How to carve ham
A good ham can be spoilt by bad carving — while the right cut makes the very same piece taste better. Carving well isn't a talent you're born with: it's technique, a knife that's up to the job and knowing which part of the piece you're working on at any given moment.
In our workshop we bone and slice hams every day. These guides are for when the ham is in your kitchen: step by step how to carve a ham with a knife, which tools are worth having and which you can do without, how to sharpen and look after your ham knife and how to make the most of the piece right down to the bone. And if carving isn't your thing, no shame in that: that's what our slicing service is for.
Starting a ham: hoof up or hoof down?
It is the first question when you put a ham on the ham stand, and the answer depends on just one thing: how long the piece will last.
How to carve an Iberico ham (and a shoulder) step by step
The Castanoble carving manual: which tools you need, how to position the piece, carving in seven illustrated steps and how to make the most of it right down to the bone. With a section on the shoulder.
How to sharpen a ham knife step by step
Keeping your ham knife well sharpened is key to getting thin, juicy slices. We explain how to check the edge, sharpen it with a honing steel step by step and look after it so that it lasts for years.
Iberico ham: machine-sliced or knife-carved?
We compare machine slicing and knife carving of ham: flavour, texture, convenience and tradition, so that you can choose the method that best suits each occasion.
Essential ham knives for cutting Iberico ham
To cut an Iberico ham properly you need three knives: a butcher's knife, a ham knife and a boning knife. We explain what each one is for and the steps of cutting.
Tools for carving Iberico ham: ham knives, ham stands and boards
We look at the essential tools for carving an Iberico ham properly: from the ham stand to the ham knife, by way of the honing steel, the boning knife and the tongs.