A Favorite for decades
By Brandy Nance
Originally published 01:32 p.m., December 17, 2007
Updated 01:32 p.m., December 17, 2007
Whatever you do, don’t mess with Party Time Ham.
That is advice that Fanestil Meats owners Dan and Jan Smoots were given when they bought Fanestil Meats several years ago. And they took that advice — the Party Time Ham recipe remains the same today as it was originally in the 1940s when it was first made under the direction of Ed Fanestil.
Jay Woerz, who started at Fanestil in 1971, said the recipe and sales of the ham were going strong when he started at the company.
“Whatever you do, don’t mess with Party Time Ham” Dan Smoots said. “That’s the Golden Rule.”
Party Time Ham remains a strong seller at Fanestil. When you look at the numbers — 550,000 pounds of ham sold a year, 1,500 pounds a day — it’s hard to argue.
“Party Time Ham has almost a cult-like following,” Smoots said. “That tradition is one of the really cool things.”
Smoots said the ham has a following all across the United States and many times when people who know about Fanestil’s secret get close to Kansas, they make a pit stop to pick up some of their favorite ham. Smoots said it was one of the deciding factors when they went to purchase Fanestil.
“It was an important decision when buying Fanestil Meats,” he said with a smile.
Woerz said the ham is a quality product that hasn’t changed.
“Over the years the industry has found a way to make ham 98 percent taste-free,” he said. “We don’t do that. Ours hasn’t changed. It is so much better than a lot of different products out there.”
Smoots explained the concept.
“Party Time Ham is high in quality and lean,” he said. “It’s 97 percent lean. We take the choicest in raw meat to start with. That’s scored and put in a mold, cooked and dipped in caramel color. It’s packaged fresh.”
What’s the secret behind the taste? While the Smootses aren’t giving up their recipe, they did reveal one aspect.
“Party Time Ham is cooked and kept in its natural juices,” Dan Smoots said. “No water is added. That’s been a key too ... .”
Smoots said Party Time Ham is made three times a week so it arrives at stores fresh. And they haven’t stopped with Party Time Ham. Fanestil now produces Party Time Turkey, Party Time Roast Beef and after the first of the year a new product will be unveiled —Party Time Chicken. Smoots said Party Time Chicken will use the leanest and highest quality of chicken meat available.
“We’re kind of excited about what that does for us,” Smoots said. “We want to try to appeal to other people who might not be interested in beef or ham.”
Dan and Jan Smoots had one final thing to say — that it would be neat to get Party Time Ham entered as one of the “8 Wonders of Kansas” contest under the cuisine category.
See http://www.8wonders.org/opening.cfm for information on the 8 Wonders of Kansas.