Serrano ham is one of the greatest exponents of gastronomy in our country. A delicacy also revered beyond our borders, perfect to consume alone as an appetizer or tapa, in a sandwich or to accompany other dishes, such as a crispy ham to dress salads or vegetable creams.
Now, being a food with a gourmet seal, it is not exactly economical. Especially if we choose to buy the whole leg of ham, or it has been given to us as a gift. Whatever the case, it is important to know how to preserve the leg of ham to take advantage of it and ensure that it lasts in good condition for as long as possible. In this sense, there is a very common mistake that you may be making and spoiling the flavor of this succulent meat.
From his Instagram profile, professional ham cutter Diego Hernández teaches us a mistake that we frequently make when preserving the leg of ham at home once it has started: using the top of the ham skin to cover the meat.
The expert points out that this piece, which is the first to be cut when opening the ham, has rancid areas, which could spoil the flavor. Instead, what we have to do is clean the area around the part that we are going to consume. From this we must extract a long, thin slice of bacon, to cover the meat when we stop cutting.
Next, wrap it with a piece of plastic wrap, making sure it adheres well to the meat. Finally, the area is covered with a clean cloth, but not cotton, as it has bacteria, as Hernández points out. In this way, we prevent the light from the house or kitchen from damaging the color of the ham.
The ham will last like this for about three days. After that time, you have to uncover it again and clean the outside with the bacon that we used to cover it. “Otherwise, after the third day, mold can grow on the outside of the piece,” concludes the cutter.
In another video, Diego Hernández shows the step by step to start the leg of ham at home. The first thing he points out is to take a small knife and wrap it in paper to prevent it from slipping.
To start the ham, take the hock bone, located under the hoof, as a reference. Mark two fingers below it and there make the initial oblique cut, not straight, until it hits the bone.
Then remove the upper part of the piece from the widest end towards the hoof, to continue drawing lines and cleaning the ham as seen in the video, always placing your left hand behind the knife.
