Ham Vs Turkey: The Thanksgiving Debate

Published on November 13th, 2023
Updated on October 22nd, 2026

The Great Holiday Main Debate, Settled for Thanksgiving 2026

Turkey is the traditional Thanksgiving main course, and it’s the one most guests expect. Ham is easier to cook, harder to dry out, and comes in more flavors. Choose turkey if tradition, classic sides, and leaner meat matter most. Choose ham if you want a juicier, lower-stress main that’s simple to slice and serve. Or serve both: many families put a turkey and a ham on the same table.

Ham vs. turkey at a glance

• Tradition: turkey is the classic Thanksgiving centerpiece. Ham is more traditional at Christmas and Easter, but it shows up on plenty of Thanksgiving tables too.
• Flavor: turkey is mild and pairs with almost any side. Ham is salty, smoky, and often sweet from a glaze.
• Juiciness: cured ham stays moist. Turkey breast is lean and can dry out if overcooked.
• Prep: most hams are sold fully cooked and just need reheating. A raw turkey takes hours to roast and skill to get right.
• Carving: spiral-sliced ham is already cut. Turkey needs to be carved at the table.
• Nutrition: white-meat turkey is very lean. Cured ham is higher in sodium.
• Dietary needs: turkey works for guests who keep kosher or halal. Ham, which is pork, does not.

Why is turkey the traditional Thanksgiving main?

Turkey has been tied to Thanksgiving since the holiday became national in the 1800s. Wild turkeys are native to North America, and a whole bird is big enough to feed a large family. Today, the National Turkey Federation estimates that Americans eat about 46 million turkeys every Thanksgiving, and that about 88 percent of Americans eat turkey on the holiday.

Turkey is also the star of Norman Rockwell’s famous painting Freedom from Want, which shows a family gathered around a roast turkey. For many people, it’s what Thanksgiving looks like.

Read more: Traditional vs. Modern Thanksgiving Dinner

Why do some families serve ham instead of turkey?

Ham is easier to cook. Turkey is so tricky that Butterball runs a hotline for nervous cooks. It’s hard to keep the white meat juicy while the dark meat cooks through, and carving is its own challenge. Most hams are sold fully cooked, so you only need to warm them up and slice.

Ham stays juicy. Cured ham holds on to its moisture, so it’s hard to dry out. Turkey breast is very lean, which makes it easy to overcook.

There are many kinds of ham. You can choose a city ham (wet-cured and often smoked, the most common kind), a salty dry-cured country ham, a fresh ham (an uncured leg of pork), or a spiral-sliced ham with a sweet glaze. Hams come bone-in or boneless.

Ham is easy to customize. Glazes can go sweet, spicy, or tangy, from brown sugar and honey to mustard or apricot.

Read more: Types of Ham, Explained

Why Choose Turkey Instead of Ham?

It’s the tradition. Most guests picture a golden roast turkey at Thanksgiving. They may be disappointed to find a ham instead, especially anyone who keeps kosher or halal or doesn’t eat pork.

It’s leaner. Turkey is a good source of protein, selenium, phosphorus, and the B vitamins niacin and B6, and white meat is very low in fat. Cured ham is much higher in sodium.

It goes with every side. Turkey’s mild flavor is made for stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Ham’s strong, salty flavor can compete with the sides.

There’s something for everyone. Some people want lean white meat, some want juicy dark meat, and some fight over the drumsticks and crispy skin.

Where can you order a ham or turkey for Thanksgiving?

Goldbelly ships hams and turkeys nationwide from famous smokehouses, butchers, and restaurants.

Ham vs. turkey FAQs

If you’re looking to have America’s finest turkey and ham shipped straight to your door for Thanksgiving (or any time of year), look no further than Goldbelly!