Food Review: Kirkland Uncured Black Forest Ham
09/06/2023
Lunch meats, a.k.a. cold cuts, deli meat, sandwich meat, sliced meat, and a host of other names are perhaps some of the most versatile and portable proteins there are. Typically served in sandwiches, lunch meats can be used in so many great ways, cold, hot, as a main dish, as appetizers, crafting charcuterie boards, an ingredient in side dishes, an impromptu stand-alone snack, and so much more.
I've always got a couple of varieties on hand in my fridge and some form of sliced ham is usually one of them.
Today I'm reviewing Kirkland Uncured Black Forest Ham.
If you didn't already know, Kirkland is a Costco Private Label and they make a full range of deli meats, hot dogs, bacon, sausages, all of it.
It's all good quality stuff, and it's all reasonably priced. When you buy Kirkland meats, you're getting a good product that you're happy to serve family and friends.
Purchased at the Costco located at 9700 E Kellogg Dr, Wichita, KS 67207, the Kirkland Black Forest Ham is no exception. I prefer this ham over many competitors for several reasons. I like the cut, it's a slightly thicker slice than some of those deli-sliced types that can be too thin. It's also a large slice of meat, bigger than the typical slice of bread. Most competitor slices aren't, they're slightly smaller than the typical slice of bread. I like how they package it, in single-slice layers, it's super easy to pull from the package. Contrast that to how some lunch meats get layered up in a twisted soft-pretzel-like manner and you end up tearing slices apart trying to get a sandwich portion out of the vacuum bag. The most important thing to like, it's got a good robust ham flavor that's not watered down - a trick some manufacturers use to boost the package weight.
In terms of price, check out how Kirkland compares to other popular brands purchased at a mainstream grocery store in the Wichita area:
- Kirkland: $9.31 for a 1.76-pound package, that's $5.29lb.
- Oscar Mayer: $6.78 for a 1lb package
- Kroger (Dillons): $5.39 for a 1lb package
- Hillshire Farms: $6.99 for a 1lb package
- Great Value (Walmart): $5.32 for a 1 lb package
- Lunch Mate (Aldi): $4.65 for a 1 lb package
Kirkland is the cheapest ham out there from those listed, with the exception of the Lunch Mate brand, which is one of those ultra-thinly sliced, watered-down varieties. Not that Lunch Mate is bad mind you, but it is inferior in comparison.
I'm giving Kirkland Uncured Black Forest Ham 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap Stars. It's got a good robust ham flavor, it's VERY reasonably priced, and how it's packaged makes it super convenient. It's most definitely worthy of a repeat buy, again, and again.
$pend Wisely My Friends...
~ Mike
Related: Food Review: Kirkland Brats
Related: Food Review: Kirkland Signature Spiral Sliced Ham - Bachelor on the Cheap
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