# Is Honey Baked Ham Worth the Cost? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492 "2014-12-17T13:59:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/1 "2014-12-17T13:59:16Z")
I’m looking to get a ham, possibly 2 for Christmas and looking around locally the prices seem to range from 99¢/lb. to $2/lb., except for HoneyBaked which clocks in at around $8/lb. I’m tempted but I’d like to know if anyone had tried HoneyBaked and if you thought it was worth the extra money. Anyone have any experience? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/2 "2014-12-17T14:00:14Z")
They’re amazing and well worth the cost. The leftovers make excellent sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/3 "2014-12-17T14:09:20Z")
Get one every Thanksgiving, and one every Christmas. Would NOT consider cutting costs and getting a grocery store ham when the Honeybaked goodness is available. It’s the Krispy Kreme of hams. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/4 "2014-12-17T14:16:15Z")
It is absoutely delicious. Worth that much money? Not in my book. I suggest this: go there and get one of their ham sandwiches, with the sides and everything. That way you will know if it’s good enough for you to spend the money or not. They do have delicious food, and the ham is wonderfully seasoned, but it is too expensive for my blood. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/5 "2014-12-17T14:16:26Z")
Moving from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/6 "2014-12-17T14:19:20Z")
Wow, _THAT_ good? I guess I’m gonna have to try one. I’m thinking I’ll get one from HB and one from Caputo’s and compare them side by side. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/7 "2014-12-17T14:24:03Z")
They are freaking amazing. But then, I’ve baked my own spiral cut ham from scratch and I thought it was just as good. If you have the multiple hours and cooking savvy, I would make it yourself. If you don’t, it’s worth it. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/8 "2014-12-17T14:35:07Z")
They’re pretty good hams, but something of a racket. My brother worked as seasonal labor in a Honey Baked Ham shop one year over his Xmas break in college, and basically they got hams in the back of the store, coated them with a glaze mixture, and hit it with a blowtorch to melt it on, then they’d wrap them up. So ultimately they’re just a decent ham with some sugary stuff melted on in-store. If you have the wherewithal (a smoker and access to a uncured ham), I HIGHLY recommend making your own. > **[404 Error | Cookstr.com](https://www.cookstr.com/index.php/hct/404/)** > > Cookstr.com is the world's best collection of cookbook recipes available online. Cookstr's mission is to organize the world's best cookbooks and recipes and make them universally accessible. Our online recipe library offers thousands of free recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hey\_Hey\_Paula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_Hey_Paula)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/9 "2014-12-17T14:39:08Z")
They’re too salty for me. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, try their spiral sliced ham (if you’re lucky and they’re not sold out). Very similar taste without the “OMG that’s salty” reaction that I get from Honeybaked. Disclaimer - my husband can’t tolerate a lot of salt due to his medical condition, so I’ve been cooking with less salt for 20 years now. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/10 "2014-12-17T14:56:48Z")
> [@bump](#): > > They’re pretty good hams, but something of a racket. My brother worked as seasonal labor in a Honey Baked Ham shop one year over his Xmas break in college, and basically they got hams in the back of the store, coated them with a glaze mixture, and hit it with a blowtorch to melt it on, then they’d wrap them up. When I was working as a courier one of our contracts was with the local Honey Baked Ham shop, and during the holidays I’d go there, load up my car with the things, then deliver them. When I went to the shop to pick them up, that’s exactly what I saw: a sort of assembly line where workers were lined up along long tables. The first person put a ham on the table from a big bin full of hams. The next person slathered glaze on it, the next person hit it with a blowtorch, and the last person wrapped and labeled it for delivery. I’ve had Honey Baked Ham, and, it sure is ham, alright! I’ve had ham before, and it was just like that. I don’t really get how it’s superior to any other ham I’d buy at the store for like half the price. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/11 "2014-12-17T14:57:58Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Wow, _THAT_ good? > > I guess I’m gonna have to try one. I’m thinking I’ll get one from HB and one from Caputo’s and compare them side by side. You don’t like my idea? I thought it was brilliant. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/12 "2014-12-17T15:07:22Z")
We’ve gotten similar hams from the grocery store, which I assume was cheaper but I didn’t compare since I wasn’t buying it. Meijer, I think was the store. It was indistinguishable from Honey Bake, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/13 "2014-12-17T15:16:48Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > You don’t like my idea? I thought it was brilliant. ☹ Actually I think I’ll go grab a sammige this week just to check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/14 "2014-12-17T15:19:03Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Actually I think I’ll go grab a sammige this week just to check it out. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/15 "2014-12-17T15:20:32Z")
Unless you know a place like **Ellen Cherry** does, splurge if you can. It is so far above the average store ham to be worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/16 "2014-12-17T15:23:03Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I’m looking to get a ham, possibly 2 for Christmas and looking around locally the prices seem to range from 99¢/lb. to $2/lb., except for HoneyBaked which clocks in at around $8/lb. Honey **roast** ham is utterly nom. Done with orange and cloves. Drool… ---
**Author:** ![Idilia\_Dubb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c2a13f/32.png) [@Idilia\_Dubb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idilia_Dubb)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/17 "2014-12-17T17:42:59Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > They’re amazing and well worth the cost. The leftovers make excellent sandwiches. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/18 "2014-12-17T17:50:07Z")
I don’t generally like ham, but the ham from the HoneyBaked store is definitely a cut above the rest. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/19 "2014-12-17T18:22:51Z")
They’re tasty, but overpriced. When I want a similar experience, I get a regular spiral cut ham, and then mix up some brown sugar and spices to rub on the outside. I use a creme brulee torch to get it glazed over and crunchy like the Honey Baked ham would be. 95% of the satisfaction for 30% of the money. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492/20 "2014-12-17T19:45:35Z")
They are delicious and there is no substitute. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-honey-baked-ham-worth-the-cost/707492.md?page=2)