Food - Drink
The Reason You Should Always Buy More Ham Than You Think
By CHRIS SANDS
Ham is a great dish for serving a lot of people, but choosing the right amount to buy is not always easy. According to Insider, a half-pound to three-quarters of a pound of meat for each guest is ideal, but ham comes in many forms that may weigh differently, and this is why you should always buy more than you think you need.
The weight of a ham’s bone can make it hard to determine how much ham you’re actually getting. Additionally, hams sometimes contain filler; if the label includes phrases like “with natural juices” or “water added,” brine has been injected into the ham, which waters down flavor and makes you pay for water weight, not pure meat.
Very Meaty adds that hams typically lose a certain percentage of their weight during the cooking process, usually around 15% to 20%. You should buy three-quarters of a pound of uncooked, non-water added ham per person, which should account for the weight of the bone in bone-in hams, as well as the weight lost during cooking.