Where do you start a ham from?

You love ham. You have always consumed it already cut, either by machine or by knife. But the reality is very clear, as it tastes best it is freshly cut with a knife, and if not, deny me.

At El Otro Arte we sell most of our 100% Iberian acorn-fed hams already cut and vacuum packed in glass jars . We do it this way because we want it to be easy to enjoy the best ham in the world, the pata negra, without compromising the consumer experience. Buuuuuuuuut, if you still want to enjoy the ritual to the full, we will explain some tricks so that the cutting process, which is an art, does not spoil the moment.

Question number one, where do I start my ham? Let's try to shed some light. Something that will help us decide which is the best way is to ask ourselves how long the ham is going to be open.

Progressive consumption, for several days

If you are going to use your ham for consumption at home, or in a business, but it will last several days or weeks, you should undoubtedly start it with the hoof facing the sky. Doing so, we will start our ham with the mallet, which is the freshest, juiciest, and thickest part of the leg. Because? Because it is the least protected part of the ham, and we know that as soon as a ham is started, it immediately begins to dry, so we must be aware that with each passing day, the quality can be affected (and much more in summer than in winter).

Same-day consumption (for example, an event)

If the ham is destined for an event, and its consumption is going to take place in a single day, we can say that it does not matter where to start it. In the short time that it will last open, it will not lose its qualities.

Cleaning the ham

Before proceeding to slice our ham, we must clean it. This consists of removing the inedible parts that will cause strange flavors if we do not eliminate them perfectly. We're talking mostly about the crust, and the layers of yellow bacon.

Another question that you usually ask us is related to cleaning the ham. And it is that taking into account the consumption time of the ham, we will also decide this aspect. The type of cleaning will depend on how long the ham is going to be open. If it is going to be consumed on the same day, we will proceed to complete the cleaning, completely removing the rind and the yellow layers of fat. If, on the contrary, it is a ham intended for consumption at home, or in a business where it will be open for several days, we will carry out partial cleanings depending on our needs. The skin of the ham is the natural and most effective protection, so it makes sense to leave it in the areas that are not going to be consumed immediately.

What is the slicing-packaging process for El Otro Arte hams?

In the case of our hams, the process is very well established:

1. First of all, we select the best legs, only those that are completely ready for consumption, with optimal curing;
2. Once we have taken the selected legs to the cutting room, the team of professional cutters arrives at the facilities to proceed with the slicing;
3. The professional cutters clean our hams completely and slice them following the traditional style, with a knife cut that allows each slice to have the perfect proportions of lean and fat;
4. The packaging team is ready to carefully deposit each slice in our glass jars;
5. When the jar is complete, the lid is closed, and it is vacuum packed. Between this point and the cutting of the slices, very few minutes pass. Only in this way can we ensure that the quality is the highest possible, making the experience as good as if we were eating freshly cut ham.

Cutting a ham is an art that very few cutters master perfectly, but it is magic for all of us who are in love with this very special product. If you like it, we encourage you to try it, as it helps to better understand and appreciate the particularities of this Iberian jewel. But we are also aware that, like any discipline, it takes a lot of time and practice to master it. For all those in love with good 100% Iberico Bellota ham , who cannot have that time to cut it, or who simply do not have enough daily consumption to buy the whole leg, we recommend our glass jars.

With our patented system, the slices will be as freshly cut, they do not stick to each other, and without strange flavors like when packaged in plastic blister packs.

Haven't you tried our jars yet? You can visit the product page by clicking HERE .