A bone to pick

Freezing leftover meat straight after Christmas is one way to avoid ham overload in the holidays.

Question:

We get a large ham as a Christmas gift each year. I’m never sure how long we can safely store it in the fridge or what to do with the leftovers, as the family get tired of eating sliced ham in sandwiches and for dinner for weeks after Christmas.

Answer:

A Christmas dinner of succulent, honey-glazed ham sounds delicious, but eating leftovers for weeks afterwards is much less appealing. However, with food prices rising, minimising waste makes good sense. So, how to reduce waste while preventing ham overload during the holidays?

Cooked ham and turkey can be stored in the fridge in the short term, or for longer in the freezer. New Zealand Pork advises consumers to store their leg of ham in a ham-bag or wrapped in a damp tea towel in the fridge to stop it drying out. Ideally, wrap the ham loosely to allow air circulation, then place it in the coolest part of your fridge.