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Getting
the best from your Serrano ham
 A
full serrano ham will last for well over a month if carved
wafer thin and kept moist, being a full leg of cured pork
means that tapas servings are plentiful as are the opportunity
for some fantastic recipes - this is where the Spanish ham
really comes into its own.
There
is nothing quite like wafer thin, almost transparent slices
of good Spanish ham, the perfect tapa in every respect which
accompanies other foods such as manchego cheese, olives,
nuts and olive oil. A 7.5kg ham (common weight) will provide
up to 100 tapas sized servings simply sliced on its own.
However
there are many more ways to enjoy your ham and make it last
whilst creating some real Spanish flavour through traditional
recipes. Serrano ham as an ingredient goes very well in
chicken dishes, salads and even beef, serrano ham can also
be lightly fried in olive oil for a true Spanish breakfast
- serve with poached eggs, morcilla (black pudding) toast
etc and you have an Andalucian version of a "full English"
Full
hams produce a lot of meat so it is a good idea to incorporate
ham into recipes, not only will this make the ham stretch
further but will also add that unique flavour to some very
easy to make dishes. Here are some examples:
The
Serrano ham is found in most Spanish kitchens even today,
used as an ingredient in cooking as well as utilized to
carve off that thin sliver of gourmet meat to accompany
the fine glass of red. Ham is also good for the packed lunch
box, a few small slices in a sandwich are ideal for the
kids - Spanish ham is tremendously healthy too.
When
the meat is exhausted the ham takes on another role - stock.
A good stock never comes in wrong in any good kitchen (making
paella for example) stock can be frozen or used immediately
and has an array of uses for that flavour packed foundation
to a hearty meal, the most common being soups and broths.
Serrano ham bones can be cut into sections and boiled to
make a fabulous Mediterranean stock:
1.
Cut the hoof from the ham bone
2. Cut the remaining bone into three equal lengths
3. Place in a large pan and cover with water
4. Add onions/carrots/vegetable
5. Boil for 1 hour
This
will create a stock suitable for meat dishes, soups, stews
and paella. Around the hip joint there will generally be
a little meat left around the bone, once boiled this meat
can be removed or "scraped" off adding some extra
flavour to the stock.
How
long a ham will last will obviously depend on the frequency
of consumption, there are however an abundance of ways to
enjoy the Spanish flavour of your ham. A highly versatile
meat which can be enjoyed over and over again in a whole
host of recipes.
Enjoy
carving your ham, enjoy serving but most importantly savour
that flavour!
For
more information on ham carving and storage click on the
links below:
©
Copyright 2009 Orce Serrano Hams - www.orceserranohams.com
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