Preparing a meal for a holiday or family celebration can be stressful. Luckily, you can turn the event into a stress-free dinner by serving ham as the main event. Even beginners can learn how to cook a ham because the meat is already cooked or smoked before you purchase it. The trickiest part of serving ham is getting it off the bone. Learning how to cut a ham isnt hard, but its easy to get out of practice if you only do it once a year. Follow along with our handy guide to learn how to carve a ham.
Carving a Butt Half or Portion HamPlace pre-cut side of ham down on the cutting board. … Slice boneless section across the grain and transfer to a serving platter.To carve the remaining meat from the bone, insert fork into meat next to bone and make horizontal slices as shown.
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Place pre-cut side of ham down on the cutting board. …
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Slice boneless section across the grain and transfer to a serving platter.
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To carve the remaining meat from the bone, insert fork into meat next to bone and make horizontal slices as shown.
What Is the Best Ham to Buy?There are several types of ham, so you’ll want to
- Sharp knife: A dull knife is a dangerous knife. It can slip as you cut through the ham, leading to a situation that will ruin dinner! Spend a quick minute to sharpen your knife before getting started. As far as which knife to choose, we recommend a carving knife with a long, thin blade.
- Carving fork: This may seem like a silly accessory, but the carving fork helps stabilize the ham as you cut. If you only serve a roast once a year, you could use a regular fork or a sturdy pair of tongs. However, the carving fork is inexpensive and classy (especially when carving tableside), so we recommend picking one up. If youre in the market for a new carving knife, you can choose one sold as a set with the fork.
- Carving board: You definitely want a carving board thats large enough to hold the whole ham, but you also want it to be heavy and sturdy. Theres nothing worse than a board that slides around as youre trying to slice. We recommend using a cutting board with grooves to catch any extra juices for easy clean-up.
How to Carve a Ham – Real Simple
FAQ
Which side of ham goes down?
How do you cut a ham?
Place the ham on the cutting board, exposing the bone on one end. The bone should be horizontal to the cutting board. Using your boning knife, pierce the flesh close to the bone and cut around the bone in a circular fashion. At this point, the outer spiral slices should start to fall open.
How do you cut a ham with a fork?
Once your ham has rested, transfer it to the cutting board, cut-side down, so that it lays flat and will be stable as you start slicing. Insert your fork into the center of the ham and slice off the largest chunk you can, cutting as close to the bone as possible; slice that piece vertically into thinner pieces.
Can you cut a ham without a bone?
You can find them with or without a bone and some are even spiral-cut for even easier slicing. If you purchase a butt-end ham, which is usually larger, you’ll be able to carve thick slices, but you’ll have to work around multiple bones.
How do you cut meat against the grain?
Cutting meat against the grain involves slicing it perpendicular to its muscle fibers. Cutting against the grain is a technique that enhances tenderness and taste. Cut Perpendicular to Fibers: Enhances tenderness by shortening muscle fibers. Thin Slices: Maximizes tenderness and flavor absorption.