I have already said on other occasions that the Serrano Ham, be it serrano, or Iberian, of bait or acorn, as it is most enjoyed is tasted alone, paired with a good red wine, with body, one of the many that we have in Spain.
But it is also true that the tasting of a product begins with the sense of sight first and that of smell later, before arriving at what we usually understand that is the sense of taste, and in Serrano ham that occurs in equal or greater extent than in the food bill.
To recreate the view, the Serrano Ham must have a good color, which usually occurs whenever the ham is well cured and is freshly cut. If this ham also has a slight streak of intramuscular fat, it still improves its appearance.
But it is also important how the Iberian Ham is placed so as not to affect its visual characteristics and for this we must take great care of the support in which it is presented.
It is advisable that the dish or base chosen to present the Ham is plain, preferably white and of course without drawings or patterned motifs that distort its appearance.
Its cut is also important, which, as I have indicated on other occasions, is not an easy cut and requires learning.
The cut of the Serrano Ham should be made by knife, with slices or pieces of reduced thickness, 1-2 mm, and dimensions of about 3-5 cm x 6-10 cm.
When the cut is made by knife, the direction of the cut is usually in the direction of the muscle fibers, cutting the Ham in the direction from the hoof to the tip.
It is convenient to prepare the cut before starting, cleaning the bark and the excess of bacon, so that the sliced slices do not have an excess of the latter.
The placement, if it is on a plate, is usually done from the outer edge to the inside, although it lends itself to making different placements but it is recommended, by appearance, that some slices of Ham overlap over others. The good image that is achieved with that plating will greatly enhance that enjoyment of the sense of sight.
The type of cut, if it is well done, will favor the emission of “aromas” by the Iberian ham, so that when we take a slice and approach it to the mouth, we will perceive those aromas that are something extraordinary and characteristic of good ham.
This emission of aromas of Serrano Ham after cutting, it is convenient that it does not take long from the cut to its consumption and that it is advisable to cover it with a clean napkin, after cutting and plating, until its presentation on the table.
Finally, the maximum pleasure is in the tasting of that Ham and again it is very important that it has been cut and preserved well, according to the guidelines that we have been pointing out.
Try to follow these tips and you will see how that Iberian acorn-fed ham that already was very tasty, now it will be delicious!
You can buy Serrano Ham online, both Serrano and Iberian through our Gastronomic Spain page and receive it wherever you indicate, in any country in Europe, at prices without competition.
