topic Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays? in Kitchen

Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Ellabella — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 16:54:40 GMT

I'd like to serve ham for a Christmas dinner but need some suggestions where to purchase one or what kind you all prefer. Thanks so much!

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

luvsbulldogs — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:03:37 GMT

@Ellabella

For years I tried to find a good ham. I never had any luck with the spiral ones no matter what I did with them. The last couple of years I have been buying a "Boars Head Sweet Ham" and they come in halves or whole. They are very moist and delicious. I buy mine at a local butcher shop. Good luck with what ever you choose.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Kroppie — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:07:05 GMT

I agree with the previous commenter, I have never had luck with the spiral hams, they are very dry no matter how you cook them. If you live in the New England area, Budaball hams are really good. You can get them at butcher shops and at some Hannaford grocery stores.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

StylishLady — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:07:10 GMT

I like the Cure 81 ham. Boneless and available in a smaller half size good for a few people.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

HULAGIRL — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:09:41 GMT

Honeybaked Ham!! I have been a customer of theirs for many years and I give them as gifts at Christmas!! Great service and taste!!

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Hooty — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:10:52 GMT

@StylishLady, my family has been buying Hormel Cure 81 hams every since they existed, I just bought one yesterday and cannot wait to eat it!

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

momtochloe — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:15:43 GMT

@Ellabella we always had a Honey Baked Ham but with so many people coming over our budget was getting beyond stretched so we opted for an Aldi ham one year and everyone said it was the best ham they had ever had! . . . no one knew we had switched and we didn't tell them until after the meal had been put away . . . we laughed about it every holiday afterward . . .

Now that it's just me, I love a boneless Kentucky Legend ham that our local grocery store stocks around this time . . . delicious!

eta: I always bought a butt portion of the ham instead of the shank as for me it was more flavorful.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Sooner — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:16:03 GMT

@Hooty wrote:
@StylishLady, my family has been buying Hormel Cure 81 hams every since they existed, I just bought one yesterday and cannot wait to eat it!

Yep, Cure 81sliced have been winners for us for a long time. Heat it up with the first slice DOWN in the baking dish. Heat it quite awhile this way then before it is done, turn it with the slice facing out and glaze the cut top. That way the fat melts down through the ham not just runs out.

Also, heat it slowly and not too much. It is cooked but you want to warm enough to heat and get the fat flowing as juices, but don't "cook" it again.

We always get the butt portion (it is the one that is rounded on the back end; the shank is longer and the hock or end of the ham sticks out more in the back than a butt portion. We think the butt is easier to "carve" and you get more meat than bone.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Meowingkitty — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:16:46 GMT

Costco has good hams. Honey baked is uber pricy and the last one we got was super salty. Never bought another one.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

quilter61 — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:26:07 GMT

Do you have an Aldi's near you? I have bought their spiral hams for a number of years. They are delicious, not dry at all. Plus, they are very reasonable in price.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

wonderfulworld — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:47:08 GMT

Dearborn makes a great spiral sliced ham. Usually upscale grocery/market type places carry them.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

ECBG — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 18:27:50 GMT

I get the store brand of spiral sliced brown sugar ham.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Tigriss — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 19:09:29 GMT

Those that are complaining that the hams are too dry, you are over cooking it. You only need to warm it. You can do it on your lowest heat in the oven but no more than 350. Follow the directions on the labels for how long to heat it. I do recommend heating it with the sliced end down, then rotate and let the glaze roll over the top and baste. The only hams you have to cook are the fresh hams. Most seasonal hams are ready to eat and only need warming.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Lorik62 — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 19:35:30 GMT

Just ordered a Honey Baked ham for our Christmas dinner!

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Sassy7356 — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 19:49:32 GMT

For years we have gotten the Cook's Bone-In Ham. Delicious!!!

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

addtothis — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 19:55:14 GMT

Hatfield! Very lean and very good.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

GSPgirl — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 21:15:17 GMT

Honeybaked hams and don't forget their special mustard. They have small sizes and big ones. They have coupons, too. Their side dishes are great, too. I tried the spiral ham from Costco and it just didn't hold a candle to the Honeybaked one. You just heat it in the microwave a few pieces at a time or eat cold. Yummy.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

debcakes — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 21:58:19 GMT

@Sassy7356 wrote:
For years we have gotten the Cook's Bone-In Ham. Delicious!!!

Yes! Last year one of our groceries had Cook's bone in for a seriously low price. I put mine cut end down in my slow cooker with a can of beer and some water. Just before serving, I put it in the oven for a short time with a glaze. Best ham I ever had. I also saved the liquid in crock pot to make soups.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

Pooky1 — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 22:03:10 GMT

my boss a few years ago allways raved about buddaball ham. we tried it. we will never buy another kind of ham. its just so good.not sure were to tell you to buy them. we are in rhode island.our big supermarkets dont carry them. its more of the smaller markets that have them.there a little more money but worth every penny. they come bone in or boneless. we prefer boneless.

Re: Can you please recommend a good ham for the holidays?

aubnwa01 — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 22:05:09 GMT

If you belong to Costco, the Kirkland Signature Applewood Smoked MasterCarve boneless hams are really delicious.