Spiral Cut??

So I picked up a ham the other day - hey, it was 50% off and I could toss that nasty little baggy of sugared crap they apparently intend you to adulterate the meat with - but when I got it home and went to do my usual hack it up and freeze it (we freeze portions for use in sandwiches, pea soup, omelettes), the thing was already sliced.

I looked on the net and find that this sort of thing was created in answer to those customers that are challenged by the necessity of wielding a knife...

I must be a ham neophyte (though we have certainly bought enough ham in our day) but that is the first time I have ever seen a ham prepared that way.

Maybe the same sort of people that are incompetent top slice a ham are the ones that would pur that gloppy glaze over it too?

Learn something every day! What next, presliced Serrano, presunto or Prosciutto?

Hey bill, it's a very popular cut in the U.S., isn't it the same in canada?
I thought there were "Whole Food" stores in Canada, they sell spiral cut hams, as do the Honey-baked Ham Stores, if any exist there. Also think costco carries them and in fact, most supermarket chains have them at least for the holidays.
Now spiral cut prosciutto and pancetta would be interesting!

Spiral-cut hams are commonplace, as is packaged slices of prosciutto (numerous brands). It's useful for, ahem, a porky "pop and pour" at parties.

Hey bill, it's a very popular cut in the U.S., isn't it the same in canada?
I thought there were "Whole Food" stores in Canada, they sell spiral cut hams, as do the Honey-baked Ham Stores, if any exist there. Also think costco carries them and in fact, most supermarket chains have them at least for the holidays.
Now spiral cut prosciutto and pancetta would be interesting!

No, I at least never see them here.

I do not shop at Whole Paycheck. 10% better quality for 30% higher prices somehow fails to entice me.

And I gave up Costco membership some years ago after realizing that if I 'saved ' any more money there I'd go broke. I'm sure individual items were cheaper than most retail outlets, but we never got out of there for under $6-700, and we didn't really need ALL that stuff. If Canadian Costcos also had wine, the damage would have been far worse....

PS - I hate sweet ham, and even maple smoked bacon is an affront to good taste.

If I'm not mistaken, these hams used to come out only at Christmas wrapped in shiny red or silver tin foil. Now I see them year 'round. They have their place, like office parties and whatnot, and I don't mind them, but they are not top on my list when hungry for ham.

[Jenise]

I believe it was the Honey Baked Ham Co. people (the first store, in Corona del Mar California, was locally famous when I was a kid, and now it's a nation-wide chain operation) who invented the spiral slicing concept. Unfortunately, the spiral slicing is very very popular and the needs of convenience-oriented people has supplanted traditionalists like us--in fact, in the U.S. now, any ham with "honey" in the name/description no matter what brand will be spiral sliced. I've not noticed it being foisted off on other hams, but I haven't been paying attention. Where was your ham manufactured, Bill?

Didn't look to see where it came from but I think a US source.

[Jenise]

Didn't look to see where it came from but I think a US source.

That's actually kind of amusing, because one of my favorite things to buy at Costco Vancouver is Canadian hams--a LOT less preservatives and no fake-smokey flavor.

Didn't look to see where it came from but I think a US source.

That's actually kind of amusing, because one of my favorite things to buy at Costco Vancouver is Canadian hams--a LOT less preservatives and no fake-smokey flavor.

Yeah, but they make you cut it up yourself......

[Jenise]

Didn't look to see where it came from but I think a US source.

That's actually kind of amusing, because one of my favorite things to buy at Costco Vancouver is Canadian hams--a LOT less preservatives and no fake-smokey flavor.

Yeah, but they make you cut it up yourself......

Have knife, will travel.

I have cooked these hams twice. Never again! I find that they dry out quickly and somehow the meat tastes tinny to me! I like my ham bone for soups and beans. But, with these hams, there are all those tiny pre-cut ends that just fall off in a way that i don't appreciate in my beanpot. I just don't like them.

[Jenise]

I have cooked these hams twice. Never again! I find that they dry out quickly and somehow the meat tastes tinny to me! |

Same here. And even if freshness weren't an issue, don't you love the look and mouthfeel of thicker, old-fashioned, hand-cut slices? There's no substitute.

I have cooked these hams twice. Never again! I find that they dry out quickly and somehow the meat tastes tinny to me! I like my ham bone for soups and beans. But, with these hams, there are all those tiny pre-cut ends that just fall off in a way that i don't appreciate in my beanpot. I just don't like them.

I'm with you, Jo Ann. Hams are a great inspiration for soup making, especially those smoked country hams whose hocks I hack off prior to cooking, then use in a soup. In fact, I'm doing a bean soup this week for that very reason.

Mark Lipton