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Have you ever noticed how all of the traditional Thanksgiving sides pair perfectly with ham?

Green beans + ham? Yes. Cranberry sauce + ham? Of course. Mashed potatoes + ham? Yum. Dinner rolls + ham? Delish. And while we know that you certainly can’t stuff a ham, most food safety experts recommend against stuffing your turkey, anyway.

So while turkey might be the first thing you envision when you picture the Thanksgiving tablescape, it doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to get a little creative with your holiday meal. Here at Hempler’s, we think you should consider serving ham as the centerpiece instead of turkey.

In fact, you can make your main course shine (literally) with a glaze, brushed on during the final 45 minutes of cooking. A great seasonal pairing would be a festive cranberry glaze made with a can of cranberry sauce, a dash of ground cloves, and a teaspoon of mustard. Another option would be Dick Hempler’s personal favorite, an apricot glaze of 4-6 oz apricot jam, ½ cup brown sugar, and 3 teaspoons of mustard. Or, you could give your whole meal an untraditional kick with a spicy Harissa Ham with Chipotle Bourbon Glaze.

Let Hempler’s join you at your Thanksgiving table this year for a delicious twist on your holiday gathering – and since our hams are sold fully cooked, we’ve already done the hard work for you. That way you can save your time (and your oven space) for all the sides.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! What’s your signature contribution to the holiday feast? (You can probably guess what ours is.)