Expert tasting team names best Christmas hams from your supermarket

You can spend upwards of $200 for a free-range leg of ham for Christmas, or you can buy one from the supermarket that might cost one-quarter of that price. And a team of taste-testers has given a massive thumbs-up to supermarket home brand hams.

On the judging panel as part of Australian Pork’s second annual taste test were: celebrity chef Adrian Richardson, free-range pig producer Judy Croagh and gourmet butcher Ralf Fink, of Oakwood Smallgoods.

They rated more than 20 Christmas hams and Woolworths' double smoked half leg ham ($12.50 per kilo) took out top spot. 

The best-tasting value option was another Woolworths product, the regular half leg ham ($8.50 per kilo).

“This ham had a beautiful balanced smoky aroma, flavour with a good bite,” Mr Fink told The New Daily.

At Coles, Aldi, IGA and Costco, the judges decided that each store’s own brand  ham trumped the name brand options.

The best-tasting Christmas hams by supermarket ...

Coles: Beechwood Smoked Half Leg Ham ($8.50 per kilo)

Woolworths: Double Smoked Half Leg Ham ($12.50 per kilo)

Aldi: Specially Selected Triple Smoked Ham Half Leg ($11.99 per kilo)

IGA: Naturally Smoked Leg Ham ($8.50 per kilo)

Costco: Central Highlands Pork Ham on the Bone ($8.50 per kilo)

Do you always buy a ham for Christmas? What's your favourite?

2 comments

I do not eat pork seems like cannibalism

Interesting about the price difference between Coles, and Woollies  which are much higher than IGA and Costco

We have a great Deli in the shopping centre where I buy my groceries at.  I do like Ham, but only very thin slices. I always ask for Grandmother's Ham, don't know where it comes from but It's the best I've tasted. Only buy 6 slices which does me for a few days. 

2 comments



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