You can order rich, flavorful hams from many of the country’s most famous and popular producers. Some of these hams come with the honey glaze already baked-on, while others have it on the side so you can finish the flavoring process at home. Many companies offer multiple sizes and styles of hams, along with sides or other accompaniments, so that you can find exactly the right provisions for your gathering. Here are our favorite options.
Best Honey-Baked Ham Delivery Services of 2022
Best Overall: Father’s Country Hams Best on a Budget: Broadbent’s Best Bone-In: Nueske’s Best Boneless: Edwards Virginia Smokehouse Best Uncured: Tender Belly Best for a Full Family Meal: The Honey Baked Ham Company Best for Overnight Delivery: Stock Yards Best Ham and Turkey Combo: Burgers’ Smokehouse
ProExcellent flavor and qualityPre-glazed and pre-slicedFamily-owned business ConsOnly one sizeNo boneless option Father’s Country Hams is one of the most esteemed producers in the country, and its award-winning meats have been featured in dozens of publications. Its country hams (a style that is dry-cured over a long period of time) are known for their intense sweet and salty flavor. The honey-baked hams are further sweetened with a mix of brown sugar and honey gathered right on the family’s farm, which was first established in 1840. While the company only offers one honey-baked option, the ham is not particularly pricey when compared to some specialty retailers; the 5-pound bone-in ham, which is already spiral-sliced and meant to feed eight to 10 people, costs $68 plus shipping. (You can also add some of the company’s famous bacon or other treats—like sausage, jerky, or biscuit mix—to your order.) Shipping via UPS takes one to five days, depending on your location, and while the hams are stable enough to be shipped without cold packs, Father’s may hold your order until the following week to ensure that it doesn’t sit in a hot warehouse over a weekend. Once the ham arrives, it should be stored in the refrigerator and can be served chilled, at room temperature, or reheated in the oven. ProsLots of size and price optionsBoneless and bone-in hamsExcellent flavor and qualityLower-salt option ConsHoney glaze comes separatelyNeed to reheat to apply glaze The hickory-smoked country hams made at Broadbent’s, founded in 1909, have won 19 championship titles at the Kentucky State Fair since 2000. The company offers 10 different cooked country hams: three boneless hams, four “semi-boneless” hams (a style that has had part of the bone removed, to make it easier to slice), and three “milder/less salty” hams. (The company also offers bacon, sausage, and other products.) Broadbent’s hams are not pre-glazed or pre-sliced; instead, they come with a tub of honey glaze and instructions for scoring the outside of the ham, applying the sauce, and heating the ham so that the meat absorbs the flavor. Broadbent’s prices range from $49.90 for half of a boneless ham (which serves eight) to $99.90 for a semi-boneless that clocks in at 10–11 pounds and feeds more than 27 people. (This pricing structure makes the hams cost-effective no matter the size of the crowd; while the smaller hams offer a low-price option, the larger hams cost less than $4 per person.) The hams ship via UPS, and you can opt for either ground or next-day air service. Processing and packing your order may add to your delivery time. The company only ships Monday through Wednesday, and it will hold your order until the following week if it looks like the package would end up sitting in transit over the weekend. ProsAward-winning flavorPre-glazed and pre-slicedTwo sizes available ConsRelatively expensive If you’re looking for a classic, bone-in ham with a shiny honey glaze, Nueske’s has you covered. These applewood-smoked, honey-baked hams have won a number of awards, including the Seal of Excellence from the Wisconsin State Fair. The hams come pre-glazed and spiral cut, so they’re ready to eat on arrival, chilled or at room temperature. You can also opt to warm them in the oven. Nueske’s offers half a ham (7 pounds) for $69.99 or a full ham (12 pounds) for $102.99. (The company estimates 5 to 6 ounces of ham per guest and suggests that the half ham feeds around 20, while the whole ham feeds around 35.) The hams (and other goods, like smoked chicken and turkey) can be shipped three ways: standard, second-day air, or overnight. If you place your order before noon CST Monday through Wednesday, it may ship on the same day. The company’s website has a helpful chart with shipping prices, which are calculated based on the cost of your order and are the same for all of the lower 48 states. ProsExcellent flavor and qualityPre-slicedTwo size options ConsHoney glaze comes separatelyNeed to reheat to apply glaze The Edwards family has been making hams in Virginia since the late 1800s, and this third-generation, family-owned business is famous for its hickory-smoked meats. (When the smokehouse burnt down in 2016, other local businesses stepped up to offer production space, and dozens of customers wrote to share stories about their families’ attachment to their hams.) Edwards’ boneless smoked “sweet hams” are milder and sweeter than a traditional country ham, and they are shipped with a flavorful glaze made from honey and brown sugar with a hint of orange oil. Once the ham arrives, you add the glaze and heat it gently in the oven. Edwards Virginia Smokehouse’s boneless sweet hams come in two sizes: 3.5 to 4.5 pounds, which feeds 16 (for $74) and 7 to 9 pounds, which feeds 32 (for $99). Both are fully sliced for easier serving. They ship frozen and should be allowed to thaw in the refrigerator for two to three days before serving. Standard shipping is free within the contiguous 48 states, but the company also offers second-day and next-day shipping. (Processing adds a day or two.) ProsPre-slicedCrate-free animalsNo antibiotics or hormonesVegetarian feed ConsHoney glaze comes separatelyOnly one size available While most of the best-known smokehouses have maintained the same curing and smoking techniques for generations, a growing number of newer producers are starting to produce uncured hams without nitrates or nitrites. While these meats are called “uncured,” they do, in fact, go through their own curing process—one that generally uses both salt and flavorings but leaves out some of the other ingredients used in a more traditional process. Like other hams, they are smoked and arrive at your door ready to eat. Tender Belly’s holiday ham is made from antibiotic-free heritage-breed pigs and preserved with salt, sugar, and celery powder. It comes packaged with a complex and flavorful glaze made from honey powder, sugar, pineapple powder, onion powder, and other seasonings; before serving, you brush the glaze onto the meat and reheat it in the oven. The 8- to 10-pound bone-in hams cost $90, and the company offers flat-rate shipping on orders of over $100. (You can add some of the company’s bacon, sausage, or other goods to the order if you want to reach the minimum.) ProsWide variety of ham options and sizesMultiple set meal and à la carte optionsPre-glazed and pre-slicedVery popular hams ConsSet menus don’t allow you to choose your sidesSome meals can be out of stock The Honey Baked Ham Company has literally made a name for itself from its glazed hams. The company offers 10 different sizes of hams (six half hams, three whole hams, and a 3-pound “mini ham”), all of which are pre-glazed and pre-sliced. The company’s outlets also offer everything else you need for your ham meal, including sides, soups, and desserts. Customers can choose from a variety of set meals, ranging from smaller meals that include just a ham and a couple of sides to large buffet setups with sides, condiments, and desserts. À la carte options include classic dishes like scalloped potatoes, cornbread stuffing, and cinnamon apples. You can also choose a meal that includes both ham and another protein, like a smoked turkey or a rack of ribs. You can order from the Honeybaked Ham Company through delivery services like Doordash (the company has 400 retail locations across the country) or have your ham, sides, and desserts shipped. The hams range in price from $54.95 (for the mini, which feeds three to five) to $119.95 (for the largest whole ham). A meal with a ham, two sides, and a cheesecake sampler costs $129.95, and a buffet setup (with multiple sides, condiments, and dessert) costs $169.94. Shipping costs run from $17.95 for just a ham to $20.95 for a whole meal and takes two business days. The dishes arrive frozen and should be thawed for 24 to 36 hours, then reheated in the oven. ProsQuick deliverySaturday overnight delivery optionGood customer reviewsEasy ordering processPre-sliced ConsHoney glaze comes separatelyOnly one sizeNo boneless option If you need a ham delivered overnight, turn to the company that guarantees overnight delivery—including on Saturdays—as part of its business identity. Stock Yards was founded in 1893 as a retail butcher shop in Chicago and was run by the founder’s family for 107 years before becoming part of the same parent company as 1-800-Flowers, Harry & David, and other gift-focused specialty companies. Its bone-in spiral-sliced hams are hickory smoked and come with a honey glaze to apply before serving, and the company guarantees the quality of its meats. (Stock Yards also offers a variety of other meats, as well as seafood, sides, and desserts.) Stock Yards’ hams cost $99.99 and weigh 7.5 to 8.5 pounds. They are shipped Monday through Wednesday with dry ice, and shipping costs begin at $19.99 for standard delivery (four to seven business days). For overnight delivery, you’ll need to order before 1 p.m. ET and choose overnight express shipping, which costs an extra $19.99. (There is an additional shipping charge for addresses in Alaska and Hawaii.) ProsPre-glazed and un-glazed ham optionSmoked and roasted turkey optionsSet combinations and choose-your-own options ConsHams in pre-packaged combos are not pre-glazedItems may ship separately This Missouri-based smokehouse has been curing meats since the 1950s. It offers a wide variety of country and hams, some of which are pre-glazed with honey and some of which come with the glaze on the side. It also offers eight different turkey options, ranging from hickory smoked to honey roasted, and from whole birds to boneless breasts. You can order a ham and turkey combo—either a “Holiday Feast Combo” with a spiral-sliced city ham and a whole smoked turkey or a “Holiday Family Combo” with a small ham and a turkey breast—or pick whichever ham and turkey you like and add them to the same order. (The Honey Glazed Spiral Cut City Ham comes pre-glazed; others come with honey glaze on the side.) The company also sells a number of sides and desserts. Burgers’ hams and turkeys are shipped fully cooked and ready to serve or reheat, though some will arrive frozen and need to thaw for a couple of days in the refrigerator. The company ships Wednesday through Friday and notes that processing may take a couple of days, but it does have a “hams in a hurry” option for items that are in stock; customers should call the company rather than ordering through the website for rush service. Normal delivery (without rush) ships for free to the contiguous 48 states. All customers should order a couple of weeks before the holidays when shipping can be slower.
How to Choose the Best Honey-Baked Ham Delivery Service
When looking for a honey-baked ham online, there are a number of factors to consider to find the best option for you and your guests:
Reputation of the companyAvailability of bone-in or boneless hamsPre-glazed vs. glaze on the sideAvailability of other meats or sides with the hamDelivery speed
How Much Does a Honey-Baked Ham Cost to Order Online?
Honey-baked hams vary in cost, depending on the company you choose, whether you want a bone-in or boneless ham, and whether shipping is included. Generally, a small ham (really half of a full ham) costs somewhere in the range of $60–$100; put another way, you can expect to pay $8–$12 per pound or $3.50–$5 per person, if you’re serving the ham as an entree.
When Should You Order a Honey-Baked Ham?
Most ham delivery companies ship hams about two days after you order, and ground shipping takes between two and five days, depending on how far you live from the smokehouse. Some companies also offer express shipping, but most won’t guarantee a delivery date. Because hams generally ship cooled or at room temperature (not frozen), you can plan to eat your ham the day it arrives, but it’s best to order a few days ahead.
How Do Honey-Baked Ham Delivery Services Ship Their Products?
Because hams are cured and smoked, they are stable enough to ship at room temperature. Most companies do not freeze their hams before shipping; instead, they only ship orders early enough in the week to ensure that the hams arrive within a few days and don’t sit in hot warehouses. Once the hams arrive, however, you should refrigerate them, in part to keep them from drying out.
How Long Can I Keep a Honey-Baked Ham in the Refrigerator?
Most companies say that their hams can be kept in the refrigerator for three to five weeks (or frozen for three months to a year). The USDA, however, takes a much more cautious approach and recommends refrigerating for no longer than five days and freezing for only two months.
Methodology
We looked at dozens of smokehouses and specialty food companies to determine the best options for honey-baked ham delivery services. Our primary focus was the reputation of the companies, and we leaned toward well-known, award-winning smokehouses whenever possible. Second, we considered how easy it is to serve the hams (whether the honey glaze was already baked onto the meat or not) and the number of sizes and cut options offered. Where appropriate, we prioritized specific criteria like the availability of side dishes or overnight delivery.
