With Christmas fast approaching, many Sydney households are already planning their festive menus and looking for where to buy the best Christmas ham. Whether you love a traditional smoked flavour or a beautifully glazed centrepiece, Sydney offers an incredible range of premium butchers creating standout hams.
Get Sydney explored the city’s top butchers and selected the five best places to buy your Christmas ham this year, with Craig Cook The Natural Butcher taking the number one spot. Here’s why!
1. Craig Cook The Natural Butcher
For a Christmas ham that is rich, tender and unforgettable, Craig Cook The Natural Butcher leads the pack. Their show stopping leg ham comes naturally cured with their own traditional recipe and smoked fresh in house. This process delivers remarkable depth, balanced savoury and smoky notes and that unmistakable Craig Cook quality.
Their team treats every ham with genuine craftsmanship, from their exclusive curing method to their gentle in house smoking technique that brings the flavour to life.
To elevate your feast even further, Craig Cook offers an optional glazing service. Their traditional cloves and cherries glaze creates a festive, glossy finish that looks stunning on any Christmas table and tastes just as impressive.
Every whole ham also includes a complimentary ham bag valued at $10, helping you store and keep your ham fresh throughout the holiday season.
With 11 stores across Sydney and Newcastle, all open 7 days, Craig Cook makes buying your Christmas ham incredibly convenient. You can also shop online, choose click and collect or have Craig’s own delivery trucks bring your order straight to your door in time for Christmas.
This level of service and consistent quality shows exactly why they’ve earned the title of Sydney’s Best Butcher for two consecutive years. If you want a Christmas centrepiece that guests will rave about, Craig Cook is the place to get it.
2. Hudson Meats
Hudson Meats is well known for their Black Berkshire hams, produced from the old English heritage breed renowned for naturally sweet and delicate flavour. Their Black Berkshire pork is free range and sourced from Byron Bay.
Each leg undergoes an extensive preparation process, marinated in a traditional brine for close to 50 hours, carefully turned for even flavour, then hung to rest before being naturally wood smoked for 12 hours using Australian timbers such as iron bark and blackbutt. The result is a ham with impressive depth and classic appeal.
3. Chop Butchery
For another excellent Christmas ham option, Chop Butchery remains a reliable favourite. Known for sourcing premium meat from trusted suppliers, their hams deliver consistent quality and flavour. Whether you prefer bone in or boneless for easier carving, Chop Butchery offers a range that suits families, entertainers and traditionalists alike.
4. Australian Meat Emporium
If variety is at the top of your list, Australian Meat Emporium is a must visit. This warehouse style butcher offers an extensive selection of Christmas hams, from free range to smoky classics. With competitive pricing and knowledgeable staff, it is a great choice for shoppers who appreciate choice and convenience.
5. Vic’s Meats
Vic’s Meats is another standout option for a premium Christmas ham. Known for their top quality free range pork, Vic’s hams are tender, flavourful and crafted with care. They offer both traditional smoked hams and modern glaze options, making it easy to match your ham to the rest of your festive menu.
Why Craig Cook the Natural Butcher Comes Out on Top
Every butcher on this list delivers high quality Christmas hams, but Craig Cook, The Natural Butcher, stands firmly at number one. Their commitment to craftsmanship, the use of premium Bangalow Sweet Pork, natural curing and smoking, optional glazing service and unmatched convenience make them the clear winner for Sydney households.
If you want a Christmas ham that truly shines on the table, you really cannot go past Craig Cook this festive season.
