So Why Do We Eat Ham For Easter - 97.3 KKRC

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So Why Do We Eat Ham For Easter?

Ben Davis

Ben DavisPublished: April 1, 2015

VeselovaElena via Getty Images

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Here in South Dakota we love our pork. Bacon, ham, chops, bacon, bacon, bacon - we love it.

Here in the Midwest there are lots of church going folk, me included. Ever since I can remember we have always eaten ham on Easter Sunday. But why ham?

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Easter is the celebration of Jesus' resurrection and man's triumph over sin and death. Jesus was a Jew. And according to the bible Jews were forbidden to eat pork.

Deuteronomy, Chapter 14:8-10: And the pig, because it has a split hoof, but does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You shall neither eat of their flesh nor touch their carcass.

So how come we load up on pork on Easter Sunday?

It appears like everything else we America's do we adapt to what is most convenient at the time.

According to ABC 7 Chicago: If Jesus ate meat at the Last Supper, it would have been lamb. Jewish Passover traditions call for lamb, and so do most European traditions.

But in northern Europe pigs were always important. Hams, from pigs slaughtered in the winter, then salted and smoked were ready to eat in the spring before fresh meats were available. This is especially true in North America where lamb was never an important meat.

So to sum up the question as to 'Why do we eat ham for Easter?' Cuz we can.