It really depends on what else you are serving for the brunch. If you are planning on a breakfast casserole, coffee cake, fruit, muffins, biscuits/rolls, salad etc. then you might think one ham would be enough. But to be safe, I would get two hams if I were doing this brunch for 85 guests.

Don't be fooled into thinking that just because it is brunch that people won't fill their plates.....'cause they will, I think. JMO!

Teresa

Teresa, I agree, it depends on what else is being served and it also depends on your "group". Lots of guys and teenagers? I'd go with two.

I'm assuming the hams are boneless? Can you get one whole and another half? I think you might get by with 20 pounds if you have a large buffet with egg dishes, etc, but you'll be pushing it at 15 pounds, that's less than 3 ounces per guest.

Will it be served hot and sliced or is it pre-sliced, because that could make a difference too. You can get buy with less if you have thin slices instead of big chunks, an old restaurant/food service trick.

Annie

Yep.....2 hams.
For a buffet with other items or a brunch which I consider a lighter meal, I figure 6 people per pound of meat.....that is "pure meat"...not a ham which will be easily 1/3 bone and fat.
So figure on the top side....10 pounds of meat per ham....that would serve 60...if they ate every scrap.
Think in terms of boneless meats.....would you think you could make hamburger patties for 85 people out of 10 pounds of 90% lean ground beef? or 10 pounds of boneless chicken breast?

Also those honey baked hams if they are spiral cut are in thick slices....and people will take more than if you sliced it yourself into skinny slices.

Best order 2 hams.
Linda C

Personally, I would go to the grocery store and buy
their 'best' deli ham, already sliced. Then I would
put it in a large baking pan, sorta 'fluffed up',
and then drizzle about half a can of 7up on it.
Then I would put foil over it and warm it in the
oven at around 225 for about an hour. Probably
cheaper than Honey Baked ham, and I doubt anyone
would notice. You can then devote your time
to some of the other items. Just sayin.

Definitely 2 hams for that amount of people. Better to have a little left over then run out if that is the only meat you are serving. If you were serving another meat(sausages, bacon) then you could probably get away with purchasing a little less. But that is the only meat you are going to serve. Everyone will probably take more then one piece in addition to the side dishes. NancyLouise

Thanks to everyone for your opinion. You are right, two hams. Shoot...

Nicle

lbpod - ginger ale is tastier. So few know these tricks. A sprinkle of dark brown sugar enhances.

Nancy

And "deli ham" is very different from a whole ham....deli ham is made from bits and pieces of ham, and formed together....solution added.
It's best shaved for cold sandwiches.
For reheating leftovers of a a real whole bone in uncooked ham, I prefer apple juice or pineapple juice....rather than soda pop.

Lindac, I wasn't refering to 'deli ham', but the high
priced sliced ham that is sold at the deli. Around
here they call it 'ham off the bone'. It is pricey,
but very good.

Good to know about the soda or juice for reheating ham slices. I had not heard about that and sliced ham can dry out if you stare at it too long.

Teresa

deli ham is made from bits and pieces of ham, and formed together

What? Most delis have hams of all sorts from pressed to high quality.
There is no "deli ham". The term deli is the location.

Nope....here we have "deli ham"....which is what I describe, we have smoked ham, boiled ham, honey baked ham....and even turkey ham. If you go to the deli counter and ask for a pound of shaved deli ham....you will get the formed solution added stuff....
I'll bet that the 12 or 14 pounds of good sliced ham from the deli would cost more than 2 honey baked hams....and wouldn't be as good....and you wouldn't have the ham bone for a good pot of pea or lentil soup..;-Q

I've never sprung for a Honey Baked ham, although I'm told they're good. The closest available is 60 miles or so away, but I got on their website and it looks like they are all "bone-in" although you can also buy halves. If they have a bone, you'll definitely need two.

Here deli ham is mostly what LindaC described, salty and watery pieces of some kind of smoky flavored stuff. I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that if I went to Grand Rapids or Ann Arbor and to a higher end grocery, I'd probably get much better stuff.

Grandma used to bake a ham with root beer. We thought it was a great treat, although truthfully, it didn't taste like root beer at all, it still just tasted like ham. I'm guessing that the soft drinks mostly add the sweet note to the salty ham, and not the flavor of the soft drink itself.

Annie