What is Buffet Ham? An Underrated Deli Meat Worth Getting to Know

If you’ve ever strolled down the deli counter at your grocery store you’ve probably seen buffet ham stacked up near the roast beef, turkey, and other packaged lunchmeat options. It tends to get overlooked next to more popular picks like honey ham or black forest ham. But don’t sleep on buffet ham – this versatile lunchmeat has a unique flavor and texture that’s perfect for sandwiches appetizers, and more!

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about buffet ham so you can give this underrated deli meat a shot:

• What exactly is buffet ham?
• How it’s made and where it comes from on the pig
• Flavor profile and texture
• Nutrition facts
• How to use it in recipes
• Buying and storing tips

Let’s dive in and learn all about this humble but handy lunchmeat!

So What Exactly is Buffet Ham?

Buffet ham refers to a cooked and cured ham that’s machine sliced and packaged specifically for use in appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and charcuterie or deli platters. It’s not a single cut of ham, but rather ham meat from various parts of the leg that are cured, cooked, and sliced to make an affordable, thinly sliced lunch meat.

You typically see buffet ham stacked in flat plastic packages at the deli counter. It’s a fully cooked ham, so it’s ready to eat and serve in recipes without additional preparation. The thin slices make it super easy for sandwiches, rollups, or appetizer arrangements.

Fun fact It’s called “buffet ham” because it was originally designed for hotel and restaurant buffets back in the day! The thin slices held up well on steam tables These days it’s still a lunchmeat staple thanks to its versatility, convenience, and budget friendly price tag.

Where on the Pig Does Buffet Ham Come From?

As mentioned above, buffet ham doesn’t refer to a single specific cut of pork. The deli slices usually come from various parts of a hog’s rear legs, primarily the rump half. This section contains large muscles like the biceps femoris and semimembranosus, which stay nice and firm when cooked to yield quality sliced ham.

Trimmings from other muscles may also be used. The origins aren’t quite as refined as something like prosciutto from the hog’s hind leg. But this mixing of cuts helps keep costs down while still producing good flavor. The curing and cooking process brings everything together nicely!

The Curing and Cooking Process

Buffet ham is a “cook before eating” style of ham, meaning it’s cured and fully cooked before being sold. Here’s a quick look at how it’s made:

• First the raw pork legs are injected with a curing brine solution. This contains water, salt, sugar, nitrates, and flavorings like sodium erythorbate.

• The pork then cures for several days to infuse the flavors while also preserving and tenderizing the meat.

• Next the cured leg meat is cooked. This is usually done via a low simmer, steaming, or sometimes smoking until fully cooked through.

• Finally, the cooked ham is chilled, machine sliced, and packaged in thin stacks ideal for lunchmeats.

The result is affordable, quick-to-serve ham slices with a distinctive salt and savory cured flavor profile.

Flavor and Texture Profile

When you grab a pack of buffet ham at the store, here’s what you can expect in terms of taste and mouthfeel:

• Flavor – Thanks to the curing brine, buffet ham has a distinctive salty ham flavor with savory umami notes. The flavor is bold and straight ham, without the subtleties of artisan dry cured types.

• Texture – Slice thickness can vary from translucently thin to deli-style. The meat has a firm, dense texture that’s easy to slice and serves well in sandwiches or platters.

• Appearance – Color ranges from pale pink to deep red. Marbling is minimal since buffet ham comes from the lean rear leg.

• Saltiness – As a “wet cured” style of ham, expect a pronounced salty taste. The sodium levels help offset the bold flavor.

Overall buffet ham hits all the classic ham taste buds – salty, savory, rich porkiness. The thin slices make it easy to pile high on sandwiches or serve in bitesize appetizers.

Nutritional Value of Buffet Ham

Here’s how the nutrition stats for buffet ham stack up in a typical 1 ounce serving:

• Calories – Around 40-50 calories
• Fat – 2-3g total fat
• Protein – About 6g protein
• Sodium – Can range from 400-900mg sodium

As you can see, buffet ham is leaner than salami and many sausages thanks to coming from the hog’s rear legs rather than fatty belly cuts. However, the wet curing process does pump the sodium content up considerably.

Buffet ham can fit into a balanced diet in moderation, providing protein, B vitamins, and minerals like phosphorus and selenium. Just watch your overall sodium intake if you eat multiple servings per day.

How to Cook and Serve Buffet Ham

Part of buffet ham’s appeal is that it’s ready to eat straight out of the package! But here are some tasty ways to incorporate it into recipes:

• Sandwiches – Pile thinly sliced buffet ham high on sandwiches and paninis. It has a bold flavor that stands up well to cheese, mustard, pickles, etc.

• Wraps – Slices roll up easily into ham wraps along with cheese slices and veggies.

• Salads – Dice or chop buffet ham to add savory salty pops to leafy greens, pasta salads, etc.

• Pizza – Scatter diced ham over pizza as a topping in place of less flavorful Canadian bacon.

• Omelets and quiches – Diced ham mixes nicely into egg dishes.

• Appetizers – Wrap around pickle spears, cheese cubes, or melon slices for easy finger foods.

• Soups and chilis – Add some diced ham for extra heartiness.

• Kabobs – Skewer cubed ham and veggies for grilled kabobs.

• Potatoes – Delicious diced into hash browns or sliced onto baked potatoes.

As you can see, buffet ham’s convenient packaging makes it endlessly versatile!

Tips for Selecting and Storing

When purchasing buffet ham, follow these simple guidelines for the best quality:

• Check the sell-by date and pick the newest available package.

• Look for a vivid pink/red color without grayish spots or edges.

• Avoid any foul odors or sliminess within the package.

• If possible, ask to have deli ham freshly sliced instead of pre-packaged.

• Refrigerate promptly and use within 7 days of opening.

• For longer storage, freeze slices or diced ham for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

With proper refrigeration, buffet ham stays fresh for sandwich stacking, recipe mixing, and party platter arranging!

A Tasty Deli Counter Staple

Hopefully this overview has convinced you to think twice about the buffet ham sitting quietly next to the more flashy deli meats. Don’t underestimate this humble but handy lunchmeat!

Beyond the bargain price tag, buffet ham delivers easy-to-serve slices, excellent salty ham flavor, and a firm texture perfect for appetizers, sandwiches, pizza topping, and more. It’s a protein-packed picnic and party platter MVP thanks to its wallet-friendly cost, versatility, and year-round practicality.