Turkey or Ham? 5 Ways to Cook a Thanksgiving Ham
While turkey is an obvious choice for many, Thanksgiving ham can be a nice alternative for the holiday. Many people also tend to get more creative with side dishes and enjoy turkey just for tradition. Instead of a big bird for the holiday, switch it up with a Thanksgiving ham! There are plenty of ways to prepare and season ham or ham steaks for your dinner.
Thanksgiving Ham
Depending on how many people you’re serving, a Thanksgiving ham is perfect for a crowd. Or if there will be just a couple people to serve, ham steaks can be a nicely affordable and smaller option. Season your Thanksgiving ham with flavors like honey mustard, brown sugar cranberry, mixed poultry herbs, and more. And when you have leftover ham, there are plenty of recipes to make, like:
- Mac and cheese with ham and peas
- Leftovers sandwich with cranberry sauce, cream cheese, and sliced ham
- Breakfast hash with vegetables and diced ham
- Chopped salad with ham instead of bacon
Sweet and flavorful jams are one way to bring a ton of flavor to Thanksgiving ham recipes. Pantry staple Stonewall Kitchen offers a variety of flavors of jam, like Stonewall Kitchen Apricot Jam or Hot Pepper Peach Jam.
Honey mustard is surely a popular seasoning for holiday ham, too. We have a variety of mustards to try like Tacoma Boys Jalapeno Honey Mustard, Annie’s Organic Horseradish Mustard, or Beaver Sweet Honey Mustard. Just mix up a glaze and brush it over the ham while it’s cooking!
How to Cook Ham
If you’re not sure how to cook ham, it’s actually quite simple! There are several different methods and seasonings to experiment with. The most common way to cook ham is by baking it for several hours, like a turkey. But ham can also be purchased precooked and heated up quickly on Thanksgiving Day. Same goes for ham steaks. Tacoma Boys has a wide selection of main meats to prepare for the big day. If you go for the traditional turkey, check out our blog all about how to cook turkey!
There are few different ways to cook ham and hundreds of different recipes to try! To get inspired, browse through these 25 Thanksgiving ham recipes by the Pioneer Women. Or, learn how to cook ham with one of these five methods:
1. Baked Low and Slow
The most common go-to way to cook ham is by baking it for several hours on a low temperature. This yields juicy, tender meat that can be seasoned however you please. There are a few different types of ham available at Tacoma Boys, like Peppered Ham, Honey Ham, and Smoked Ham Shanks.
2. Air Fried Hot and Fast
If you have a fully cooked ham, you can simply heat it up on Thanksgiving day. Pop it in the air fryer for crispy edges and succulent meat throughout. Just finish it off with a sweet and savory glaze and slice away, like this recipe by AirFryer World.
3. Smoked Ham
If you happen to have a smoker, it can bring a ton of flavor to ham recipes! Check out this Smoked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze recipe here for an example. And get creative with seasonings and rubs like Tacoma Boys Rosemary Garlic Rub, Maple Honey Rub, and more.
4. Slow Cooker
Slow cooked ham is less common but an easy hands-off method to try. This Thanksgiving Honey-Glazed Ham by the Kitchn cooks low and slow over several hours. This also frees up oven space for casseroles and Thanksgiving sides!
5. Fried Ham Steaks
For a small crowd, ham steaks are simple and easy. Pan-fry a few precooked ham steaks and use whatever seasonings you desire! Start by perusing Tacoma Boys’ deli and butcher section for different cuts of ham to cook.
Thanksgiving Recipes to Pair with Ham
Ham goes well with many Thanksgiving recipes, just like traditional turkey. A spread of mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and ham just sounds so satisfying and delicious! And while these classics are such for a reason, why not try a few different Thanksgiving recipes? This year for the holiday, consider pairing your Thanksgiving ham with other dishes like these:
- Cheesy scalloped potatoes
- Cranberry baked brie
- Broccoli cheddar rice casserole
- Brussel sprout gratin
- Tacoma Boys Roasted Winter Salad
Browse through Tacoma Boys’ own side dish recipes for more inspiration and ideas! And stop by to see what’s in season and available. This includes autumn squash, woody herbs like rosemary, and fresh fruit like apples and pears. You can also grab a variety of pumpkins and gourds to decorate or cook for a Thanksgiving side.To stay up to date on insider deals and specials, sign up for Tacoma Boys’ text list. Just text (253) 246-1661 to tell Paul you want to be on the list!
