How to make the perfect Christmas ham

What is Christmas without a baked ham? It’s the spectacular centrepiece that turns any feast into a festive celebration, while quietly hogging all the fridge and oven space in your kitchen. But not this year! This year, you’ll be prepared with a spacious entertainer’s fridge, a supersized oven or extra capacity in the form of a portable benchtop oven.

Here’s the lowdown on the best kitchen appliances to blitz Christmas, plus how to make the star of the show – the perfect glazed Christmas ham.

Want more entertainment ideas? Check out our Christmas Hub for all the inspo!

Choose the right Oven

Let’s face it, ham is an oven-space hog! It takes a Christmas miracle to get everything on the table at the same time, so set yourself up for success with the right oven from the get-go. 

A double oven makes cooking for a crowd stress-free with twice the cooking capacity of a standard oven; with two separate cooking zones, you can bake the ham and roast the veggies at the same time.

“A double oven is the kitchen muscle you need at Christmas. A larger cooking capacity, combined with the option to keep food warm while you finish other dishes, is the gift of space and time on a busy day,” says Tania Grillinzoni, The Good Guys Buyer – Cooking and Dishwashers.

Also high on the Christmas wish list is a  steam oven – great for roasting meats while retaining moisture, flavour and nutrients, and for steaming the most delicate desserts to perfection.

A benchtop oven is the lightweight, portable and easy-to-store solution to instantly boost your cooking capacity. These mini ovens can plug in anywhere – perfect if you’re caravanning over the holidays.

And don’t forget the versatile air fryer, which can easily accommodate smaller, boneless ham cuts.

Shop Ovens

Sunbeam Convection Bake and Grill Compact Oven

Westinghouse 60cm Double Oven

Miele VitroLine Combi Steam Oven CleanSteel

Choose the right cut of ham

Do you want a Christmas table show stopper or a smaller feast? Are Boxing Day leftovers a must or do you want fridge space for New Year? It all starts with choosing the right cut and quantity of ham, making sure it’s Australian grown of course!

As a general rule, a 7-8kg leg ham will feed up to 16 if it's the only meat on the menu.

“Go for the ball or boneless ham if you have a smaller crowd and think the larger cuts might go to waste. You can always jazz a boneless ham up with a glaze and decorations – it will still look festive,” says award-winning Adelaide butcher Luke Leyson of Goodwood Quality Meats.

Top tips for a great Christmas ham

Did you know ham is already cooked when you buy it? Christmas is really just about warming it up and getting a glaze on!

For best results, simply remove the rind and score the fat in an even diamond pattern without cutting through to the pink meat. Stud with cloves and cherries or press on fruit garnishes like tinned pineapple slices. If you have a bone-in leg, cover the tip of the hock with foil to stop it from burning.

Equip yourself! Sharpen your knives, organise the heat mats and trivets, and plug in the electric carving knife to make short work of even the biggest Christmas ham.

Pick a Christmas ham glaze: sweet or sour

A glaze adds colour, texture and flavour, complementing the saltiness of the ham. Go classic with honey and brown sugar, or step it up with this easy maple syrup and marmalade glaze from Australian Pork for a Christmas ham recipe that’s sure to become a family favourite.  

Cherry, mustard and balsamic glazed ham

Prep time: 35 mins

Cooking time: 1 hr 10 mins

Serves: 16

Ingredients

1 x 7-8kg ham leg, rind removed

Whole cloves, approx 50

For the glaze

1 cup orange marmalade

⅓ cup maple syrup

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbs Dijon mustard

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan-forced.

2. To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 6-8 mins or until slightly thickened. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, score the ham fat at 2cm intervals into a honeycomb pattern. Insert a clove into each diamond of fat. Wrap the ham hock with foil to prevent it from burning.

4. Place ham on a greased rack in a large baking dish. Brush ham fat with half of the glaze. Roast for 55-65 mins, brushing with remaining glaze every 15 mins, until ham is golden and caramelised. Slice and serve warm or cold.

How to preserve your Christmas ham

There’s nothing tastier than Christmas leftovers: fresh ham sandwiches, quiche lorraine, ham croquettes or cheesy ham jaffles. To make your leftovers last, proper cold storage is vital.To keep your Christmas ham fresh in its ham bag until the New Year, butcher Luke Leyson recommends pre-soaking the bag in a solution of 4 cups of water and 2 tbs of vinegar. Store in the fridge, and ensure the bag stays moist.

Shop Fridges and Freezers

LG 637L French Door Refrigerator

Samsung 637L Family Hub Refrigerator

Westinghouse 145L Chest Freezer

Ready to take charge of the Christmas feast this year? At The Good Guys, you’ll be spoilt for choice when upgrading your kitchen appliances, from ovens to fridges and portable benchtop ovens. To make entertaining a breeze this festive season, visit us online or in-store for expert advice, the best brands and great savings.