Spanish cured hams set to be Christmas shopping hits

A whole leg of cured ham is a terrific thing to have around at this time of year. It will keep well for months without having to be refrigerated (a cool dry spot is sufficient) and can be sliced – wafer thin, please – as required. Just the thing for a party, or a rustled up supper for unexpected guests.

Both Lidl and Aldi have whole Spanish hams in their Christmas food offering. Lidl's Deluxe Iberian ham is a premium product, cured by traditional methods, and a whole leg weighing approximately 7.5kg will cost €99.99. This ham has been air-dried for five to six months and matured for six to eight months. They went on sale this week, and have to be ordered in advance, by telephoning 1800 347447, and then can be paid for and collected in-store.

Aldi’s whole leg of Specially Selected Serrano ham (6.5kg) will go on sale on December 11th. This will cost €59.99 – to include a stand, knife and sharpening tool. At this price, expect queues for these.

The price difference between the two is down to the breed of pig used and the curing and maturation processes followed.

If you are tempted by the Lidl ham and are wondering how on earth you are going to carve it, Black Pig, the Iberian wine and food speciality store in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, sells stands and knives, €30 each. It also sells top quality hand carved jamon bellota from the acorn-fed kings of the porcine world. See blackpig.ie.