How To Serve And Store Spanish Ham

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Jamon or Spanish ham is one of the greatest culinary treasures that Spain has given to the world. It is enjoyed by Spaniards more than any other nationality in the world and it is normal to see a whole ham displayed on the kitchen table ready for anybody to slice and eat for snacks or meals. A whole ham is easy store and can be kept on hand for use in recipes or as tapas.

A jamonero or holder is the best way to store your whole hamon with bone included. It should be stored in a well ventilated place that is cool and dry. It can also be hung up by the rope in your kitchen. Always cover the ham with plastic or cling wrap to preserve the flavour, freshness, and moisture. A little of the removed fat can be used to cover after slicing. Discard the first slice of the ham if it has been left exposed to the air for a long time. The meat has a tendency to become dry and tough when left out uncovered.

If your hamon is boneless, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator and wrapped in the wrappings that came with it or with butcher paper. Those that are vacuum packed needs to be taken out of their original wrappings and stored in another container. Boneless hams can be cut into smaller pieces for storage or sliced by an electric slicer. It is imperative that Spanish ham must be served at room temperature so cool it down outside your refrigerator before serving but do not cook it.

The first step in slicing a whole ham is to remove the layer of fat covering the top and sides of the meat until the meat is exposed. Trim the fat while you are slicing and if it is Iberico ham, cut very thin slices that include some of the rich and marbled fat. Slice in a downward motion and use your free hand situated below the knife for leverage. If your ham is to be consumed just in a day or two then you can remove totally the skin and fats. If you plan to consume it over a longer period of time then it is better to only remove the skin and fat from the part that you are going to slice for that day.

To fully enjoy the flavour and texture of a fine Spanish Jamon, then slice it with a long and very sharp knife starting with the rump half and then to the rump end and lastly at the shank. The meat that is closest to the bone is not easy to slice but small chunks can be sliced off it for use in making soups and stews.