How to start an Iberian ham to preserve its flavor

One of the fundamental issues to enjoy a ham is the cut. Knowing how to start a ham allows us to remove the outer part, protecting the bacon and the meat, preserving both its flavor and its particular aromas.

Next, we analyze how to start a ham and what are the keys so that the first cut is the right one. If you want to buy ham online, at Your Spanish Shop we offer you the best selection.

The parts of the Iberian ham

Before analyzing how a ham is started, it is important to know its parts.

* Knuckle: Also known as hock, it is the upper part closest to the hoof. It is a hard and fibrous area that is usually used for stews.
* Cane: It is the part closest to the hoof in its lower area. Like the shank, it is a tough meat that is usually used to flavor different recipes.
* Mace: The mace is the tastiest part of the ham, it also keeps most of the aromatic compounds of the piece.
* Contra: It is located in front of the mace, the slices are usually shorter and it is also a more cured part.
* Tip: It is one of the parts with more fat, that is why it is very tasty. It is at the opposite end of the hoof.
* Babilla: It is the upper part of the ham. The babilla is more cured than the mace but it is also very tasty. It is precisely in the stifle where we make the first cut.

How to start a ham, the importance of placement

The ham holder is an essential accessory to enjoy a good ham. In this post you will be able to learn all the tricks to place a ham in the ham holder, in short, the ham has two support points, one on the hoof and another on the junction of the counter and the mace, in both cases the ham must remain fixed preventing the piece from moving.

The lower base has a projection that fixes the counter, while the upper part adapts to the diameter of the shank. Once the piece is attached to the ham holder, the crucial moment arrives, the first cut.

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How to start a ham holder, the first cut

The ham begins with the babilla, that is, with the flat top. This part is more cured than the lower area, but it offers us the aromas and flavor that the piece treasures.

When starting a ham we carry out two different phases, cleaning and cutting. In cleaning we remove the upper crust and part of the fat, there are special knives that allow cutting the external part of the ham with precision, to clean the leg with absolute precision.

It is possible to remove the rind at the rate at which we consume the ham, however, it is recommended to carry out a complete cleaning, which maintains the layer of fat throughout all the areas that make up the ham.

Once clean, we carry out the first cut. It is essential to have a ham knife, with a longer and narrower blade than traditional knives. The ham knife is very flexible, we must sharpen the knife correctly and then make a cut in the shank of about 6 cm, as thin as possible.

The length and thickness of the slice will also allow us to enjoy the ham more. The thick slices do not allow the aromas to be released, and they also make it difficult to chew, which allows one to perceive the particular flavors of the piece. On the contrary, a thin slice will completely preserve the notes of the ham.

The first slice is not different from the ones that we are going to cut next, the union of the fat in the upper part and the meat in the lower part can enhance the flavor of the first cuts, but the qualities of the slice always remain unchanged that we make proper cuts.

Tips for cutting an Iberian ham

The precision of the first cut when we start a ham must be maintained throughout the entire process. Here are some tips for cutting a ham correctly beyond the first cut:

* It is important that the knife is always correctly sharpened.
* The cut must always be opposite the cane, that is, from the hoof to the tip.
* The direction of the blade should be as horizontal as possible, to ensure that the slice is thin.
* The second cut must start where the first one finished, the following cuts must also be successive.

If the first cut has been correct, it will be easier to cut the following slices and preserve their flavor and aromas.

Buy Iberian ham at Your Spanish Shop

In the Your Spanish Shop online store you will find the largest selection of Iberian hams at the best price. If you are looking for an Iberian piece and you want to receive it in your own home, at Your Spanish Shop we offer you an incomparable selection of Spanish hams and sausages, in addition we also have sliced ​​ham ready to enjoy.

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