Brooklyn1 wrote:
> On Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:10:34 -0600, zxcvbob >
> wrote:
>
>> I thought I was supposed to bring the turkey to the church potluck this
>> weekend, but I've been asked to bring a ham instead. I've cooked hams
>> before, but never paid any attention to how much they serve.
>>
>> I bought an 10.6 pound "ham with water added" bone-in ham shank today at
>> Aldi. It was the largest half-ham in the case. That ought to serve
>> 30-something people if it's not the only meat, right? Or should I go
>> back and get one of the smaller butts too?
>
> You'll be shocked to know that a shank half yields little actual meat,
> figure on no more than four pounds of edible meat, probably less
> because there'll be a lot of shrinkage with a water added ham when
> heated, and a lot will be difficult to carve so will be more suitable
> for pea soup. I would never serve a bone-in ham at a pot luck...
> you'll need someone that knows how to carve that ham on station the
> whole time... you can't have thirty filthy handed imbeciles hacking at
> it. For thirty I would have purchased a whole ham and boned it prior
> to cooking it... then slice it onto a platter. I've served thousands
> of those hams, I can bone a ham in under a minute. Tell the truth,
> you bought the shank half to save 15¢ a pound. Even a spiral cut ham
> would need someone on station to serve... next time buy a whole ham;
> remove the aitch bone, slit along the femur and bone it out. Tie the
> ham and cook it (you can stuff it if you like). When cooked let it
> cool for 15 minutes and slice it onto a platter for service... don't
> forget to garnish, and serve a big tub of honey mustard. If you don't
> have cooking facilities on site you can prepare it earlier, chill in
> your fridge and slice it just prior to service... cold ham is good
> too.


Aldi didn't have any whole hams, so I got the biggest half I could find
which happened to be a shank. Alton Brown recommends using a shank but
I don't know why, maybe it tastes better because of the bone, or so you
have a nice bone for making soup afterwards...

And it was 20¢ cheaper ;-) (OK, you got me)

Maybe I ought to go back and get a large butt to go with it. I'll cut
it all up at home and take it mostly already sliced and a few hunks, and
reheat it there.

Won't the ham bone out a lot easier after it's cooked?

I'm going to stud it with cloves and glaze with brown sugar and yellow
hotdog mustard.

Thanks,
Bob