ADVICE ON HOW TO CUT PROPERLY THE IBERIAN HAM

Needed tools
Cutting board
Knives:
Ham knife (long and flexible)
Machete (with a wide blade)
Short knife
Steel, to sharpen

1 Before placing the ham on the cutting board, make a deep cut with a machete in the leg (A) over the hock. From this incision, take out the covering skin and bacon as you cut the ham. It is good to keep some of it to cover and protect the part of the ham that has been cut. If the ham is going to be consumed all in one day, it can be completely peeled off, and it is suggested to cut from different parts to mix portions of different tastes in the same plate.

2 The ham must be placed on the cutting board with the hoof upwards. Cutting must start from the mace (B) the widest and juiciest part. It should be a straight cut without grooves, always keeping it free of skin and superficial bacon.

3 Reaching the hip bone (C), make an incision around it with a short knife to separate it from the meat. This will make the slice cutting easier.

4 In the articulation zone of the femur and the knee-cap, only take slices out from the part near the hip bone (B and D), leaving the hock last.

5 Turn the ham upside down to cut from the stifle (F) and from the haunch (E).

6 To cut the hock (G), take the splinter-bone first making a deep cut and a crowbar. The cutting in this area can be in slices or small cubes.

7 To end up, the ham´s bone and the meat that cannot be sliced, cut in pieces they are good ingredients for cooking.