Christmas Ham Source in East Bay

[elglads]

Any recommendations on where to find a nice ham for Christmas dinner? We'll probably need only a half ham (feeding about 8 people). I'd prefer hormone free, antibiotic free, etc. Oakland/Berkeley area best, but wiling to take a drive.

[GH1618]

Their website doesn't say, but you might call and ask:

http://www.primesmoked.com/index.html

This is in Oakland near the Amtrack station.

[zfalcon]

Not sure if it's hormone/antibiotic free, but if you are looking for a city ham the Costco Kirkland spiral hams are pretty good, especially for the price. If you want a country ham, you can often find Smithfield hams in Chinese supermarkets or meat markets, as Smithfields are fairly similar to chinese jinhua hams.

[wolfe]

Are Smithfields hormone, antibiotic free?

[zfalcon]

I just happened to go to Costco yesterday, and the Kirkland ham they have is Niman Ranch hormone/antibiotic free. 3.99 a pound.

[Robert Lauriston]

Niman is really good. Trader Joe's sometimes has big pieces around the holidays.

[paulj]

By 'Smithfield' you mean a dry cured country ham, right? They require special preparation - scrubbing the mold off, soaking to remove excess salt, boiling etc.

[GH1618]

It's only a Smithfield if it comes from Smithfield, Virginia.

[paulj]

Not to be confused with Smithfield Foods, which processes a lot of pork that is not 'country hams'.

There are lots of good dry cured hams that are not produced in Smithfield.

[wally]

It might be expensive and not East Bay but give Fatted Calf a call.