Carving the Perfect Christmas Ham

When it comes to initiating that initial cut into your beautifully coated Yuletide ham, it can be intimidating to determine where to commence! Let us demonstrate how to slice like a professional for your Yuletide feast.

Dec 06, 2022 1:00pmWe understand the situation - you remove your stunning coated ham from the oven on Christmas day, your guests' mouths are watering and everyone is eager to finally enjoy Yuletide feast. It can be tempting in that moment to take a large knife to the glistening leg and hope for the best, but you run the risk of cutting uneven slices, dehydrating your ham, or even worse - causing yourself a painful cut (ouch!). That's why our Test Kitchen specialists have compiled this guide on how to carve a Yuletide ham - so you can make the most of your delectable centerpiece. The first step in carving your hot Yuletide ham is to let it rest. When a ham emerges from the oven, it's similar to any other roast and requires time to rest before serving in order to allow the juices to soak back into the meat. Hams can be quite sizable chunks of meat, so allowing the ham to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving is ideal. A rested ham is much easier to carve than one straight out of the oven and will guarantee perfectly succulent meat. Not everyone serves a hot Yuletide ham, particularly in Australia where a Yuletide feast of cold sliced ham is practically a staple. If you're carving a cold ham, it's important to let the ham reach room temperature for approximately an hour before slicing, as this will make it easier to cut into and enhance its flavor. Once your ham is rested (or brought up to room temperature), it's time to kick off the carving extravaganza! If you need some inspiration for your baked ham, try our Yuletide ham recipes and glazes. Making a cut from the shank end of the ham will facilitate the creation of scrumptiously even slices. First, position the ham on a cutting board and secure it with a carving fork.

Then, utilizing a substantial sharp blade, create a vertical incision in the direction of the bone at the shank (narrow) extremity of the ham. Subsequently, perform a cut at an incline to the initial cut to eliminate a modest triangle-shaped piece of ham. This produces a larger surface area for slicing your initial proper piece. Additionally, that initial wedge serves as your reward for initiating this exceptional creation.

Continue to slice towards the ham bone, executing extended motions with the blade to produce delicate and thin pieces across the entire width of the ham. The portions will grow in size as you slice your way up the bone. If your blade is inadequate in length, you can initiate slicing from the sides of the ham towards the center, alternating sides as you progress along the bone. It is advisable to carve only the amount you require at any given moment to prevent the meat from becoming dry.

Having the appropriate equipment will assist in ensuring optimal outcomes. The Furi Pro Carving Set 2 Piece is designed for precise control and effortless gliding through the ham, resulting in smooth and consistent slices.

When carving at an angle, slice thin pieces from the Christmas ham using long and sweeping motions. The delectably glazed slices from the upper section of the ham may be the first to be served, but there is still much carving to be done! To carve the lower section of the ham, flip it over and cut long and flat slices parallel to the ham bone.

Since there is less meat on the underside of the ham, slicing parallel to the bone is the optimal approach for creating substantial and sizable pieces.

What can be done with remaining Christmas ham?

Despite believing that our appetites would easily handle an entire Christmas ham, more often than not, we reach our limit earlier than anticipated and find ourselves with numerous leftovers in the fridge (strangely, this isn't a common occurrence with Christmas cakes and desserts).

Fortunately, there are various ways to utilize Christmas ham leftovers after the holiday. First and foremost, once all the meat has been carved off, the bone can be preserved (and frozen for up to three months) to prepare delicious ham stock or soup.

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