I think there are still tiny canned hams that show up in gift baskets, but I’m talking about full-size canned hams. Mind you, I’m not mourning their loss. I’m just wondering what caused their seemingly rapid decline after decades of popularity. I’d say it was the increasingly discriminating American palate, but recent trends like hard seltzer, funfetti coffee creamer, and unicorn anything say otherwise.
There must be a reason. Would it have to do with the similar decline in canned corned beef? Maybe hams and corned beef both got cheaper, so the canned versions held no appeal? Actually, what was the appeal of canned hams was in the first place?
Within the last few months, I’ve purchased 1 lb. canned hams at Walmart. My major motive was to add to my stock of shelf-stable protein. I think they’re at least edible, but keep in mind I am by no means a foodie gourmet snob type.
That was something that I remembered being always around but I don’t think I ever ate it. So I googled DAK and it turns out that CVS Pharmacy was the first result.
Those are available in the New Orleans area year round, FWIW. Not the ubiquitous knockoff “cookies in a blue tin”. I mean the real deal Royal Dansk butter cookies.
Maybe it’s the time that Stephen Colbert put a pair of glasses on one of the large hams and called it “Ham Rove” (after Karl Rove, GOP hatchet man, and it really did look like him) - after that, we all lost our innocence.
The one-pound canned hams were what I was referring to in the OP as being in gourmet gift baskets. Interesting that they’re available elsewhere, too. I think the larger hams, which used to be the standard size, are really gone.
I think Armor made canned hams, and there was a brand named Polska (not sure of the spelling) that I remember seeing ads for.
DMC, I didn’t see your post before posting. So there ARE three-pound canned hams somewhere!
3 & 5 pound canned ham is available at supermarkets in Hawaii.
Growing up in the 60’s & 70’s, I thought whole ham was only in the movies and cartoons and that canned ham was cut out if it. It probably wasn’t until the 80’s that I saw and ate my first whole ham. Caterers, even now serve canned ham. You can tell because there’s no grain to the meat.
I suspect the necessity of shipping most foods into Hawaii is the reason why canned ham, which lasts years unopened was the only thing available. Same with turkey, which was always frozen, never thawed or fresh.
I’ve posted about this before. Canned ham was for special occasions. Everyday “ham” was Spam baked with brown sugar and orange juice, actually Exchange Orange concentrate which is sadly long gone!
Speaking of orange juice, it was only available frozen or fresh squeezed. Never, ever chilled in a bottle or carton.
Edit: There was a hiearchy in canned hams. I don’t remember the other brands, but the go to was Hormel, with Black Label the premium choice. We never bought it for ourselves, but my parents would buy it as a Christmas gift and if we were lucky, we’d get one in return!
Black Label was softer, less salty and more evenly textured.
The one pound premium hams were too soft. I remember my Aunt opening a can, slicing it and frying it up. It fell apart in the pan.
Locally, Longs Drugs* sometimes has DAK ham on sale.
*Longs Drugs was bought out by CVS in 2008, but unlike the stores in the continental U.S., the Longs Drugs name was retained and there’s a lot of exclusive local only items sold.
Canned corned beef is still available everywhere in Hawaii too. The regular stuff is Libby’s and Palm is the premium brand. When you see corned beef hash on the breakfast menu, it always means canned corned beef.
The only place that regularly sells fresh corned beef as a menu item is a local supermarket (Times) as part of their rotating daily special. If you see corned beef and cabbage on the menu anywhere else, you have to ask if it’s canned. It usually is.
The canned forms keep a lot longer and thus were probably more preferable in the days when transporting meat across great distances took longer and was more expensive. A fresh ham will maybe have a week or two of shelf life before the store has to throw it out. Last time I had to check the expiration date on a canned ham, it was for four years later.
Somebody dumped many, many cases of canned hams with a “best by” date over ten years ago at the door of our local food pantry on a weekend. Along with literally a ton of other long expired canned food.
We had to call in volunteers to move it to a dumpster. This was all placed right in front of the sign that says “Do not leave donations when pantry is closed”
Reading this thread is triggering a cholesterol rush, with the canned ham and corned beef hash talk. We also have canned whole chicken on our store shelves. I remember canned ham while growing up, but what’s the whole chicken all about?
Cooked chicken packed in aspic. Long shelf life and convenience. Good for camping and survival situations, or when you’re unemployed and broke with nothing else left in the cupboard.
I’ve had canned whole chickens. Like canned ham, they’re not bad, but I wouldn’t want to eat them every day.
I have trouble downing plain chicken franks.