Serving Boneless Spanish Cured Ham

Smoked boneless Iberian ham is one of Spain's greatest culinary offerings to the world. It is only produced in small quantities and highly regarded by the Spaniards themselves.

Jamon Iberico is always a part of any Mediterranean meal and it is usually paired with tomatoes that enhances the taste of the ham and it also a good source of antioxidants. They are sometimes eaten with baguettes or "barra" in tapas bars and restaurants. Tapas consists of meat, fish, eggs,and vegetables served with bread and a glass of wine. The Iberian cured ham is not eaten as a main meal but as appetizers or food that is eaten between meals to help stave off hunger while waiting for lunch or dinner. The main meal is very rich in fat and so heavy that it has to be taken at least two hours before going to work to give your body time to digest. Aside from its taste, Iberian ham is alse well known for its antioxidant and cholesterol lowering properties.

This cured ham is never meant to be cooked and must be eaten raw. The deshuesado or the boneless ham is served like caviar, you only need to serve very few thin slices of ham per person. You can pair it with a refreshing, dry wine which can either be red or white. Jamon Iberico deshuesado must be kept in the refrigerator if you are not going to consume it. Eat within two days the cured ham once it has been taken out of its package. The cured ham can be kept for two weeks if it is stored properly. Carefully wrap the ham in cling wrap or keep it in an airtight container and always refrigerate the ham. Do not attempt to heat the ham in anyway and always serve it at room temperature. Doing so will only destroy the delicate texture of the ham.

The very best way to serve the ham is by itself and with a few accompaniments such as cheeses, olives, tomatoes and simple crusty bread. Tomatoes are great for balancing the saltiness of the fats. You can also choose to grill the bread and then rub some garlic and drizzle olive oil to make great tapas. This ham costs twice than the normal Iberian Ham so take great care when storing and serving the ham. You do not want to lose its velvety and melt in the mouth texture because of improper storage. If you will have problems slicing the ham, you can also ask your butcher to carve it for you because they have a machine that can slice it very thinly.

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