Carve-less Christmas for this year’s ham

MEDIA RELEASE

Carve-less Christmas for this year’s ham

17 October 2012: The 100% New Zealand ‘Ham of the Year’ title for 2012 has been awarded to Nosh Food Market for their Black Rock Butchery free-farmed, Manuka smoked, honey cured ham.

According to chef and head judge Graham Hawkes, the winning sliced ham (boneless) was a standout entry in the blind-tasting, with all four judges unanimous in their decision in the ‘Grand Final’ round.

“First impressions definitely counted, it was ‘wow’ at first bite! The texture was perfect and it left a moist taste that lingered in your mouth.”

Two other sliced ham entries also won accolades – Wakefield Butchery’s sugar cured beech smoked ham and Hellers Free Farmed NZ Shaver Ham both securing silver awards.

Chris Brown of Ellesmere Butchery tied gold with Westmere Butchery in the bone-in (leg) ham category. Independent Meat Processors, Cattermoles Butchery, Ashby’s Fine Meats and Deli, Pokeno Bacon and Harris meats all came away with silvers.

“Interestingly there were no bronze awards given out this year – a true example of the level of quality in each entry,” says Hawkes.

With less than 10 weeks before Christmas, the ham-buying season has officially begun and this year you may not need to sharpen a knife, with ham slices coming out top with taste buds.

“It was a surprise that pressed ham beat out ham on the bone, but interestingly the sliced ham won because it excelled in all the elements we were looking for,” says Hawkes.

Nosh Food Market CEO Clinton Beuvink says, “Our team of butchers at Black Rock Butchery are qualified, passionate and experienced. They ensure that the very best cuts of pork are found, then they work their magic to produce award winning ham.”

54 entrants submitted 74 ham entries in this year’s competition, with each entry being ranked on texture, aroma, taste and all-important colour.

“The outside of a leg of ham should be a lovely bronzy brown and for sliced ham, the meat must be a glossy, pink appearance. The Nosh Food Market’s sliced ham had all those qualities,” Hawkes says.

The 100% New Zealand Ham Competition was established to celebrate New Zealand’s finest cured pork products and to help customers identify and appreciate local, sustainable ham, and support NZ pork producers.

Winners by category:
100% New Zealand Ham of the Year
Clinton Beuvink of Nosh Food Market, Greenlane, Auckland

100% New Zealand Bone-In (ham leg)
Gold Dave Rossiter of Westmere Butchery, Westmere, Auckland
Gold Chris Brown of Ellesmere Butchery, Ellesmere, Canterbury
Silver Colin Horton of Independent Meat Processors, Hornby, Canterbury
Silver Chris Beach of Cattermoles Butchery, Kaiapoi, Canterbury
Silver Corey Winder of Ashby’s Fine Meats and Deli, Christchurch
Silver Helen and Ben Clotworthy of Pokeno Bacon, Pokeno, Auckland
Silver Bryan Harris of Harris Meats, Cheviot, Canterbury

100% New Zealand Boneless (sliced ham)
Gold Clinton Beuvink of Nosh Food Market, Greenlane, Auckland
Silver Lindsay Alderson of Wakefield Butchery, Wakefield, Nelson
Silver Brydon Heller of Hellers Limited, Kaiapoi, Canterbury

For more information on 100% NZ Bacon, Ham and Pork go to www.extraordinarykitchen.co.nz

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About 100% New Zealand Pork
The 100% New Zealand Pork, PigCare Accredited™ logo guarantee’s consumers are purchasing only pork that has been raised on New Zealand farms. Meat retailers are audited to prove only 100% New Zealand pork is being used when these labels are used on-pack. Only 100% New Zealand pork is guaranteed to be:
• From pigs born and raised on New Zealand farms
• Produced according to New Zealand’s Animal Welfare (Pigs) Code of Welfare 2010
• Compliant with New Zealand’s stringent food safety standards
For more information on pig farming in NZ go to www.pigfarminginnz.co.nz

ENDS

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