5 tips for choosing a Christmas ham

Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you. 

1. Know which kind you’re after 

You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy. 

• Cooked on the bone ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
• Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
• Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.

2. Check the pork percentage 

The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.

3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork

By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.

If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for: 

• words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
• one of these three labels:

You could also check the winners of this year’s 100% NZ Bacon and Ham Awards.

Have a good look at the ham

If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.  

New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”  

If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.

Ask a lot of questions 

If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.  

You could ask: 

• Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
• What will be its injection percentage?
• What flavours will it have?

You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.