Make no bones about it , this is the downright good way of life to carve a bone - in ham ( as well as a volute and boneless cuts ) .
A luscious , showy ham roast is the centerpiece of many Christmas andEaster menus , a atomic number 27 - star with turkey at some Thanksgivings , yet it ’s easy enough to bring to your weeklySunday dinnerline - up . Beyond being tasty and gang - pleasing , ham is easier to prep than most other large cuts , plus it ’s one of the mostbudget - friendly proteinoptions uncommitted . Leftovers are incredibly versatile , too . ( More on that in short . ) Clearly , it ’s a wise thought to go ham every so often .
Most store - bought hams are alreadycured , smoked , or baked , which mean that they ’re all coiffe to doctor up up with your desired glazes or sauces , reheat , and down . But there ’s one drop stone’s throw in that process , and it can derail your dinner party success if you do n’t ace it : carving a ham .
Credit:Jason Donnelly. Food Styling: Holly Dreesman. Prop Styling: Joseph Wanek
To avail set you up for slice success , we askedSarah Brekke , M.S.,Better Homes & GardensTest Kitchen culinary specialist , to dish about how to chip at a ham actor . No matter if you ’re starting with a bone - in cut , a volute ham , a boneless jambon , or a gammon steak , we have solutions to make the project a cinch .
Jason Donnelly . Food Styling : Holly Dreesman . Prop Styling : Joseph Wanek
What You’ll Need to Carve Ham
How to Carve a Ham
Before we dive into on the dot how to cut up a ham actor ( no matter what mode you ’ve fix ) , it ’s crucial to address what Brekke deems “ the biggest mistakes when it comes to carve ham . Focus on safety , ” she advise . “ Make certain your ham is sitting on a categoric side to keep it from tipping ; you’re able to always trim one side to make it have a flatter base to sit down on . Also , habituate a carving forking or gravid set of pair of tongs to help stabilize the meat during the slice process . ”
Jason Donnelly
How to Carve a Bone-In Ham
Most pearl - in jambon have two different os running through the meat , Brekke explain :
“ For the most impressive ham fade , you ’ll want to cut away large portions of boneless meat from these 2 ivory , ” Brekke says .
If the cut just contains the femur , it ’s commonly labeled as a ham waist . That will make unnecessary you a pace , but whether you ’re working with two or one osseous tissue , the same technique holds genuine for how to cut a off-white - in ham . just skip stride 2 if you ’re wondering how to carve a ham shank .
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Test Kitchen Tip : Don’t toss those pearl ! After dinner party , use a paring tongue to trim any kernel remaining on the ham bones to use in soups , stews , casseroles , breakfast hashes , or frittata . Keep the bone handy ( it can last in an airtight container in the deep freezer for up to 6 months ) to impregnate flavor into recipes such as soup , braise greens , or baked beans .
How to Carve a Spiral Ham
The machine that spiralizes a ham does nearly all of the oeuvre for you , Brekke admit : “ Learning how to carve voluted ham is fair square . Just slice and answer . ”
Related:15 of the Best Side dish for Ham
How to Carve a Boneless Ham
There ’s no castanets about it : slice up a boneless gammon is even gentle still .
Test Kitchen Tip : If the ham is too large to deal , cut it in one-half before slicing to make the task easier ,
How to Carve a Ham Steak
Curious about how to chip at a ham steak ? It ’s essentially already cut up for you . A ham actor steak is a sliced piece of ham that is ready to serve once it ’s cooked . If you ’re divide the ham steak between separate diners , but utilise your knife to divvy up even portions .
You ’re now well - equipped to cut up all of the most common types of ham . From here , all that ’s left to do is savor the piece you ’ve so beautifully trimmed . If you bump to have extras , meditate up on our tricks for thebest way to reheat ham . Or if you ’d like to metamorphose your bonus protein into something new , do n’t leave out theseleftover gammon recipes you ’ll look forward to make .
Credit:Jason Donnelly
