Thanksgiving is all about the turkey, Christmas is up for debate (are you a ham, turkey or prime rib family?), but when Easter rolls around, ham is at the center of many tables. The rich, smoky meat pairs perfectly with cheesy potatoes, buttery rolls and springy sides, like peas, asparagus and artichokes.
Like many main course meats, a holiday ham can be expensive and put a little pressure on the cook. There’s a lot riding on that hunk of meat and you want to make sure it tastes great for this special meal. To help you do just that, we found a great person to share the ham tips and tricks you need to know—fifth-generation pig farmer Dee Sandquist.
Sandquist’s family has been in Iowa since 1847, when they emigrated from Sweden and (literally) put down roots in the Midwestern soil. Sandquist grew up on the family farm, but she and her husband, Harold, left Iowa for a while. They came back to the farm in 2008 and today they raise pigs and cattle and also grow corn, soybeans, oats and hay on the heritage farm.
Dee and Harold raise pigs for Niman Ranch, a brand that you might have seen at your local supermarket. Niman Ranch has a network of more than 600 independent family farmers and ranchers across the country that focus on sustainable farming and humanely raised animals.
Growing up on the farm, Sandquist’s family also raised pigs and they were kept outside, which was one of the reasons she and Harold were interested in working with Niman Ranch. “The pigs can go outside when they want to and, you know, I know I feel better when I go outside, so I know the pigs do too,” she says.
Happy, healthy hogs translate to tasty hams, which brings us right back to the Easter table. When we sat down with Sandquist, we asked her for her top tips for making a great holiday ham—shopping, prepping, cooking, what to do with all of those leftovers and more. Use her advice to level up your holiday ham.
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Niman Ranch
9 Top Ham Tips from a 5th Generation Pig Farmer
We quizzed Sandquist on the whole ham-cooking journey—from shopping to leftovers. Whether you’re getting ready to go to the grocery store or are standing in the kitchen staring at that big piece of meat, there’s a tip for you here.
1. Read up
Helpful context: Sandquist spent about three decades as a registered dietitian before she and Harold returned to the farm, so she’s trained to read labels and do her homework, particularly when it comes to food. Naturally, this extends to shopping for a ham. When you’re at the store, Sandquist suggests taking some time to really read the label to make sure you know exactly what you’re buying.
“I would look to see if they’re raised with no antibiotics and humanely raised, because that means they get to go outside,” she says. If you want to dig a bit deeper, many labels have farmer information and QR codes on the package so you can learn more about your soon-to-be dinner.
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2. Do the math
One thing that often trips shoppers up is how much ham they need for their guests. To make sure you have enough but not too much, Sandquist suggests three servings per pound for a boneless ham and two servings a pound for a bone-in ham. She says this estimation is on the generous side because people tend to eat a bit more during a holiday meal and having some leftover ham is always a good thing (more on that later).
3. Bone up (or not)
Another common ham dilemma is whether to buy a bone-in or boneless piece of meat. Sandquist is a fan of a spiral-cut ham because a lot of the work is done for you. Some cooks opt for a bone-in option because they feel like the bone leads to more flavorful meat and you also have a ham bone when you’re done with dinner, which means that you have the base for a great pot of soup. Sandquist also has another thought for putting a ham bone to good use. “If I got a bone-in ham, my dog will get the bone,” she says. Lucky pup!
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4. Get some help
When you’re at the store, remember that ham help is as close as the butcher counter. Sandquist reminds us that many butchers will spiral-cut a ham for you at the store to make your life easier. These folks are also the in-house meat experts, so feel free to use them as a resource when you’re trying to figure out what and how much to buy, or if you have questions about prepping or cooking your ham.
5. Make a prep plan
How you like to prep your ham is personal, but it pays to think things through before Easter morning. Do you want to glaze your ham or leave it as-is? About how long will the ham take to cook? (To figure that out, take a look at the label for cooking instructions or check out our handy chart.) And keep in mind that it’s a good idea to take the ham out of the fridge before it goes into the oven, so add that time to your cooking schedule too.
“If you take the ham out of the fridge 60 to 90 minutes ahead of time and just let it warm up to room temperature, it’ll cook more evenly,” explains Sandquist.
6. To glaze or not to glaze
Sandquist says she keeps things simple and will often just top her Easter ham with fresh pineapple rings. On the occasions she does do a glaze, she leans toward a honey-based mixture.
If you’re the kind of person who likes specific details, Sandquist mentions a ham glaze recipe on the Niman Ranch website that’s a mixture of honey, brown sugar, orange juice, brandy, orange zest and cloves. Mix those ingredients together in a pan until the sugar dissolves, then brush the glaze over the ham a few times during the cooking process. To make sure the glaze seeps down into the meat, cut a cross-hatch pattern in the ham before cooking.
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7. Take it low and slow
For the best ham, Sandquist likes to cook the meat low and slow. She’ll either cook it in the oven at 325° or stick it in the slow cooker on low so she can make room in the oven for her family’s must-make party potatoes. She’s typically using a cooked ham, so it will need to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 140°. If you have a raw, fresh ham, it needs to cook until it’s 145° in the center (be sure the thermometer doesn’t touch the bone).
8. Store it smartly
Once dinner’s done, it’s time to deal with ham leftovers. The first step, and one that some people forget about, is getting the ham into the fridge pretty quickly. Sandquist’s RD training makes her especially tuned in to food safety issues, so she suggests getting the leftovers into the fridge “within a half hour after the meal.”
“That’s just my former food and nutrition professional coming out,” she says. Ham also freezes really well. When freezing ham, Sandquist suggests slicing it first and packaging it in smaller portions so you can thaw just what you need.
9. Love your leftovers
When it comes to leftovers, ham sandwiches are a given, but Sandquist has a few ways that she loves to use extra ham. She’s a big fan of a cheese omelet with ham and likes to chop up some leftover meat to add to a chef salad. She also likes the smoky meat paired with sweet potatoes in a sweet potato hash. That hash with a fried egg on top sounds like our ideal Easter Monday breakfast!
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