ham - what do i need to know?

[sloane]

okay, anxiety is a bit melodramatic but i am feeling slightly nervous about buying the ham for our christmas lunch this year (we're going to DP's mum for lunch & she's getting the turkey so i said we'd buy the ham). i'd like to do a baked ham just cos i've always wanted to but i have never, ever bought the ham for christmas before.

are the ones in the supermarket okay? is there a better place to get one? i think i'll need one that is around 6-7kg.

anyone have any suggestions? i think i'm going to do a cranberry sort of glaze...never had baked ham before either - do you serve it hot/warm? or can it be cold? ()

[Frangipani Lou]

I do a baked ham every year and yes you can serve it cold. I'll get back to you when my brains working better!

[Trillian]

You eat it by the fistful hams are much of a muchness really. I've had woolies/IGA hams that are absolutely melt in your mouth delicious and I've had expensive branded hams (KR, Primo etc) and even boutique hams that were terrible. Unfortunately it's hit and miss at times - some are too heavily smoked which I don't like and others are flavorless. Think about what part of the ham you want - are you buying a whole ham (the ones that are shaped like a chicken leg) or do you just want the meaty butt end (big round part) or the joint end? I prefer the butt end because they do tend to be better value for money in that there is no bone, but there is nothing wrong with the joint end either.

[Bloom]

I am fully committed to butchers for hams. I personally don't like coles/woolies ones. (And I am someone who will buy home brand of virtually everything!). I am the "ham person" for both my and DHs family. We always serve ours cold (having glazed/baked it a day or two before. Glazing/baking is a must in my opinion.

Your cranberry glaze sounds yumo! I always put whole cloves stuck into mine. I like to do a brown sugar, mustard, orange glaze.

[sloane]

You eat it by the fistful

love it! i was PG last christmas & wasn't sure when the ham was cut etc so i didn't have any. so looking forward to having it this year (and the leftovers...yum!). that's interesting about which part - i hadn't even thought about that!! i'd only got as far as not wanting the sort of shiny, processed type ham (does that make any sense at all?!) and something i can glaze/bake!

and thank you bloom. that glaze sounds delicious too! how do you store yours after you do the glaze? i know usually some sort of cloth to cover it in the fridge after cutting it but can you just cover it in plastic wrap after glazing but before cutting?

[nothing2lose]

Bloom, I do a wholegrain mustard, orange juice and brown sugar glaze too! It is the best!

[Astrid]

You eat it by the fistful hams are much of a muchness really. I've had woolies/IGA hams that are absolutely melt in your mouth delicious and I've had expensive branded hams (KR, Primo etc) and even boutique hams that were terrible. Unfortunately it's hit and miss at times - some are too heavily smoked which I don't like and others are flavorless.

Have found the same thing. DH is uber fussy about hams, I dread Christmas as he will grunt about everything else, but when it comes to the ham he man handles them for ages looking for the perfect one (he is a Ham Handler ) Heaven forbid getting a terrible ham, that is one way to ruin a Christmas day. I have resorted to ordering through the local butcher, so avoid the whole Ham Handling experience (can't you tell how scarred I am by the process ).

[Trillian]

Oh yes! We have had a few christmas' where the ham has been sub standard who would have thought that a piece of meat that you can actually buy at any time of year you want could cause so much drama LOL.

[Mummy&Daddy2Be]

i love ham at xmas time. mmm so delicious!