On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:37:08 -0800 (PST), spamtrap1888
> wrote:

>On Nov 17, 11:12*am, sf > wrote:
>> On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:20:41 -0500, "jmcquown" >
>> wrote:
>> > "zxcvbob" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > > 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
>>
>> > I'd go with dijon or brown mustard rather than yellow mustard. *(And yes,
>> > the bone will be easier to remove after it's cooked and will be a wonderful
>> > addition to bean soup!) *Never having served ham for 30 people I have no
>> > idea what size you should have bought. *But they aren't expecting you to
>> > carry the entire meal, are they? *Surely there *will* be someone bringing a
>> > turkey and others bringing sides. *I wouldn't rush out and buy more ham.
>> > JMHO
>>
>> Other than disagreeing with your advice to switch from yellow to brown
>> mustard, you're right on. *There's no way a 10 lb ham will only yield
>> 4 lbs of meat - the bone can't be any more than one pound and there
>> will be little shrinkage unless it's over cooked.
>
>I finally found this. The USDA says you may be able to eke out 30
>servings from 10 lbs of bone-in ham. They don't talk about shank vs.
>butt:
>
>http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/ham/#9
>
>Quantity to Buy
>When buying a ham, estimate the size needed according to the number of
>servings the type of ham should yield:
>
> 1/4 - 1/3 lb. per serving of boneless ham
> 1/3 - 1/2 lb. of meat per serving of bone-in ham

No where does that site say how much edible meat on a 10 lb bone in
ham... and by those numbers no ten pound bone in ham will feed thirty
even if they eat the bone.