(Originally published December 13, 2010. Updated November 19, 2025.)
Every family’s holiday feast is steeped in tradition, and at Tony’s, we honor every one of them. From lutefisk and finnan haddie to baccala, smelts, herring, homemade stollen, and bourbon-soaked fruitcake, our shelves reflect decades of cherished celebrations. But no matter how many festive delicacies we carry, one thing becomes unmistakably clear each December—the heart of the holiday table is almost always in the meat department.
Whether you’re looking for a Standing Rib Roast, a Beef Tenderloin Roast, or that perfect holiday ham, Tony’s is known for having the best meats in town. And while all three remain perennial favorites, it’s the ham that brings out something extra special—nostalgia, comfort, sweetness, smokiness, and that unmistakable aroma that signals the holiday season has truly arrived.
Today, let’s talk about ham—how to choose it, what makes one style superior to another, and why Tony’s hams are consistently among the most talked-about selections year after year.
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| Apricot-Glazed Ham |
Why the Holiday Ham Is a Tradition All Its Own
Ham has long been one of the most iconic centerpieces for holiday gatherings. Its sweet-smoky aroma fills a home with warmth, and its generous size makes it ideal for feeding a full table. Plus, few foods offer such versatility: ham is equally delicious served cold, sliced warm at the buffet table, diced into morning omelets, layered into post-holiday sandwiches, or glazed and caramelized into a show-stopping presentation.
At Tony’s, the appeal goes deeper than tradition. We partner with small, reputable family farms that raise heritage-quality pork, naturally cure it, and smoke it over real hardwood. This old-fashioned craftsmanship ensures that when customers choose a Tony’s ham, they’re selecting a premium product prepared with integrity—not the mass-produced, watered-down versions common in big-box stores.
We’re known for having the very best meats in town so the meat department is the place to be in December – and through all the special roasts and sausages and seafood we see to, three items stand out as the most popular every year: Ham, Beef Tenderloin Roast and the biggest seller of them all; Standing Rib Roast. Today, I want to talk about Hams – beef tenderloin roasts and standing rib roast facts, cooking tips and videos will follow soon…
Tony’s Hams: A Cut Above
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| Tony’s Kurubota Ham |
All hams are not created equally, not by a long-shot! We carefully have chosen great hams from small family farms that have been raised right, naturally cured and wood smoked the old fashion way. We have a nice variety of styles and sizes from premium companies, including Boar’s Head – but my two favorite hams and top recommendations are: Kurobuta and our torch glazed Spiral Sliced Hams.
Our Kurobuta hams are:
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Naturally cured with minimal salt
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Lightly smoked for a delicate flavor
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Exceedingly moist and flavorful
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Mild—not overly salty or overly smoky
If you prefer a ham that is elegant, subtle, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, a Kurobuta ham is the gold standard. This is the ham for those seeking refinement and balance.
Tony’s Torch-Glazed Spiral Sliced Ham
If you prefer a more traditional, smoky, holiday-style ham, our spiral-sliced and hand-torched brown sugar ham is ideal. Raised naturally on family farms in Iowa and cured the old-fashioned way, these hams are then spiral-sliced for convenience and finished by hand with a caramelized brown sugar–honey glaze.
This ham offers:
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A richer, smokier profile
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Perfect sweetness balanced with savory notes
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Tender slices that serve beautifully
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A crowd-pleasing flavor your guests will recognize and love
The torch-glazed exterior adds a gorgeous glossy finish and an irresistible aroma that fills the room before dinner is even served.
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| Spiral Sliced Half Ham |
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| Glazed Ham w/ Pineapple Raisin Sauce |
How to Choose the Right Ham
The best hams are made from solid muscle or whole legs of pork, naturally cured with salt and sweeteners (such as brown sugar, honey or maple syrup) and then slow smoked with a combination of hardwoods. Keep in mind there is also a product called Fresh Ham – this is a raw leg of pork that is not cured or smoked and basically a raw pork roast.
Short Cuts
You’ll see a wide variety of prices when you shop for ‘ham’ because there are a lot of tricks to make ham cheap. For starters, using chopped pork trimmings and ground ham held together with gelatin and then molded to the shape of ham. Other tricks include using liquid smoke or artificial smoke flavoring instead of natural wood smoking, or adding copious amounts of water. The FDA has some basic labeling guidelines – in short they have to do with the amount of water added. We only use “Ham” and “Ham with Natural Juices” – these are the best hams and they don’t have any water weight added. Other categories include “Ham, water added” which has 10% water added by weight and “Ham and Water Product” which can have any amount of water, the percentage by weight should be on the package.
Cooking a Holiday Ham the Right Way
Smoked Hams are fully cooked and can be served cold, at room temperature or hot. Allow about 8 ounces of boneless ham, or about 1 pound of bone in per person (and I like to get an extra jar of the Boar’s Head Ham Glaze, even if the ham is already glazed – I really like the glaze!) To warm your ham, place in a roasting pan, flattest side down. Add at least one cup of water (to keep pan moist and create a steamy heat – add more as needed during cooking), cover with foil or a lid and roast at 275 degrees for about 10-12 minutes per pound. If glaze is desired, uncover the last third (or so) of cooking time and brush on several times with glaze. Really the only thing you can do wrong is to overheat a ham, robbing it of it’s juiciness.
Recommended Heating Method
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Place ham in a roasting pan, cut side down.
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Add at least 1 cup of water to create steam (add more if needed).
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Cover tightly with foil or a lid.
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Roast at 275°F for 10–12 minutes per pound.
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If glazing, remove the cover during the last third of heating and brush on several layers.
Tip: Even if your ham already includes a glaze, consider adding a jar of Boar’s Head Ham Glaze—its sweet-tangy flavor enhances any style.
Plan for:
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8 ounces (½ lb) per person for boneless hams
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1 pound per person for bone-in hams
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| Bone in Ham, not pre-sliced |
Stay tuned for tips, recipes and videos on preparing the Ultimate Beef Tenderloin and Standing Rib or Boneless Rib Eye Roast – coming soon!
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