Hams are the centrepiece of many Christmas lunch tables around Australia, but they can be expensive, so can you go for a cheaper option without losing the festive cheer?
While many people wish to support local and independent businesses by buying from a butcher, these hams can cost upwards of $20 a kilo, which may be out of reach for some, this year in particular.
Supermarket hams are more affordable, but are they any good?
We enlisted the help of four food experts to rate 10 Christmas hams from Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA to help you find the best ham on a budget.
And the great news is that one of the favourites is the cheapest – so you can keep everyone happy and still afford some little luxuries to make your festive season special.
Before you start making your list (and checking it twice), find out which hams to seek out and which to avoid.
On this page:
- The best tasting supermarket Christmas hams
- The supermarket Christmas ham to avoid
- How to improve the taste of a supermarket Christmas ham
- Meet the testers
The best tasting supermarket Christmas hams
We have good news for budget-conscious shoppers: two of the most affordable hams we tested are also among the tastiest, according to our expert judges.
And while the other top-rated hams each cost over $10 a kilo, they still weren't the most expensive we tested, and likely cheaper than what you may pay at a butcher.
Seven Mile from IGA was our top performer, while products from Aldi, IGA and Woolworths tied for second place.
This ham is exclusive to IGA and was the judges' favourite.
Seven Mile Premium Double Smoked Leg Ham
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 79% (Recommended)
- Price: $12.50 per kilo
- Taste test score: 76%
The Seven Mile Premium Double Smoked Leg Ham is nationally available and exclusive to IGA. It costs $12.50 per kilo, so it isn't the cheapest ham on our list, but it impressed our experts with its moist texture and pleasantly balanced flavour.
Read the full Seven Mile Premium Double Smoked Leg Ham review.
Aldi Specially Selected Premium Triple Smoked Half Leg Ham
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 76% (Recommended)
- Price: $13.49 per kilo
- Taste test score: 74%
Our expert taste testers said that this ham had a pleasant smokiness with a fairly balanced flavour and salty aftertaste.
It has the highest sodium content of the hams we tested, as well as a lower Health Star Rating.
Read the full Aldi Specially Selected Premium Triple Smoked Half Leg Ham review.
IGA Naturally Smoked Leg Ham Bone In Fully Cooked
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 76% (Recommended)
- Price: $8 per kilo
- Taste test score: 73%
This is one of the cheapest hams we put to the test and it was pleasing to hear that one of our experts said it's a "good everyday ham for Christmas".
It also impressed the experts with its pleasant saltiness that lingers and well-balanced flavour.
Read the full IGA Naturally Smoked Leg Ham Bone In Fully Cooked review.
Woolworths Half Leg Ham Bone In
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 76% (Recommended)
- Price: $8 per kilo
- Taste test score: 73%
This ham from Woolworths costs the same per kilo as the IGA Naturally Smoked ham and scores the same in terms of taste. The difference between the two is that the Woolworths ham has a lower Health Star Rating: two stars compared to three stars for the IGA.
It rated well among our experts, who were pleased with the mild and pleasant taste of the ham. They also said it has a subtle smokiness and salty aftertaste.
Read the full Woolworths Half Leg Ham Bone In review.
The supermarket Christmas ham to avoid
There was one supermarket ham in particular that our judges were not impressed by, leaving a sour taste in their mouths (literally). It was also among the more expensive hams we tested.
There are hams that our experts rated better for taste and that cost significantly less per kilo – these are more deserving of a spot in your Christmas shopping trolley than this product below.
Coles' Finest? Not according to our experts.
Coles Finest Free-Range Triple Smoked Leg Ham
- CHOICE Expert Rating: 58%
- Price: $15.50 per kilo
- Taste test score: 55%
We almost felt bad asking our experts to eat this ham: its flavour was described by every single judge as either "unpleasant", "unusual" or "lacking".
And the descriptors didn't get any more complimentary from there: "sour aftertaste", "strange aroma", "lacks flavour" and "unusual aroma and flavour that is not appealing and lingers in aftertaste" were their pronouncements.
On the upside, it's made using free-range pork and is certified as a carbon-neutral product
On the upside, it's made using free-range pork and is certified as a carbon-neutral product, plus it carries the RSPCA-approved farming logo. It won a silver medal at the Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards and Sydney Royal Fine Food Show in 2022, which is surprising considering what our judges thought of it.
It's also worth noting, we originally purchased the portion size of this ham for $17 a kilo. However, this ham has since been listed on the Coles website as 'currently unavailable'. The half leg size is now available for $15.50 per kilo.
Read the full Coles Finest Gold Triple Smoked Free-Range ham review.
Expert taste testers worked their way through ten supermarket Christmas hams, tasting them cold.
How to improve the taste of a supermarket Christmas ham
While the price may be right, the downside of a supermarket ham is that it's unlikely to be as good as one from a butcher who cures and smokes their own hams. But when ham from a butcher costs upwards of $20 to $25 per kilo, there's a big price difference.
If your budget only stretches as far as a supermarket ham, there are a few tricks that'll help take it to the next level.
CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair shares her tips.
1. Keep the fat
"When you bake a ham you need to remove the rind; under the rind is a layer of fat. This layer of fat is going to help keep the ham moist as well as adding flavour," she says.
2. Glaze and dress
Fiona recommends glazing the ham to add a sweetness to the layer of fat.
"When baked the fat will render and caramelise, so when you slice the ham you also get a thin layer of fat that helps to balance the saltiness of the ham," she explains.
"Glazing the ham and dressing it with cloves and glacé cherries adds to the presentation."
Overcooking your ham will dry it out and intensify the saltiness, which could make it inedible
Fiona Mair, CHOICE kitchen expert
3. Avoid overcooking
Fiona says that overcooking your ham will not only dry it out, it will intensify the saltiness, which could make it inedible.
"I recommend placing the ham on a rack in a baking tray, adding water to the baking pan then covering it with foil for most of the cooking time. Remove the foil for the last 40 minutes to caramelise the fat."
4. Serve with sauce
And what if your ham is dry? Can you save it? There's only so much you can do, says Fiona.
"If the baked ham is dry there's not a lot you can do other than serving it with a sauce – try honey mustard sauce, cranberry sauce or even a simple gravy," she says.
From left to right: Jan Boon, Fiona Mair and Brigid Treloar.
Meet the testers
Our expert test panel included:
- Fiona Mair – our in-house expert and home economist with over 30 years experience in testing appliances and with more recent experience in judging local food shows.
- Jan Boon – a home economist who has been judging local, interstate and regional food and Easter shows for more than 35 years.
- Brigid Treloar – a freelance food consultant for more than 30 years who has published eight cookbooks.
CORRECTION 5 December 2024: 1. A previous version of this article said the CHOICE Expert Rating (overall score) was based on 90% taste and 10% nutrition, when it should have said based on 90% taste and 10% Health Star Rating. We have updated this information but the overall score and ranking of results were correct and have not changed. 2. CHOICE had been supplied with the incorrect price for the Seven Mile Premium Double Smoked Leg Ham. It has been updated from $12/kg to $12.50/kg.
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