big as footballs.”
Abscess aside, several other commenters were surprised by the product’s long shelf life.
@mookievaporlock wrote, “Forget the abscess, we’re all just gonna ignore the ‘Use By’ date of 5 months away??”
“I am also concerned that this meat is “good “until May 2024?? Is it smoked or something?” another viewer commented.
According to the USDA, “Spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams may be stored in the refrigerator three to five days or frozen one to two months.” However, smoked ham can last a few days longer.
While Ken’s find is disturbing, it might help viewers attempting to change their diet for a New Year’s resolution.
“If I found that on something I was going to eat, I would become a vegan,” one viewer shared.
Update 10:24am CT, Dec. 28: Frick’s told the Daily Dot in a statement that its “hams are good until the ‘use/frz by:’ date printed on the packaging when kept in the original, vacuum sealed bag and refrigerated at 40°F or less. This date is determined by third party shelf-life studies on our meat. Once opened, any fully cooked meat should be consumed in 5-7 days to ensure quality and food safety, and we include a “use within 5 days of opening” statement on our ham packaging.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Ken via TikTok comment for further information.