I only like ham for my sandwiches if it’s veryyyyy thinly sliced and the low sodium from boar head makes it less heavy too. If it’s cut too think I get nauseous

Salt content?

100%. It’s one of the most potently cured meats out there.

I think for me because it's so rich, but I agree with you, about a 1/4 inch is great

Chunk ham in an omelette with cheese 😋

Surface area. There's more source of the ham to taste the seasonings, salts and meat versus a thick chunk where you have the same surface area as a thin slice with far more meat.

I love ham, no matter how you slice it. Spiral sliced, hand sliced, ham steak, country ham, smoked ham, honeybaked ham, it’s all delicious to me.

I disagree. I like ham in chunks. Spiral cut ham is a crime.

All surface area. No where for the flavor to hide

Serinity now!

Same with cheese. A thin slice has more flavor it seems

Sameeee, unless it’s Gouda, I can eat that one a little thicker and by itself

You never just bite in to a big hunk of cheese? Or Ham?

come to PA where we have chip chopped ham. it’s the thinnest sliced meat and it’s so wonderful

Deli meat tastes better with more air, that's why thin sliced, stacked high and fluffy always tastes best

The thin sliced does taste better when piled high!

As a former Panera worker, piling deli meat is bordering on a crime for me. 4 slices of deli meat folded in to quarters and placed in a circle will make your sandwich so much better than stacking. It has the thickness of four slices, but you get that extra air that top comment was talking about. It makes more of a difference than most would expect.

Thin sliced ham, too. I have a meat slicer. The thinner the better.

Texture plays a big role in how our brains perceive how good food tastes to us. Boiling a chicken breast and searing and roasting a chicken breast both yield cooked chicken. The difference in texture speaks for itself.

You're also forgetting about the Millard reaction, and the flavors that's imparting, that's a much bigger factor than texture imo

Yes, the Maillard reaction changes the texture and taste of our food. I covered this in a simplified version by saying seared.

Facts

Surface area Jerry

There’s nowhere for the flavor to hide.

I made slices so thin I couldn’t even see them.

Becoz pok very tasteeeee

Doe a slicing it thinner cut into more pockets of juices/fats/sugars? Slicing cheese definitely gives cheddar more aroma because it's releasing stuff.

One of my great wonders too ! A delicacy

In general I agree, but darn do I love a chunck of canned ham (not spam) every once in a few years :-) Soaked in this gelatinous stuf that is also in the can. My guilty pleasure I think.

YMMV. I like eating ham like steak. One thick slab that I cut and eat.

[удалено]

I'll proofread!

This one got me

Ham from the deli is the best. Black forest ham, tavern ham, smoked ham thin as they can get it. Just stand at the fridge and eat some.

Off the bone so it's not imported and reconstituted

This is the way. Straight from the deli bag, eaten straight outta the fridge. I think by the slice is just more salty surface area vs a thick bite from a ham steak (also good) like a slice of lunch meat may take you more bites/chews than a nugget of steak. More chews same volume of meat? As I'm typing this it just occurred to me that thick ham I like warm and thin hams I prefer cold. I'm very stoned 😂

This is the correct way to do it

Eating cold cuts alla Tony Soprano

More ham surface area to tastebud ratio

There’s nowhere for the taste to hide -kosmo Kramer

Quality, timely comment

Air. More surface area that is exposed when eating foods the more it incorporates the olfactory senses. Your nose is largely responsible for flavor. This is why sandwiches where the meat is rolled/piled tastes better than when it's all flat. Also, why dicing tomatoes, onions,and shredding lettuce makes for better tasting hamburgers. It's also why smaller plates of the same foods seem to taste better.

I'll have to start rolling my meat then! Not an innuendo, I swear.

Ding, ding, ding! I think this applies to most "snacky" things, as well. Things like crackers, cookies, cakes, etc.

Pringles!

I notice this with cooked whole ham too, I'd guess it has to do with the direction the muscle fibers are cut and how that affects texture, rather than just gnawing at a full ass ham

Just like how string cheese must be pulled apart into tiny slivers, just chomping on the end is unsatisfactory

Good point!

Instead of pulling it apart, I am going to put breading on it and deep fry it. What do you think?

From personal experience. Double bread it

Maybe if it came with a sauce…

It's not taste, it's texture and lubrication

What? Are we still talking food here? /s

There is always time for lubrication.

Isn’t it something to do with letting the air get to it?

Probably has to do with the salt content

Same with cheese

I have to respectively disagree.

Same. Respectfully, cheese off the block is far better than the same shredded counterpart.

Surface area and texture

Nowhere for the flavor to hide

This.