Carving ham

1 info

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
To Carve a Whole Ham
To Carve a Half-Ham

Directions

Most country hams are sold whole and require a special carving technique. Since, they remain very salty even after cooking, try to keep the slices as thin as possible.

1. Use a thin-bladed, flexible carving knife, and cut down perpendicular to the bone. Remove a wedge-shaped piece at a 45-degree angle.

2. Carve thin slices right down to the bone. Twist the knife slightly when it hits the bone to release each slice.

3. Decrease the carving angle in order to obtain slices of uniform thickness.

4. Turn the ham over and carve lengthwise now, thinly slicing the remaining meat.

Wet-cured hams ÄÄ such as those sold in supermarkets ÄÄ are usually only a portion of the leg, and are easy to slice. Generally speaking, slices should be about one-quarter-inch thick. Again, use a sharp thin-bladed, flexible carving knife.

1. Holding the knife perpendicular to the bone, carve full slices until you reach the bone. Then cut half-slices.

2. Cut parallel to the leg bone to release the slices. Turn the ham over and carve half-slices in the same fashion.

Cook's Illustrated Charter Issue Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 12-23-94

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