One of my favorite things about Costco is the rotation of amazing products that happens through the seasons. A case in point are the beautiful Jamon Serrano kits from Noel that show up before the holidays.
The Spanish Serrano Hams, which come with a stand and carving knife, are dry cured for 12 months and are an amazing holiday indulgence.
What is Jamon Serrano?
Jamon Serrano is a Spanish dry cured country ham that is ready to slice and eat.
These ready to eat hams are produced by coating fresh hams from large white pigs with sea salt in letting them slowly dry in an environment with controlled temperature and humidity.
The dry curing process, which takes about 12 months to complete, renders this uncooked ham safe to eat by reducing the available moisture to a level which is inhospitable to the growth of harmful bacteria.
About 90% of Spain’s annual ham production is Jamon Serrano with the balance being the famed Jamon Iberico which are made from black pigs and dry cured for three years.
How to Slice Spanish Ham
Slicing a whole, bone-in ham can be intimidating but is pretty easy once you get the hang of things.
The key to slicing is to understand that this is an intensely flavored ham that is best served in thin, small portions. Unlike Costco’s boneless Master Carve Hams, which are great when sliced 1/4 inch thick for sandwiches, this dry cured ham is best when cut into 2-3 inch slices that are thin enough to see through.
You will start by removing the layer of fat from the top of the ham until the meat is exposed. Make small, thin slices ,by slicing downwards with your free hand behind the knife.
The video below does shows you exactly how to slice the ham for serving and is worth a quick watch. If you would rather read than watch then here is a link to the official carving instructions from Noel.
How to Serve the Ham
The two main uses of the ham are to:
- Serve as Tapas
- Use as an Ingredient
Serve as Tapas
You can serve thin pieces of the ham as tapas with cheese, crusty bread and olive oil.
Throw in some cured olives, figs, fruit (melon is excellent) along with a delightful Spanish wine, and you will enjoy one of the best small plates of your life.
Use as an Ingredient
A little bit of this intense ham goes a long way which makes it great for seasoning other dishes. This is an especially great use for the smaller pieces of ham close to the bone that are hard to slice properly for use as tapas.
The ham pairs excellently with chicken dishes, soups and eggs.
Here is a recipe guide from Noel and here is a recipe guide from Jamon.com.
How to Store the Ham
It is unlikely that you will work your way through the 14 pound ham in a single evening (but if you do then congratulations on hosting an excellent party) so you will need to come up with a storage solution for the unused portion.
The important thing you want to do is protect the exposed meat from moisture, which will cause molding, and air, which will cause the meat to dry out.
The best way to preserve the ham is, after you have sliced off all that you want to use, brush the surface of the exposed meat with some olive oil and then top the ham with the initial slices of fat that you carved off.
You can place a dish top or piece of cling film over the fat/oil/ham and it will store nicely at room temperature for a few weeks.
If any mold does grow on the exposed meat then it is not a big deal. Simply use the carving knife to slice off the very top layer of mold, discard and then continue slicing the ham as usual.
Costco Value
You can buy the dry cured ham along with the stand and carving knife for $99 at Costco and the exact same product is currently available from the Big Online Realtor that Starts With an “A” for $249.
Additionally, other brands of whole, bone-in Serrano hams can be bought from other retailers for $200-$400.
The Costco price is the best price you are probably ever going to see for a ham of this quality.
