So my family is hosting this year, and it has devolved into a full-on meat-based civil war. Half the family is insisting Thanksgiving “isn’t Thanksgiving” without turkey, and the other half is basically saying turkey is just holiday-themed drywall and we should go with ham.
Personally, I’m torn (I’m a classic turkey person, but a slight majority of the family is voting ham!)
Turkey Pros:
- Traditional. Like, pilgrims-level traditional.
- Looks impressive when it comes out of the oven.
- Great for leftovers: sandwiches, soups, the whole week is covered.
Turkey Cons:
- Can go from “juicy” to “desert wasteland” in 4 seconds.
- Requires babysitting, basting, thermometers, brining…
- It’s basically a part-time job.
Ham Pros:
- Easy. Foolproof. Practically cooks itself.
- Actually flavorful without a 48-hour brine and a prayer.
- Sweet, salty, smoky… like Thanksgiving candy.
- Leftovers slap.
Ham Cons:
- Not “classic Thanksgiving".
- Can be too sweet depending on glaze situation.
- Doesn’t give that “big reveal” presentation in the same way turkey does.
So…
Ham or Turkey?
What do you swear by for Thanksgiving?
I need arguments strong enough to convince a group of opinionated relatives who treat food traditions like constitutional amendments.