Cutting ham requires concentration, calm and patience; it can end up being even relaxing and has a pleasant and immediate result. Ham cutting can become an art, although reaching the level of excellence of a professional requires years of dedication, with the right tools, a good teacher (or a tutorial) and hours of practice, excellent results can be achieved. First place the ham in the holder with the hoof facing up, making sure that it is well supported. If it is to be consumed on the same day, all the crust and the outer bacon will be removed by peeling the ham. If not, it will be cleaned and shaped as it is cut. Do not forget to keep your hands behind the knife in the direction of the cut, or protect the hand with which you are holding the ham with a cloth. It is very important to cut it into very thin slices, which are transparent, for which if you do not have a good knife essentially prepared to cut ham, you will not be able to do it correctly (the knife must be long, thin and very sharp). Knowing how to cut the ham well is so important that there is a tremendous difference when it comes to savoring it in one way or another. Place the ham on the support with the hoof facing downwards and “peel” it, that is to say, with the knife remove the superficial crust and fat. If you are only going to consume part of it, peel only the area where you are going to cut to prevent the rest of the ham from drying out too much.

Once the ham has been “peeled” you can start slicing.

Today a good Iberian ham continues
being the best welcome before a great feast.

The fine streaks of fat in the ham are its sign of identity par excellence.

The ham must be tilted on its support and must never be carved by machine.

Only by hand can you capture the subtleties that the paw area offers.

The suitable temperature for cutting is around 12 ° C

From start to finish, there are a number of stages where a proper touch of the knife is required.

The presence of a little fat in the slice is essential.
The presence of white spots in the meat of the ham does not indicate any defect, this is tyrosine crystallisation, not only is it not harmful, but, like the lees of some great wines, they are the testimony of a long natural curing process.
– The ham should not be eaten cold (it loses its flavor), nor should it be stored in refrigerators.
– It should be split at the beginning with the hoof facing downwards because it is the hardest part and when it is finished the other part will be used.
– The scab will be removed little by little to prevent it from drying out. – The cut will always be protected with bacon, kitchen paper moistened in olive oil.
– You should never cut more ham than is going to be consumed.
One of the most debated issues is whether the ham should be eaten in very thin slices or diced, also called “tacos”. Regardless of the tastes of each one, it is necessary to consider that there are parts of the ham that are ideal for cutting into translucent slices and others that are stronger and closer to the bone, for the tacos.