Ham
There are so many options, that are all **nearly** the same, it's natural to feel overwhelmed!
There are two things to decide on. First, whether you'd like it bone-in or boneless? And second, if you selected bone-in, then if you would like it Spiral Sliced?
Don't want to start there? Cut to the chase see which options are right for your party size.
The two Big Debates:
1: Bone-In vs Boneless:
Q: Does one taste better than the other?
A: Short answer: it's negligible, but there's some truth to it. Let's talk about steak for a sec. A bone-in T-bone steak is considered a more flavorful cut compared to a filet. That's because it's cooked with the bone. Near the bone is where the fat is. The fat is what gives meat it's flavor. However, T-bone fans will not be disappointed or vice versa when choosing one over the other. They are both delicious.
Q: The Half boneless ham seems kind of small.
A. It's all relative. Keep in mind it was the same size as a bone-in ham, before the bone was removed. There are the same amount of servings in the bone-in and the boneless, and the same amount of meat.
Q: So...what's the deciding factor?
A: Personal preference. Will you be using the bone for bean soup? Do you care about presentation? Bone-in hams are generally preferred if you're serving on a buffet, or choose to serve it on the table with your holiday spread. However, you can carve the boneless ham in advance, and your plated slices can look lovely too.
2. Spiral Sliced vs Carve-it-yourself
Q: Can I get a boneless ham sliced?
A: No. We only offer our Bone-In hams spiral sliced.
Q: Does it taste better if it's not sliced?
A: We're back to personal preference. Most people notice no difference. And there isn't, they are the exact same ham. However, some believe there's a different "mouth feel" when you carve it yourself. The rest of the people think those people are nuts.
Q: Does it dry out when it's Spiral Sliced?
A: No, but when warming a sliced ham, we recommend wrapping it tightly in foil to lock in the juices, and prevent air form entering between the slices and drying it out. Also, don't overcook it, we suggest an hour for a half ham and 2 hours for a whole ham.
Q: Is it hard to carve a bone-in ham?
A. No, no matter how you do it, it will taste good. You cannot ruin it. Sure there's a "right way to do it" but if you decide to just cut off a hunk and carve it in your own special way, it will be fine. Better than fine, it'll still be great!
Q: So why would I choose one over the other?
A: Are you particular about how you like it carved? Have no desire to carve it yourself? Maybe you believe in the process of taking the time and effort because you believe it has a better result.
