Thursday, December 27, 2007
Review: Honeybaked Ham
A sample 10-lb. half ham from the Honeybaked Ham Company recently came in, and we had a chance to put it through the wringer. First, it went into the freezer for a week or so, and then it came out for Christmas dinner. We were able to feed a good dozen people with some leftovers - excellent taste and very moist. It would have been even more so had we not heated the ham in foil. To be fair, the company says that it advises against the practice. Instead of the 10 minutes per pound, we went with five, so it was warmed but not hot. A slice on the outside got a bit too warmed, darkened, and dried a bit - so a couple of us did what had to be done and ate it.
There is some fat on the ham: not so much as to cause complaint, but not so little as to leave the meat tasting like shoe leather. The smoking also hits a great balance, enough so you know it's there, but still palatable to those who don't like heavily smoked foods. Great sweet glaze. The spiral cutting lets you easily remove slices for serving.
You do pay for all this. The half ham by mail goes for $85, although that does include both tax and shipping, which takes about a week. I just called one of their stores in Massachusetts, and the price there is $6.29 a pound, with a half ham, depending on size, running between $50 and $60. If you've got company coming and need a low fuss entree, particularly if there is an outlet near you, this is something to consider
There is some fat on the ham: not so much as to cause complaint, but not so little as to leave the meat tasting like shoe leather. The smoking also hits a great balance, enough so you know it's there, but still palatable to those who don't like heavily smoked foods. Great sweet glaze. The spiral cutting lets you easily remove slices for serving.
You do pay for all this. The half ham by mail goes for $85, although that does include both tax and shipping, which takes about a week. I just called one of their stores in Massachusetts, and the price there is $6.29 a pound, with a half ham, depending on size, running between $50 and $60. If you've got company coming and need a low fuss entree, particularly if there is an outlet near you, this is something to consider
