Christmas baskets usually include a ham shoulder, of a lower or higher quality, but well received in any home. Although most think that it can only be used to eat its tasty meat, there are other ways to take advantage of the remains of the Iberian ham.
Both the skin and the bones of the acorn-fed and serrano Iberian ham and shoulder are some of the great forgotten when we are going to consume or take advantage of our piece. It is usually used on top to prevent the ham from drying out, but there are other options to serve it as a flavor enhancer or to make appetizer crusts.
Use of the skin
Although it is known that everything from the ham is usable except the hoof, we must take into account the skin. Logically, it is difficult to eat as it is totally fat, but there are some ways to take advantage of it, beyond using it as a cover for the cut.
Some call it bark or fat waste, and it ends up in the trash. But it is a big mistake. The skin of the ham can be put in a saucepan over low heat until it melts, and this broth can be used to give more flavor to other foods . It is a perfect natural flavor enhancer. It can be stored in the fridge and spooned into other sauces to make them more flavorful. With the fat, like the crust, it can be used to sauté any vegetable or with sauce . You will notice the difference in flavor, and more if the shoulder is of good quality.
You can even make chicharrones, tasty and crunchy Iberian pork tacos, unhealthy but suitable for keto diets. And since the ham rinds are quite rich, we can use the skin to make them. This delicious ham appetizer is made using simply the crust of ham cut into small pieces and olive oil. You have to fry them in very hot and abundant olive oil until they swell and the fat is dissolved. Easy and simple, yet high in calories and fat.
As we said before, as we cut our piece of ham, more percentage of meat and fat is left uncovered. But if we leave it in direct contact with the air long enough, it will dry out. So the first layer can even be wasted. To cover it, covering it with a piece of skin is the best option since we will allow the ham to breathe and we will avoid lint from the kitchen towels.
The skin is the great forgotten when we have a palette at home; however, we already know alternatives and ideas to take full advantage of it.
Ham bones also work
The bone can be cut into three pieces and stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Like the skin, it is perfect to enhance broths and consommés, or cooked.
But not all the part of the bone is valid for cooking. The one we will use is the knuckle one, located under the hoof. Much of the meat of the ham accumulates in this area, but it cannot be cut with a knife. As the pig is a strong and large animal, it is recommended to cut the bone with an electric saw or a kitchen ax. But since very few people have this type of kitchen utensil at home, it is best to go to a butcher or delicatessen to have it cut. It is the only way to cut it correctly and be able to take advantage of everything to make exquisite recipes.
The rest of the ham bones are not worth using. The bone is used mainly for stews and soups. We just have to cover it with water to help release all its juices and flavors.
