Think you’re buying Aussie ham and bacon? Think again!

ADVERTORIAL

More than eight in 10 Aussies don’t realise most of the sliced ham and bacon found in stores is made from imported meat.

If this is news to you, we’ve got some helpful facts so you can find Australian ham and bacon in store next time you’re shopping.

If my ham or bacon says it’s ‘made in Australia’ and has the green and gold kangaroo label, surely it’s made from Aussie meat, right?

Sadly, that’s not the case. In fact, your ham or bacon could have more stamps in its passport than you do. An average of approximately 3.5million kilos a week of imported pork arrives in Australia to be further processed. The kangaroo logo only indicates that your ham or bacon was processed in Australia, not grown here. The easiest way to check your sliced ham and bacon is made from Australian meat is to look for the bar chart under the green and gold kangaroo, it should be almost full. 

Since it’s against biosecurity laws to import fresh pork, you can be sure your roasts, chops, steaks and fillets are Aussie grown, but most sliced ham and bacon are not.

Why should I be looking for products made from Australian-grown meat, anyway?

Because Aussie ham and bacon tastes so damn good. What’s not to love about product that’s been grown in our own backyard, right here in Australia. If it’s grown here, it’s guaranteed to have adhered to our strict quality standards and hasn’t travelled oceans to get here.

How can I tell if the products I’m buying are really made from Aussie meat?

Look for the bar chart under the green and gold kangaroo on the packaging: the fuller the bar the more Aussie they are!

 So, where can I buy Aussie ham and bacon?

You can find the real deal in your local supermarkets, butchers or independent grocers. Remember, the brand alone doesn’t guarantee Australian, the best thing to do is to check for a close-to-full bar chart under the green and gold kangaroo. Some Australian-grown products that are currently on shelves are:

Ham:

• Aldi Berg Deli Australian Leg Ham (off the bone) — sliced 175g
• Aldi Berg Deli Australian Leg Ham (off the bone) — shaved 150g
• Barossa Fine Foods Ham off the bone
• Barossa Fine Foods Gypsy Ham
• Barkly Grandmother Full Leg Ham
• Don Australian Champagne Ham
• BB Products Double Smoked Leg Ham
• San Marino Australian ham off the bone, outdoor-bred leg ham
• Aldi Berg Ham off the bone
• Murray River Smokehouse leg ham
• Uncle Smallgoods natural ham
• Poachers Pantry smoked ham
• Gamze Smokehouse leg ham
• MonDeli Australian Leg Ham
• Tibaldi Signature range: Triple Smoked Ham, Australian Wafer Thin Leg Ham, Ham off the Bone
• Miguel Maestre Free Range Ham off the bone
• Primo Reserve ham off the bone
• Primo Reserve smoked leg ham
• Woolworths Australian range hams
• Salumi Ham off the bone
• Fabbris Smallgoods Deluxe Ham

Bacon:

• Aldi Berg Shortcut Australian Bacon 200g
• British Sausage Co — Smoked Back Bacon
• British Sausage Co — Smoked Streaky bacon
• Woolworths Australian range bacon
• Gamze smokehouse bacon
• Murray River Smokehouse bacon
• Bok’s bacon
• Fabbris Smallgoods Country Style Bacon

For more information, click here.