Did you know that cutting ham the right way is essential to enjoy its flavour and aroma to the full? To clean and slice the ham correctly, you will need 3 types of knives: a boning knife, a traditional chef's knife and the most characteristic, the ham knife.
Each one has a different function. At home you probably already have a traditional chef's knife and one for the bone part, but the most important one is the one used for slicing. At Jamón Pasión we are going to tell you all about these utensils.
Types of ham knives
Serrano ham is a very popular food in Spain and all over the world, and there is an art to cutting it. One of the most important parts in the process of slicing ham is the knife. If you want to enjoy a precise and uniform cut, as well as a good cleaning of the ham fat, the rind and the disposable parts, you will need 3 different knives.
Knife for cleaning Spanish ham
This knife is ideal for removing the most oxidised skin and fat from the surface of ham. It is a chef's knife with a wide blade that can be used for many purposes. It is also known as an onion knife.
Its function is simply to remove the rind and impurities from the ham, so it must be a strong, firm knife that can be used with force.
The boning knife, even if you are not going to bone the ham or shoulder at home, will help you to separate the meat from the areas that are stuck to the bone so that you can then use the ham knife without difficulty and take advantage of all the meat from the ham.
It is a knife with a short, narrow blade that allows you to easily access the most complicated areas. It ends in a point, making it very suitable for getting into the narrowest parts of the ham. You can also use it to clean the parts that are stuck to the bone.
Knife for slicing Spanish ham
This is the most important utensil for slicing Serrano ham. It has a long, thin and flexible blade, which allows you to make precise, thin and uniform cuts throughout the ham.
Without the right knife, you will not be able to get all the wonderful qualities of the ham leg.
Ham knives have a standard length of around 30-35 centimetres. This size allows the knife to cut the ham with precision and safety. As it has a flexible blade, it will allow you to adapt to the cutting surface at all times.
In the Jamón Pasión shop, you have several items available that include a shoulder or ham with a holder and a ham knife.
Don't forget that all these knives for cleaning and cutting hams must always be very sharp, so it would be a good idea to have a sharpening steel to keep them sharp.