New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards 2024: Upper Hutt butchery scoops top prize

Judges sizzle up bacon to determine New Zealand's bacon champion. Photo / 100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards

By Serena Solomon of RNZ

If you’re a pork eater, it’s hard to fathom that bacon - and its cold-cut cousin ham - can be judged on a scale. Isn’t it all a salty, fatty dream?

No, it is not and the annual 100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards has crowned its 2024 winners.

Upper Hutt’s Cameron Harrison Butchery scooped up this year’s Supreme Winner in the bacon category for its Honey Cured Streaky Bacon.

Sam’s Butchery in Silverdale won the Supreme Award for ham with their Mini Champagne Ham.

Rob Cameron, owner of Cameron Harrison Butchery, said he stuck to traditional methods for curing bacon - “brining it and putting it through a stringent drying process before smoking and slicing,” he told RNZ’s First Up.

“I’ve been doing it the same way for as long as I’ve been making bacon, which is 16 years now.”

Harrison said mass-produced bacon could be too lean and watery.

“Don’t overpump it. Some companies are too focused on making money and put too much water in there,” he said.

“You definitely need to have a bit of fat in there.”

New Zealand-grown pork was some of the best in the world, he said.

Judges, including culinary experts and butchers, spent three days sampling entries from 50 retailers from across the country that use only New Zealand-born and ethically raised pork.

“I was looking for that harmony of flavour where I could taste the pork itself with a balance of sweet, salty and slight acidity - and this is what stood out for the winning products on the Supreme judging day,” said judge Jess Granada, chef and owner of Auckland restaurant Nanam.

Butchers and culinary experts made up the judging panel for New Zealand's bacon and ham awards. Photo /100% New Zealand Bacon and Ham Awards

“The winning products had the best flavour with excellent moisture content which left you wanting more,” said Todd Treadwell, a judge from Well Hung Butchery in Milford.

The public also cast more than 7500 online votes to determine the People’s Choice Award.

That went to the Aussie Butcher New Lynn in Auckland.

After several years of judging the competition, Treadwell has noticed improving standards year on year.

“Retailers are taking pride in what they are making which is great news for the public,” he said, adding that he prefers nothing more than freshly cut ham off the bone.

A pre-heated cast iron pan is key to cooking this year’s winning bacon to perfection, advised Granada.

“Overall, it was a very high standard of entries, and you could tell a lot of love had gone into making all the products,” she said.

- RNZ