10 Tips to Become the Master of Jamon Iberico at Parties!

These guys carve Jamón for a living, and have usually been doing it for generations.
To put it simple, carving a Jamón properly is not obvious, but with good tools (Ham stand, Ham Knife and Sharpener) and these great tips, you’ll be carving jamón in no time and become the master of your jamón parties!

Here we go:

1.- Your knife should be well sharpened every time you start carving.

2.- Carve your Jamon Iberico at room temperature (70º-73º F)

3.- Remove the outer fat layer only from the area you are going to start eating / carving. (Save some slices of the removed fat to cover the exposed meat once you are finished carving for the day, this will prevent the jamon from drying).

4.- Cut thin, almost transparent bite-sized slices.

10 Tips - How to Become the Master of Jamon Iberico at Parties!

5.- Keep flat the cutting surface of the ham. This is very important in order to make the most of your jamón, and it also makes it easier to obtain thin slices.

6.- To preserve the Jamon Iberico, once finished carving for the day, keep it in a cool dry place, cover the exposed meat with some slices of the removed fat, and cover the whole piece with a cheesecloth.

7.- When you find the hipbone, insert the knife around the bone to separate the meat from the bone. By doing this the subsequent slices will detach easily and will be clean and neat.

8.- When you get to the bone it’s time to turn the jamón.

9.- Remove the fat from the “babilla”. Continue slicing and don’t forget to keep flat the cutting surface, as described previously.

10.- Again insert the knife around the bone to separate the meat from the bone. Continue slicing and enjoying until you get to the bone. The rest of the bones will still have some delicious jamon that you should cut into small chunks to enjoy as a “tapa” or to cook great recipes.

ENJOY!