Oliver Hagen, co-owner of Hagen’s organic butcher, makes a few thousand hams for his customers at Christmas every year. When it comes to picking your pork, he’s big advocate for choosing what’s right for your family – citing size, breed, colour and smokiness as key considerations:
Size
Hagen’s first tip is to get a sense of your guest list before deciding on the size of your Christmas ham.
“Understand how many people you’re feeding and ask, do you want to have just enough ham for Christmas, or do you want enough for leftovers?”
As a rough guide, he recommends approximately half a ham for 15 people – if you want it all gone that day. But for those who know they want Christmas leftovers, he suggests ordering two half hams.
Breed
Across the board, Australian, free-range, female pork is considered the gold standard.
“Try to buy regenerative or pasture-raised pork if possible,” Hagen suggests, “something that’s outside all the time.”
He says that any kind of Berkshire pig – an older, black pig – is “top-tier” because they’re pasture-raised, “so you know you’re going to get a really rich flavour and beautiful fat content.”
If you can’t get your hands on Berkshire pig, don’t fret – just look for pork that’s free-range as it often offers more fat marbling and a fuller, slightly sweeter taste.
Colour and smokiness
Finally, when it comes to appearances, Hagen recommends choosing a ham that is darker in colour “so you know it’s been smoked well.”
Andrew Vourvahakis from Andrew’s Choice Smokehouse in Melbourne supports this theory, suggesting we look for hams that are a “golden brown to rich dark brown colour, and maybe a bit lighter towards the hock end.” Vourvahakis advises that there should also be no cracks in the skin, and that “the hock shouldn’t be hollow or it’s been cooked wrong.”
Haven’t got your Christmas ham in the bag yet? These are some of the best hams in Australia to buy for the 2025 festive season. But get in quick, they sell out fast.
Best Christmas hams and where to get them this year
Victor Churchill
VICTORIA AND NEW SOUTH WALES
Once described by Anthony Bourdain as “the most beautiful butcher shop in the world”, Victor Churchill’s Sydney and Melbourne locations are an experience in and of themselves. Here, each Christmas ham is hand-selected from a rare breed of Black Berkshire pigs raised exclusively for Victor Churchill and smoked over beechwood, giving it mouthwatering levels of marbling and a delicate texture. Hams start from $155 for a half leg. Order in-store or online before 9 December for delivery between 20 and 23 December.
Feather and Bone
NEW SOUTH WALES
Pasture-raised pigs are the focal point for these Marrickville and Waverley butcheries. Hams are lightly smoked to show the pork’s flavour, and you can also request for the skin to be removed and ham scored. You can also add on an optional Malfroy’s Gold honey and Wildflower ale-fuelled glaze. All hams are available for delivery all over Sydney, up to the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains, down to Nowra and Wollongong and to Canberra. Hams start from $235 for a leg with bone in.
Hagen’s
VICTORIA
This family-run organic butcher in Melbourne offers a selection of traditional and naturally cured hams made from regenerative Berkshire pigs raised on local farms. All hams are made in-house by the Hagen’s team. For smaller gatherings, Hagen suggests the nugget ham, which is boneless and slightly leaner, but still gives that sticky, glazed look and taste. For larger family feasts or those searching for a pork centrepiece, he recommends the bone-in ham that’s traditionally cured for a richer flavour. Hams start from $43 per kilo.
Peter Bouchier
VICTORIA
Female, free-range pork is the name of the game at this Victorian butcher, who regularly clean up at the Australian Food awards. Their award winning free-range, pre-glazed half ham starts from $188 and comes in at around 4.5kg, ready to be served. Pre-order for in-store pickup or order online before the 14 December. You’ll be asked to pay a 25% deposit to secure your ham and pay the rest upon delivery or pickup.
Black Forest Smokehouse
New South Wales
Fans of this Marrickville smokehouse know that you have to get in early to secure one of these free-range, wood-smoked hocks. You can also opt for one of its hampers, which includes a small boneless double-smoked ham with orange glaze, smallgoods like airdried wagyu beef and prosciutto, King Island cheddar, Christmas pudding and various other Christmas accoutrements for $110. Pre-order from December.
Meatsmith
Victoria
Andrew McConnell and Troy Wheeler’s meat providore brines rare breed pork for 48 hours then smokes it over smouldering German woodchips. You have the option to have your ham glazed with a very special Meatsmith ham glaze or for the ambitious, choose to glaze it yourself. Prices start from $165 for a half leg, and delivery is available across Victoria. Order for collection or delivery across Victoria between 16 and 24 December.
Gleneden Farm
Queensland
Ethically and organically farmed, Gleneden Farm’s wood-smoked ham is sure to impress your guests at Christmas. Bred from Wessex Saddleback pigs, pasture born and organically raised, the quality of ham from Gleneden Farm is tough to beat. Their whole, bone-in leg hams are roughly 5kg and start at $38 per kilo. Delivery extends to Brisbane, Ipswich, Aratula, Toowoomba, Warwick and Allora. Order via email or phone (07) 46661273 to place your order and pay a $50 deposit to secure your ham.
Sunshine Meats
New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland and Australian Capital Territory
Voted among Australia’s best artisan ham by the Australian Pork Corporation and the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show, Sunshine Meats knows how to put on a good ham. Made only using Australian pork, their maple-infused ham is marinated in a secret blend of spices and then double-smoked for 12 hours. Just add your own glaze, and Christmas is in the bag. Half hams start at $29 per kilo.
Vic’s Meats
Vic’s
New South Wales AND VICTORIA
Hams are available in-store at Vic’s NSW locations with stores in Bondi Junction, Chatswood and Mascot, as well as its Chadstone store in Melbourne. Otherwise, you can order your ham via its online store which delivers around the country (except WA and NT). Half hams weigh around 4kg at $185, making them perfect for smaller gatherings (each feeds between five and seven people). Tender and plump, they’ve been smoked over beechwood for 12 hours to impart a smoky flavour.
Pattemore’s Meats
Queensland
Daryl Pattemore has been sourcing pork from the from the Darling Downs region, and curing and smoking it using traditional methods for over 40 years. His skill shows in these top-grade hams. A whole leg, traditionally wood-smoked and sourced from the Southern Downs starts at $170.
Andrew’s Choice Smokehouse
Andrew’s Choice Smokehouse
Victoria
Naturally smoked, brined with herbs and spices and consistently voted Victoria’s Best Ham, these plump beauties made from 100 per cent Australian pork are a work of art. Their 7kg traditional ham on the bone is $199, and there are also easy-carve boneless options, made with just as much pride and care.
Bos Taurus Butchery
South Australia
Get your order in for these free-range, beechwood-smoked South Australian hams, and they also sell free-range roasting geese from The Broody Goose Farm in the Murray River region. Ham on the bone starts at $21 per kilo.
G.McBean Family Butcher
Victoria
Gary McBean, owner and head butcher at G.McBean is not interested in what butchery can do for himself, but the cuts and chops over the years has made him and everyone at G.McBean Family Butcher interested in what it can do for everyone else. And this festive season, he’s personally concerned with getting the best quality ham onto your table. A half leg of Berkshire ham from G.McBean starts at $180, and has been cured and smoked in-store to deliver perfectly sweet and smoky masterpieces.
Re & Sons
Western Australia
The Re family have owned this premium smallgoods business since 1953, with Umberto Re’s grandsons Eric and Jon Paul continuing his legacy at their butcher in Malaga in North Perth. Head to the website to order their German beechwood-smoked hams for $15 per kilo, and pick up in store. Pre-order before 10 December.
