How to choose your Christmas ham

For many of us, one of the best things about Christmas is seeing a freshly baked ham, adorned with a sticky glaze and studded with a crown of cloves, take centre stage on the family table. Follow these tips and you’ll have yourself a very merry Christmas every time.

• You don’t want your ham too lean, as you remove the skin before glazing, it needs a good fat coverage to get that gooey, sticky glaze.
• Try and avoid Christmas hams that have been stretched with preservatives, additives and gluten. It’s best to speak to your butcher to avoid having any issues with allergies when feeding large amounts of guests.
• Check your timing. Many hams are produced well before the big day, to make sure your star dish is as fresh as can be, look for Christmas hams that have been produced within the same month.
• To get a feel for how fresh your ham is, use your hands. A good ham should feel soft and moist, whilst holding its texture.
• To store your ham, wrap it in a clean tea towel or pillowcase that has been rinsed in cold water and vinegar before refrigerating. Replace wrap each day and your ham should last you a couple more weeks (if you can resist it for that long).

Turkey Time: How to prepare the ultimate Christmas turkey

Try some of our favourite recipes for ham below.

Cranberry and Maple Glazed Leg of Ham

Ham topped with Ruby Grapefruit and Fig

Baked Ham with Pineapple and Mustard Glaze