Starting a ham: hoof up or hoof down?

It is the first question when you put a ham on the ham stand, and almost everyone believes there is a right way and a wrong way. That is not the case: both are fine. What decides it is how long the piece will last.

The two sides of the ham

A ham has two sides for carving. The maza is the broadest and juiciest part, the one with the most lean meat; it is on top when the hoof points upwards. The babilla is the opposite side: narrower, with less fat and slightly more cured; it is on top when the hoof points downwards.

If it will be eaten soon: hoof up

If the piece will not last long (a celebration, a house full of people, eating it over one to three days), place it with the hoof facing up and start with the maza. It is the most impressive part and the most popular, and in such a short time the babilla does not have time to dry out.

If it will last weeks: hoof down

If the ham will last weeks, place it with the hoof facing down and start with the babilla. The babilla is the part that dries out first, because it is thinner and has less fat; the maza keeps better. By starting with the babilla you eat first the part that waits least well, and the piece stays fresher until the end.

And with a shoulder?

The rule is the same. The shoulder is smaller and is finished sooner, so in many homes people start straight away with the maza. If you are going to carve it little by little, hoof down is better.

• Quick consumption (one to three days): hoof up, start with the maza.
• Slow consumption (weeks): hoof down, start with the babilla.
• Between carvings, cover the cut surface with the piece's own fat.
• Store the piece at between 14 and 18 °C, in a dry place out of direct sunlight.