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Home > Did you Know? > Spanish Ham: the ten commandments SPANISH HAM: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1.- How to position the ham: If the ham will be eaten over time, the ham should be positioned with the hoof facing downwards for cutting. This way, you will eat the thinnest part of the ham first, which is also quickest to dry out. If the entire ham is going to be consumed in one day, place the ham with the hoof facing upwards, and start by the "maza". 2.- Knife sharpening: Keeping knives sharp will ensure you cut slices more easily: the blade will slide through the surface of the ham almost by itself, cutting slices that are almost translucent. It is advisable to sharpen the knife with a sharpening steel before starting to cut the ham. To avoid strange flavours on the slices, wipe the knife with a cloth just after sharpening, in order to eliminate any metallic dust produced by the friction. 
3.- Where to place your hands: It is essential to keep the hand you are not cutting with outside the cutting area, in order to avoid accidental moves that may lead to cuts. Placing your hand behind the sense in which the knife is cutting will avoid accidents. 
4.- Flat cutting surface: As you start cutting slices off the ham, the cutting surface becomes larger and leaner, At this point, you need to start cutting the slices in a uniform manner, and try to avoid the characteristically curved shape of ham. It is essential for the cutting surface to be flat and not curved, as it enables you to make the most of the ham by cutting fine slices 5.- Avoid curving: If you notice the cutting surface starts to take on a curved shape, you should stop cutting and even the area out. Sometimes cutting a slice thicker than usual off the curved area is the best solution to achieve a flat cutting surface once again. 
6.- Cutting the hip bone area:When we come across the hip bone, we tend to cut in the centre area to avoid it, making the cutting surface curved. The best solution at this stage is to try and separate the meat from the bone in a simple way. With a boning knife (or a small knife), make two cuts next to the bone, and cut around the bone with the blade, trying not to cut the ham too much, in order to prevent it from oxidising. Initially, there will be some ham left on the bone, but with practice, you will get a cleaner hip bone. 7.- Characteristics of the main parts of a ham The "maza" is widest and fattiest part. The redness of the lean meat is shinier than in the rest of the ham, due to the fluidity of the fat. Its degree of saltiness is different thanks to the abundance of veined fat, which provides the slices with exquisite sweet nuances. The "babilla" is the narrowest and leanest part. The meat is slightly saltier, and its texture is more fibrous. The colour of its slices is somewhere between red and purple, and its flavour and aroma is "cured". The "contra" has an abundant fat content which shows as mottled dots, not as veins as is the case of the "maza". Its salt content is medium and it is very tasty. 
8.- Temperature for consumption:Ham must be eaten at room temperature in order to enjoy all of its sensual nuances. If the ham has been cut and stored in the refrigerator, or comes sliced in a packet, take it out of the refrigerator an hour before eating, to allow it to reach the correct temperature. 9.- Conservation: In order to preserve its qualities, ham must be kept in a cool, dry place. It is unadvisable to hang in the open air. 10.- Excess lard or fat as protection on the cutting area: When you stop cutting slices off a ham, you should keep the cutting area protected in order to ensure its perfect conservation. The ham's own lard or fat is the best protection. First, rub the cutting surface with a piece of fat you have previously cut off the ham, and then cover the entire cutting area with the remaining excess off-cuts. After covering the entire cutting surface with bits of fat, cover the ham with a cloth. |
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