Whole, boneless or sliced ham: which format to give (and to whom)

There is a mistake we see every Christmas: someone gives a magnificent whole ham to a person who lives alone, has no ham stand and has never carved a ham in their life. The piece ends up in the larder, dries out and is remembered as «that ham that went to waste». The quality was perfect; the format was not. Here are the three formats we work with and who each one suits.

The whole piece: the gift with ceremony

A whole ham weighs between 7 and 9 kilos; a shoulder, between 4 and 6. It is the format for those who enjoy carving, have a ham stand and knife and are going to have people round: a whole ham provides weeks of aperitifs and a complete Christmas. Of that weight, just over half is ham on the plate; the rest is bone, rind and outer fat, which in a household that cooks does not go to waste either (the bone for stock is a classic). When ordering, you choose the weight of the piece and the degree of curing: on the tender side, medium or on the more cured side.

Who it is for: families, enthusiast couples, homes where people celebrate. Who it is not for: those who have no ham stand and no desire to learn to carve. If in doubt, give it with a ham stand: we have them in accessories, and it turns the gift into a plan.

The boneless piece: the same quality, without the struggle

This is the format we most recommend as a gift when you do not know the recipient well. A boneless ham weighs between 3.5 and 4 kilos depending on the quality; a boneless shoulder, about 2.5 kilos. It is the piece without the bone, compact, which can be cut with a knife or a slicing machine with no technique at all, and which fits in any fridge. Everything it weighs is ham. It loses the look of the hanging ham, but gains in convenience and yield, and the flavour is the same because the piece is the same.

Who it is for: those who live alone or as a couple, those without a ham stand, small restaurants and offices. It is also the most sensible format to send as a corporate gift to many people at once.

Sliced: to enjoy today

The 100-gram vacuum packs are ham already sliced in our Barcelona workshop, ready to open and serve. One pack serves two people as an aperitif. It is the format for those who want to try a 100% Iberico acorn-fed ham without committing to a whole piece, for a small gift to a colleague or for those who will not have time to carve. Its weak point is how long it keeps once opened: it should be eaten the same day. Its strong point: zero work and zero waste.

And there is a middle way that many people do not know about: ordering the whole piece and having us slice it and pack it in packs. The recipient gets the complete piece, in packs, without cutting anything. We explain it on the slicing service page.

• Whole (7-9 kg ham / 4-6 kg shoulder): for those who carve and celebrate. With a ham stand, if they do not have one.
• Boneless (3.5-4 kg / 2.5 kg): the safe option when you do not know the recipient. Everything it weighs is eaten.
• Sliced (100 g packs): to enjoy today, to try, as a small gift.
• Whole + sliced by us: the complete piece without the work of carving it.