Settle your own
Timed matchup: Thanksgiving, Thu, Nov 26

Ham vs Turkey

Ham or turkey for Thanksgiving: which should you serve?

The verdict
Turkey wins.

Turkey wins the Thanksgiving table: ham is easier, but turkey is the whole point of the day, and the leftovers make the weekend.

Verdict as of · Cite this verdict

Do you agree? (Turkey wins)

Disagree? Make your own verdict →

XWhatsAppRedditBluesky

Head-to-head

Ham
category
Turkey
A beloved holiday roast, but more at home at Easter and Christmas than on Thanksgiving.
Tradition
The Thanksgiving bird. Skipping it is a statement, and someone will ask about it.
Most hams come fully cooked; you are really just glazing and reheating. Hard to ruin.
Ease of cooking
Thawing, timing and dry breast meat make it the most stressful dish of the year.
Salty, smoky and sweet with a good glaze. Big flavor with little effort.
Flavor
Milder, so it leans on brining, butter and gravy. Done well, it is excellent.
Pairs well with sides, but gives you no drippings for a proper gravy.
Sides and gravy
Its drippings make the gravy, and stuffing, cranberry sauce and potatoes were built around it.
Great in sandwiches, eggs and split pea soup.
Leftovers
The day-after turkey sandwich is a holiday in itself, plus soup from the carcass.

Ham

  • Usually precooked, so it is almost foolproof
  • Bold salty-sweet flavor
  • Bone makes a great soup base

Turkey

winner
  • The traditional Thanksgiving centerpiece
  • Drippings make the gravy
  • Leftovers carry you through the weekend

Why Turkey wins

Ham is more forgiving and arguably tastier straight from the oven, but on 26 November turkey is the centerpiece people expect. It also feeds a crowd, makes the gravy, and powers a week of leftover sandwiches.

Frequently asked

Ham or turkey for Thanksgiving: which should you serve?

Turkey. Ham is more forgiving and arguably tastier straight from the oven, but on 26 November turkey is the centerpiece people expect. It also feeds a crowd, makes the gravy, and powers a week of leftover sandwiches.

Should I pick Ham or Turkey?

Turkey. Ham is more forgiving and arguably tastier straight from the oven, but on 26 November turkey is the centerpiece people expect. It also feeds a crowd, makes the gravy, and powers a week of leftover sandwiches.

Is Ham better than Turkey?

Turkey comes out ahead overall. Ham is more forgiving and arguably tastier straight from the oven, but on 26 November turkey is the centerpiece people expect. It also feeds a crowd, makes the gravy, and powers a week of leftover sandwiches. That said, Ham still has real strengths — see the pros lists above.

What's the difference between Ham and Turkey?

Turkey wins the Thanksgiving table: ham is easier, but turkey is the whole point of the day, and the leftovers make the weekend.

Cite this verdict

disordat. (2026, November 4). Ham or turkey for Thanksgiving: which should you serve? [Ham vs Turkey verdict]. https://disordat.org/vs/ham-vs-turkey

Verdict as of November 4, 2026 · Markdown version

Settle these next

All food & drink debates →

XWhatsAppRedditBluesky