‘Tis the season of ripe cherries, decadent desserts and of course, the Christmas ham, but many people don’t know what to look for when perusing supermarket aisles.
To help you purchase the best piece of meat possible, FEMAIL has spoken with two Australian experts who have imparted their wisdom.
‘When buying pre-cooked ham, customers should look out for 100 per cent Australian pork on the label, choose the level of smokiness they are after and look for smooth and consistent colouring all around,’ explained Robert Carratt, the Woolworths Manager and Merchandiser of Meat.
To help you purchase the best piece of meat possible FEMAIL has spoken to two experts who have imparted their wisdom
‘You want to look for a bright pink colour for the meat and a rich golden brown colour for the skin,’ Robert said.
‘The skin will deepen in colour depending on the level of smokiness.’
The great thing about buying leg hams that are already cooked is that they are pretty much ready to serve as is, making Christmas a whole lot easier.
They can be sliced and eaten cold or reheated in the oven and topped with a sticky glaze.
The great thing about buying leg hams that are already cooked is that they are pretty much ready to serve as is, making Christmas a whole lot easier
‘You want to look for a bright pink colour for the meat and a rich golden brown colour for the skin,’ Robert said
Robert also explained that there are certain things you need to look out for when ensuring that your ham is in perfect condition.
He said that you need to look for hams that are packed in a firm and tight plastic seal, as hams in loose packaging can compromise the shelf life of the product.
This will ensure you are buying the freshest produce possible.
Most families tend to have leftover ham the week after Christmas but this doesn’t have to go to waste as there are many creative ways the meat can be consumed.
Robert also explained that there are certain things you need to look out for when ensuring that your ham is in perfect condition
‘Leftover ham off the bone is great for all kinds of meals,from breakfast on Boxing Day through to dinner and nibblies for New Year’s Eve,’ Robert shared.
‘Get value for your money and add it to eggs, omelettes, salads, sandwiches, pastas, risottos, finger foods and frittatas. Sliced ham can also be frozen up to one month.’
Ryan Poyner, Pork Category Manager for Coles, explained that if you’re wanting to glaze and cook your own ham you should be purchasing a single smoked ham, but if you simply want to slice and serve then you should choose one packed with flavour, such as a triple smoked ham.
You need to look for hams that are packed in a firm and tight plastic seal, as hams in loose packaging can compromise the shelf life of the product
‘A half leg ham should satisfy around eight people as part of your Christmas feast,’ Ryan said.
‘The beauty of hams is they can be enjoyed days after the big event in delicious sandwiches, quiches or your favourite salad.’
When it comes to what colour you should be looking for, the Ryan agreed with Robert’s advice.
Ryan Poyner, Pork Category Manager for Coles, explained that if you’re wanting to glaze and cook your own ham you should be purchasing a single smoked ham
‘For a single smoked ham look for a nice even golden brown colour on the rind and pink meat,’ he said.
‘The rind and meat for double and triple smoked hams will get progressively darker so our triple smoked ham has a rich dark mahogany brown colour which reflects its smoky flavour.’
Ryan also said you should be looking for ‘nice and snug’ packaging.
Both agreed that you don’t need to be spending an arm and a leg on your Christmas ham and if you look out for these key aspects you will be purchasing a quality product.