Ham - Do you bake a fresh ham yourself or buy the smoked or pre-cooked ham?

[Quiet Em]

I don't think I've ever cooked/baked a fresh ham. I usually get a bone in, pre-cooked ham and heat it up.

Is there a better flavor if you bake a fresh ham? Is it worth the trouble?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. In the distant past, I did both fresh ham and smoked ham.

Both were good, but I slightly preferred the fresh.

[Quiet Em]

3. Thanks. I do imagine it's a bit more flavorful if you cook it fresh.

[Shermann]

2. I like the pre-cooked boneless variety from Honey Baked Hams

They are spendy but I can't really imagine more of the ham flavor I am looking for. The pre-cooked aspect provides great flexibility to carve off small amounts and heat them up quickly and easily.

[Quiet Em]

4. Thank you. There is a Honey Baked Ham store right near me.

I've always thought about trying one. They are a bit more expensive but I'm entertaining a pretty big crew and I'd like to serve them something tasty. Maybe I'll splurge and get one this year.

[anciano]

5. I like to keep it simple and easy with

either a hickory or mesquite smoked ham.

[Quiet Em]

6. Thanks.

[Squeaky41]

7. Past hams.

Wife used to slather a pro-cooked spiral ham with honey and mustard. Stabbed full of cloves. Warmed in oven.

New medical diet precludes all red meat, alcohol, fats and deep-fried foods.

Now it's chicken or fish.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

8. I make mine from scratch...

Yes, it’s vegan. I follow this recipe, which needs to sit in the fridge overnight, except when I reheat it the next day, I add a glaze of pineapple juice, brown mustard, and maple syrup so it’s extra yummy. Just another option for the adventurous.

https://www.86eats.com/recipes/vegan-glazed-deli-ham

[pansypoo53219]

9. a few years ago, the only ham left was big pork shoulder ham + it was the best effing ham ever. saved the 'bone'

+ made the best HAM/bean soup ever.

my aunt has a delux ham recipe. cloves, mustard, br sugar, fr oj, red wine, pineapple rings. makes a lovely sauce for rice.

[chowmama]

10. We get a precooked smoked ham from a local BBQ place.

It's boneless and huge enough that we cut it into 3 equal chunks and only use one at a time. That one lasts for a while. The other two live in the freezer.

I do miss the bone for soup, though. Instead, I rely on a large smoked ham hock for my beans and soups.