Is the Martha Stewart Ham worth the cost? I usually buy the Kirkland
ham for the holidays, and am not even sure the Martha hams are being
offered for Easter, but if anyone has "invested" in the ham in the
past - tell me if you would recommend it over the others. The family
could probably care less but if the ham is better, it would be a treat
for me.

suzireb wrote:
> Is the Martha Stewart Ham worth the cost?

Nope. Same as any other Cooks, Kirkland, or Smithfield wet cured ham.
One person reported that they were full of gristle.

I've tasted them being offered as samples and they were nothing special at
all. not worth the $3-$4. I but the smithfield wet cured hams for $1.39
or less.

-sw

Sqwertz wrote:
> suzireb wrote:
>> Is the Martha Stewart Ham worth the cost?
>
> Nope. Same as any other Cooks, Kirkland, or Smithfield wet cured ham.
> One person reported that they were full of gristle.
>
> I've tasted them being offered as samples and they were nothing special
> at all. not worth the $3-$4. I but the smithfield wet cured hams for
> $1.39 or less.
>
> -sw
Sometime back Cook's Illustrated rated the Cook's smoked butt ham as the
best for the money. I've always been pleased with them myself.

"George Shirley" > wrote in message
.. .
> Sqwertz wrote:
>> suzireb wrote:
>>> Is the Martha Stewart Ham worth the cost?
>>
>> Nope. Same as any other Cooks, Kirkland, or Smithfield wet cured ham.
>> One person reported that they were full of gristle.
>>
>> I've tasted them being offered as samples and they were nothing special
>> at all. not worth the $3-$4. I but the smithfield wet cured hams for
>> $1.39 or less.
>>
>> -sw
> Sometime back Cook's Illustrated rated the Cook's smoked butt ham as the
> best for the money. I've always been pleased with them myself.

Some years back I got a deal on Cook's hams and purchased a couple. I
didn't like the flavor at all and the meat was coarse. It was the
coarseness that I couldn't get past. The ham was too salty and sweet. I
want finely grained meat, not too salty, not excessively smoky, with a
natural sweetness that comes from the meat rather than additives. I've
never bought Cook's hams since.
Janet

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> Some years back I got a deal on Cook's hams and purchased a couple. I
> didn't like the flavor at all and the meat was coarse. It was the
> coarseness that I couldn't get past. The ham was too salty and sweet. I
> want finely grained meat, not too salty, not excessively smoky, with a
> natural sweetness that comes from the meat rather than additives. I've
> never bought Cook's hams since.
> Janet

Taste is a factor of the cure used as well as the smoking. I'm not sure why
it would be course. Pig meat is pretty much pig meat the way they are
raised today and while one animal may be less than desired, I don't know
why one brand would be different.

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
>> Some years back I got a deal on Cook's hams and purchased a couple. I
>> didn't like the flavor at all and the meat was coarse. It was the
>> coarseness that I couldn't get past. The ham was too salty and sweet. I
>> want finely grained meat, not too salty, not excessively smoky, with a
>> natural sweetness that comes from the meat rather than additives. I've
>> never bought Cook's hams since.
>> Janet
>
> Taste is a factor of the cure used as well as the smoking. I'm not sure
> why it would be course. Pig meat is pretty much pig meat the way they are
> raised today and while one animal may be less than desired, I don't know
> why one brand would be different.
I had never experienced such texture in a ham before so it has influenced my
buying decision since. I understand about the taste thing. As a buyer, you
just have to shop around for ham and then stick with a brand that suits your
personal taste.
Janet

On Apr 8, 11:14*am, "Janet Bostwick" > wrote:
> "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> >> Some years back I got a deal on Cook's hams and purchased a couple. *I
> >> didn't like the flavor at all and the meat was coarse. *It was the
> >> coarseness that I couldn't get past. *The ham was too salty and sweet. I
> >> want finely grained meat, not too salty, not excessively smoky, with a
> >> natural sweetness that comes from the meat rather than additives. *I've
> >> never bought Cook's hams since.
> >> Janet
>
> > Taste is a factor of the cure used as well as the smoking. *I'm not sure
> > why it would be course. *Pig meat is pretty much pig meat the way they are
> > raised today and while one animal may be less than desired, *I don't know
> > why one brand would be different.
>
> I had never experienced such texture in a ham before so it has influenced my
> buying decision since. *I understand about the taste thing. *As a buyer, you
> just have to shop around for ham and then stick with a brand that suits your
> personal taste.
> Janet

What about a local butcher? I've had a couple of lovely hams from
Aubrey's in the Byward Market in Ottawa. Of course not everbody may
want a 25 lb bone-in ham. Still they were delicious.

John Kane Kingston ON Canada

"George Shirley" > wrote in message
.. .
>> Sometime back Cook's Illustrated rated the Cook's smoked butt ham as the
> best for the money. I've always been pleased with them myself.

One other review I read a couple of years ago rated the Cook's spiral sliced
as the best. I have bought them and I agree. They are great, and the glaze
is a separate package. I like that as we do not want an overly sweet ham,
and do not use the glaze. We only have one meal from it as a plain ham
dinner. I freeze about half and it is used in scalloped potatoes,
sandwiches, pan fried, soup, etc. I do not know how anyone could enjoy the
overly sweet Honey Baked Ham. I am going to my local King Soopers for a
Cook's ham today. They have a great sale price going.

Later,

Dalep

Dale P wrote:
> "George Shirley" > wrote in message
> .. .
>>> Sometime back Cook's Illustrated rated the Cook's smoked butt ham as the
>> best for the money. I've always been pleased with them myself.
>
> One other review I read a couple of years ago rated the Cook's spiral
> sliced as the best. I have bought them and I agree. They are great,
> and the glaze is a separate package. I like that as we do not want an
> overly sweet ham, and do not use the glaze. We only have one meal from
> it as a plain ham dinner. I freeze about half and it is used in
> scalloped potatoes, sandwiches, pan fried, soup, etc. I do not know how
> anyone could enjoy the overly sweet Honey Baked Ham. I am going to my
> local King Soopers for a Cook's ham today. They have a great sale price
> going.
>
> Later,
>
> Dalep
>
>
The local Kroger store has a sales flyer out today with the standard
Cook's butt portion ham on sale for 99 cents a lb. Probably next week
they will be on sale for 69 cents a lb. I have two in the freezer now so
don't need another one.

George Shirley wrote:

> Sometime back Cook's Illustrated rated the Cook's smoked butt ham as the
> best for the money. I've always been pleased with them myself.

I don't think they even have Cook's Brand here in Austin. We have
Smithfield, which are excellent "ready to cook" hams. The Cook's hams I
remember had always been pre-cooked ("Ready to eat" hams)". I'd rather
have the "raw" hams.

-sw

"George Shirley" > wrote in message
>>
> The local Kroger store has a sales flyer out today with the standard
> Cook's butt portion ham on sale for 99 cents a lb. Probably next week they
> will be on sale for 69 cents a lb. I have two in the freezer now so don't
> need another one.

Stop & Shop has Morel hams for 99¢ also, but they are not the same as the
Morel EZ cut 2.49 hams. The cheap ones are not bad, but loaded with water.

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> "George Shirley" > wrote in message
>> The local Kroger store has a sales flyer out today with the standard
>> Cook's butt portion ham on sale for 99 cents a lb. Probably next week they
>> will be on sale for 69 cents a lb. I have two in the freezer now so don't
>> need another one.
>
> Stop & Shop has Morel hams for 99¢ also, but they are not the same as the
> Morel EZ cut 2.49 hams. The cheap ones are not bad, but loaded with water.
>
>
I usually take one of the cheap hams and smoke it for a few hours in my
electric smoker. A lot of the liquid and fat drops out into the water
pan and, IMHO, makes the ham taste better.

"suzireb" > wrote in message
...
> Is the Martha Stewart Ham worth the cost? I usually buy the Kirkland
> ham for the holidays, and am not even sure the Martha hams are being
> offered for Easter, but if anyone has "invested" in the ham in the
> past - tell me if you would recommend it over the others. The family
> could probably care less but if the ham is better, it would be a treat
> for me.

The first year it was sold I bought one and it was truly worth it. It was
the best tasting ham I'd ever had lightly smoked and not too salty. I
bought one last year and it tasted like every other ham I've ever had.
Good, but really salty. So no I wouldn't pay the extra again for one.

Lynne

On Wed, 8 Apr 2009 09:46:29 -0600 in rec.food.cooking, "Dale P"
> wrote,
>One other review I read a couple of years ago rated the Cook's spiral sliced
>as the best. I have bought them and I agree. They are great, and the glaze
>is a separate package. I like that as we do not want an overly sweet ham,
>and do not use the glaze.

Unfortunately, they don't do that here. The glaze is in the same
package as the ham, the packet alongside the ham in a mesh bag or
something. If it was packaged separately, I think _most_ shoppers would
leave it on the shelf. As is, we get to pay the same price per pound
for a baggie of sugar as we do for the ham, since they weigh the whole
thing. I hate it. The amount of sugar in the ham is already more than
enough.

George Shirley wrote:
> Sqwertz wrote:
>> suzireb wrote:
>>> Is the Martha Stewart Ham worth the cost?
>>
>> Nope. Same as any other Cooks, Kirkland, or Smithfield wet cured ham.
>> One person reported that they were full of gristle.
>>
>> I've tasted them being offered as samples and they were nothing
>> special at all. not worth the $3-$4. I but the smithfield wet cured
>> hams for $1.39 or less.
>>
>> -sw
> Sometime back Cook's Illustrated rated the Cook's smoked butt ham as the
> best for the money. I've always been pleased with them myself.


I've bought Cook's and they were OK, some of the best
supermarket stuff
available here. I bought a Martha Stewart last fall and we
thought it was awful,
lots of fat and artificial smoke flavor.

gloria p

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> George Shirley wrote:
>
>> Sometime back Cook's Illustrated rated the Cook's smoked butt ham as the
>> best for the money. I've always been pleased with them myself.
>
> I don't think they even have Cook's Brand here in Austin. We have
> Smithfield, which are excellent "ready to cook" hams. The Cook's hams I
> remember had always been pre-cooked ("Ready to eat" hams)". I'd rather
> have the "raw" hams.
>
> -sw

Actually, Smithfield has bought up Cook's. I agree with the raw ham being
better, but we do not need much. I went and got my Cook's spiral sliced.
It is good texture and flavor. This one is the fattest one I have ever had.
The sale price was great, but with the bone and the fat it really does cut
down on the meat. I put five bags of meat and one bag of bone and meat into
the freezer. I left out enough for dinner tonight and tomorrow and some
lunches.

Later,

DaleP

"David Harmon" > wrote in message
m...
> On Wed, 8 Apr 2009 09:46:29 -0600 in rec.food.cooking, "Dale P"
> > wrote,
>>One other review I read a couple of years ago rated the Cook's spiral
>>sliced
>>as the best. I have bought them and I agree. They are great, and the
>>glaze
>>is a separate package. I like that as we do not want an overly sweet ham,
>>and do not use the glaze.
>
> Unfortunately, they don't do that here. The glaze is in the same
> package as the ham, the packet alongside the ham in a mesh bag or
> something. If it was packaged separately, I think _most_ shoppers would
> leave it on the shelf. As is, we get to pay the same price per pound
> for a baggie of sugar as we do for the ham, since they weigh the whole
> thing. I hate it. The amount of sugar in the ham is already more than
> enough.

David,

Actually that is what I meant by seperate package. It is in the mesh bag.
Sorry I was not more clear. I agree, as we just toss the glaze. If I want
to add more flavors, I like a mustard glaze and my mother would do a
concentrated apple juice glaze. It was great.

I bought my Cook's this afternoon and have it in seperated into bags and
into the freezer. We will have dinner tonight and Thursday from it. Maybe
a hearty lunch on Saturday.

Later,

DaleP


>