Hamming it up

Ok...so I'm very picky about ham. If it's one of those water-injected, plastic looking (and tasting), rubbery hams y'all can keep it!

A couple of years ago I found a real, tasty, meaty, gorgeous whole ham at our local market here in Chicago. I think it was a variety of Smithfield brand. Took hours and hours to bake. Got nice and dark on the outside. Had my guests practically drooling at the sight of it, especially the guy forced to eat health-food at home. (He asked with a tremble in his voice, "Is...that a real hammmmmm???????.) He had many helpings I can tell you.

Anyway, I didn't have to soak it or scrub it so I don't think it was a traditional Smithfield ham.

I want to get a really goodtop-quality ham for our open house this year.

I'm sure some of you nice folks can suggest where I might get a lovely ham here in the Chicago area or perhaps by mail.
Thanks in advance everyone.

quote:

Originally posted by twodales



I want to get a really goodtop-quality ham for our open house this year.

I'm sure some of you nice folks can suggest where I might get a lovely ham here in the Chicago area or perhaps by mail.
Thanks in advance everyone.

Absolutely: http://www.broadbenthams.com/index.cfm . These are Kentucky hams which, to my taste, are a bit sweeter and less salty than Smithfield. Being lazy, I generally get the already-cooked-and-glazed version (this year I'm going all the way and even getting one that's pre-sliced) and they are wonderful, but if you want to do it yourself, I'm sure the regular hams they sell would be even more spectacular. Also, if you want an even less-salty version, they sell that too. They even sell what they call "city hams" but who needs that? Country hams are one of America's food glories. Just explore the web site to find what you want. But hurry--they have a pretty early deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery (I can't recall when it is, but I think it's soon).

I'm considering a Herrington's corncob smoked ham from Vermont for the holidays. Do any of you out there have any eperioence with that product?

Cheers, John

I only buy Gwaltney honey baked, spiral sliced hams now. I love them. I was able to purchase one at Thanksgiving at my local grocer for $1.27lb.

I posted this a few months ago after "The Mayors trip to Knoxville:

I have had a recent experience with Benton Hams and they totally redefine what country hams are. The "Mayor and his wife" and myself "Sundancer" visited this fine place and we got a super tour.We found out that country ham is not a simple process. We found out that country ham is a 18 month process staring with the process of ageing with brown sugar and salt in a cold room, then moving into several different temperature controlled rooms as defined by USDA.

I personally do not realize how this fine family makes any money because it is at least 12 months before any money is made before the sale of their product and in some cases it is 18 months.

The "Mayor" bought some of their Italian ham "proschuttio" double sic and we munched on it alway across the Appalachian mountains.

I have attached Fred Saucemans remarks about this fine place. Fred is a frequent contributor to this site.

http://www.wets.org/index.cgi?BISKIT=717554516&CONTEXT=cat&cat=395

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

I'm considering a Herrington's corncob smoked ham from Vermont for the holidays. Do any of you out there have any eperioence with that product?

Cheers, John

I have bought it. IMO, at the new customer price, it is still a little over priced. Don't get me wrong, it is very good ham and turky, just not much better than the far cheaper Cure 81 brand for me to pay the price.

quote:

Originally posted by BT

Absolutely: http://www.broadbenthams.com/index.cfm .

Ditto on Broadbent.

A brand that I prefer and use often, is out of Missouri, Burgers'

http://www.smokehouse.com/burgers.nsf/0/7f526aa1d918421686256d12004377c0?OpenDocument

I was lucky enough in 2001 to purchase these wonderful hams at a WalMart in Ft Smith, Arkansas for approx 25 dollars a ham. I only had to soak them a minimal amount of time and they truly were wonderful.

As far as the Herrington's , I agree with tmiles. Tasty enough, but not worth the price.

Hickory smoked with less salt.

My dad always cooks one of the Smithfield fresh hams, and they are very good.

I missed out on all this, but my family used to cure their own hams, smokehouse style. Salt cured is still my favorite kind. Eating it sparingly is tough.
The other side of my family loves Honeybaked. I can eat it, but only with lots of mustard.

My favorite brand is Alderfer hams and my family sure eats a lot of ham, not just during the holdays. I buy them at our local Farmers' Market so haven't purchased them online but they do have a website:
http://www.alderfermeats.com/products.cfm?catid=6
Edited to add that I get the semi boneless smoked ones, usually a butt half.

Speaking of hams - many of you might remember "Bud the Wonder Pig" that one of my boys raised last year and had success with at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Bud has gone on to the big Jimmy Dean in the sky, but the twins are both raising barrows for the Houston show again. "Bucky" a Yorkshire, and "Deuce" a Crossbred. They are looking good and the kids are working very hard with them, so once again we have high hopes for success this Spring.

My daughter called me earlier telling me to buy strawberry jello mix on my home for her pig. Not sure what that is all about!

Though my aunt and uncle passed away years ago, the aunt worked at Farmer Peet. She would double smoke the holiday hams for us! I can still taste that hickory...

Well, I must say that I'm in "Hog Heaven" here with all the tasty suggestions. Now to decide which one......Hmmmmm........

quote:

Originally posted by twodales

Well, I must say that I'm in "Hog Heaven" here with all the tasty suggestions. Now to decide which one......Hmmmmm........

Please see my earlier post. The attached article by Fred Sauceman who post his comments on this site on an occasional basis is a highly respected writer for a newspaper in Johnson City, TN and on the staff of the East Tennessee State University. You can read his comments about Benton Hams and how he was impressed. You can view several of his previous and current articles on the left of the column. I believe "The Mayor" will validate some of Freds comments as we had an extensive tour of his facility. He operates on quality.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN