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Ever since I was old enough to remember hunting for Easter eggs, I remember our family's Easter meal was always, every year, ham. Like something out of a Dr. Seuss book, minus the color green, Easter eggs and ham were forever linked together to this one particular holiday. This is probably why I rebelled against Easter ham as soon as I was old enough to declare myself a vegetarian. Even once I reclaimed my meat eater status, I still had a hard time coming back to the ham, as if it was too pedestrian for my gourmet tastes. Finally, many years into my adulthood, I am reconsidering the ham for Easter and finding that there is actually a lot to love.
The domestication of pigs first happened in China almost 7,000 years ago. The raising of pigs for food in Europe didn't happen until about 3,000 years later. But it is telling that pigs were on many of the first New World explorers boats including Columbus. Although ham has been eaten for food for thousands of years, the history of its association with Easter is a bit unclear. All that is really known is that there were certain associations of ham with good luck that date back to pre-Christian Europe, which might be why ham is traditional for many holidays, including Easter.
Ham is the thigh and rump of a pig. Although it can be cooked and eaten fresh, most ham has been cured before it reaches the consumer. Ham can be either dry or wet cured. A dry cured ham has been rubbed with a mixture of salt and usually some other preservation ingredient like sodium nitrate, after which it is then dried and aged. Dry cured hams include everything from Italian prosciutto to Virginia Country ham. A wet cured ham is treated with a brine either by soaking in it or by injection. These hams are usually sold with their liquid in a tin or can.
What I like about ham, I am finding, is that it is both economical and versatile in addition to being tasty. A 7 lb. ham from Costco is currently being sold for $49.99. A ham this size will feed about 12-15 people, between $3.33 and $4.17 per serving. For a holiday meal, this is a tremendous deal. If you don't have that many people in your family, the leftovers can be made into any variety of dishes for weeks to come. The ham is cured so it won't go bad like leftover lamb or turkey. And those leftovers can be stretched into any variety of dishes from macaroni and cheese, to ham sandwiches, making that dollar go far beyond $4 per serving.
To break out of the childhood rut that turned me off to ham for so many years requires a little re-imagining of your basic holiday ham spread. The slab of honey baked or maple glazed ham is just not enough for me these days, I'm sorry to say. But serve that slab of ham with a nice marmalade or chutney and you have instantly upped the ante on the standard fare.
Or try a take on the classic ham and cheese sandwich with a molten brie sauce seasoned with mustard, somewhat like a classic fondue, for a combination of flavors that are known winners. Timely spring peas cooked with sauteed onions in a cream reduction can double as both a side dish and a sauce for a hot slice of ham.
And then there are the leftovers. As already mentioned, pasta and ham is a timeless pairing. Or chop up some ham and add it to a cheese quiche, the perfect breakfast or to-go lunch. Ham is also the ideal foil for otherwise bland legumes like split peas and lentils. Use it like the Chinese and add it to a hot noodle or wonton soup. As delicious cold as it is hot, ham can be a quick protein packed snack on the run, the base for a lunch box sandwich, or fork and knife last-minute dinner.
An Easter ham may not be the thing of fancy restaurants, but there is a reason it found its way into holiday tradition and has survived as a popular food to this day. Whether serving the whole hog for a crowd or heating up a few slices for one, a ham can be both celebratory enough for Easter and versatile enough for the everyday. A good ham has found its way into even this jaded eater's repertoire for this holiday and maybe many more to come.
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
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Easter Ham Reconsidered
The domestication of pigs first happened in China almost 7,000 years ago. The raising of pigs for food in Europe didn't happen until about 3,000 years later. But it is telling that pigs were on many of the first New World explorers boats including Columbus. Although ham has been eaten for food for thousands of years, the history of its association with Easter is a bit unclear. All that is really known is that there were certain associations of ham with good luck that date back to pre-Christian Europe, which might be why ham is traditional for many holidays, including Easter.
Ham is the thigh and rump of a pig. Although it can be cooked and eaten fresh, most ham has been cured before it reaches the consumer. Ham can be either dry or wet cured. A dry cured ham has been rubbed with a mixture of salt and usually some other preservation ingredient like sodium nitrate, after which it is then dried and aged. Dry cured hams include everything from Italian prosciutto to Virginia Country ham. A wet cured ham is treated with a brine either by soaking in it or by injection. These hams are usually sold with their liquid in a tin or can.
What I like about ham, I am finding, is that it is both economical and versatile in addition to being tasty. A 7 lb. ham from Costco is currently being sold for $49.99. A ham this size will feed about 12-15 people, between $3.33 and $4.17 per serving. For a holiday meal, this is a tremendous deal. If you don't have that many people in your family, the leftovers can be made into any variety of dishes for weeks to come. The ham is cured so it won't go bad like leftover lamb or turkey. And those leftovers can be stretched into any variety of dishes from macaroni and cheese, to ham sandwiches, making that dollar go far beyond $4 per serving.
To break out of the childhood rut that turned me off to ham for so many years requires a little re-imagining of your basic holiday ham spread. The slab of honey baked or maple glazed ham is just not enough for me these days, I'm sorry to say. But serve that slab of ham with a nice marmalade or chutney and you have instantly upped the ante on the standard fare.
Or try a take on the classic ham and cheese sandwich with a molten brie sauce seasoned with mustard, somewhat like a classic fondue, for a combination of flavors that are known winners. Timely spring peas cooked with sauteed onions in a cream reduction can double as both a side dish and a sauce for a hot slice of ham.
And then there are the leftovers. As already mentioned, pasta and ham is a timeless pairing. Or chop up some ham and add it to a cheese quiche, the perfect breakfast or to-go lunch. Ham is also the ideal foil for otherwise bland legumes like split peas and lentils. Use it like the Chinese and add it to a hot noodle or wonton soup. As delicious cold as it is hot, ham can be a quick protein packed snack on the run, the base for a lunch box sandwich, or fork and knife last-minute dinner.
An Easter ham may not be the thing of fancy restaurants, but there is a reason it found its way into holiday tradition and has survived as a popular food to this day. Whether serving the whole hog for a crowd or heating up a few slices for one, a ham can be both celebratory enough for Easter and versatile enough for the everyday. A good ham has found its way into even this jaded eater's repertoire for this holiday and maybe many more to come.
Ham with Basil Cream Peas
Made with salt and pepper, heavy cream, ham, fresh shelled peas, butter, oil, onion, basil
Made with salt and pepper, heavy cream, ham, fresh shelled peas, butter, oil, onion, basil
Serves/Makes: 4
- 2 pounds sliced ham
- 2 cups fresh shelled peas
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 medium onion
- 8 basil leaves
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lay ham slices out in a shallow baking dish and cover with foil. Place ham in oven and heat for about 10 minutes until slices are hot.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add peas and cook for about three minutes until tender. Drain peas and set aside.
Heat butter and vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Chop onion finely. Add onion to melted butter and oil and saute for about 5 minutes until softened.
Slice basil into a chiffonade then add basil and peas to sauteed onions along with cream. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until cream is reduced by half. Season to taste with salt and pepper Serve hot ham with peas in cream sauce.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/872-easter-ham/