A whole ham at Christmas and Easter. Sliced ham on biscuits or in beans. The holiday protein and the everyday sandwich meat.
The holiday ham in a Black household is an event. It is the centerpiece of the Christmas table next to the macaroni and the greens. It is what gets sliced for ham biscuits on Easter morning. It is also what the kids put in their lunchboxes through January. Ham crosses from celebration into everyday without announcement.
Ham delivers solid protein and B vitamins but carries the highest sodium load of any common protein — commercial whole hams run 800-1,200mg sodium per 3oz serving. For those managing hypertension (Black Americans at 1.5x baseline rate), ham is a holiday food, not a daily protein. The protein and zinc content are real benefits; the sodium is a real concern.
Whole bone-in ham: score the fat cap in a diamond pattern, stud with cloves, glaze with brown sugar and honey or mustard and apple cider vinegar. Roast at 325°F, 15-18 minutes per pound until 145°F internal. Baste every 30 minutes with drippings. Rest 20 minutes before carving. For sliced ham on biscuits: use uncured or lower-sodium varieties. Soak a salt-cured country ham for 24 hours before cooking to reduce sodium.
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