Buying a Ham in Spain

Every Christmas the supermarkets are filled with Legs of Ham or Jamon. We have seen these for 7 years and seen the Spanish tasting and buying them. They seem to range from 40 right up to a few hundred Euros.

Because of our lack of knowledge we have always been a little scared...

1) Dont want to buy a whole ham and not like the flavour.

2) Dont really understand how or what is best.

3) Not be able to cut it.

4) Just end up wasting money

But on Saturday in Hypercor and seeing lots of people buying them we plucked up the courage to buy one. We tried it first and then the lady found one that was ready for use. We paid 79€. Then a stand which was 15 reduced to 11. Plus a knife with sharpener that came with a dvd about cutting ham.

Brought it home, stuck it downstairs in the utility area. We put it on the stand and then started to carve the top then around the sides abit.

Slicing this ham thin is alot more difficult that it seems. The knife is also very sharp and already cut ourselves a number of times.

We watched the video that gave us a bit of understanding but too be honest we arent very good at slicing. But we are getting there and practice makes perfect and it is quite nice to have ham always here and yesterday I even took a plate round to some friends.

We do wish now we bought it from one of our friends who is Spanish, who knows all about Hams and sells them. It would have been better to have been shown exactly what to do and how to do it in our own home. Unfortunately my husband decided he wanted it there and then and when I called her she didnt have any at that time. She has been around ham all her life and knows everything you need to know about them.

Theres quite alot to know and the more you know the more you appreciate what you are eating I think. Im going to see if I can put my friends phone number up here but if you are interested in the meantime, email me jomarbella@gmail.com

Over this weekend, talking to a few other sets of friends, they also would love to buy a ham but just dont have the confidence.

Update...Ok, so the doorbell just went and it was my friend who said she would come and show me how to slice the ham. She told me that the ham I bought was good but it wasnt what I thought which was. Also we hadnt cut it completely right and it should have been the other way.

She was saying that sometimes the hoof is painted black and not really black. Also a Pata Negra Iberia ham hoof should have some splits in it where it has been digging for the acorns to eat.

Theres so much more to ham than many people realise. Also she told me that you wouldnt get a proper Pata Negra fed only on Acorns for under 200€.

Loads of information here on Wikipedia

For a first ham Im pleased we didnt spend too much and use the cheaper one to try and learn to carve and then maybe next time spend a bit more. But if you buy too cheap, the ham may not be what you expect and put you off completely. Personally, if its your first go buy from someone that has time to show you what to do. My friend has told me that we havent cut enough and wasting alot of meat thats there. It could have been cut better basically but Hypercor dont have the time to explain this to first timers.