We’ve got big news here at COVAP. We’re selling boneless ham! You can now get our Bellota 100% Ibérico completely boneless. This coveted Spanish delicacy is easy to cut and store, and you’ll get even more than before out of every piece. Discover more about this new and exciting product, from how it’s made to how to store it.
What is Boneless Ham?
Boneless ham or “jamón deshuesado” is exactly what it sounds like: ham without the bone. In this case, it’s the same cured Jamón Ibérico you know and love, with its nutty flavors and healthy fats. They are essentially pieces of those back leg hams or front leg shoulders (paletas), which make it easier to vacuum-seal, carve, and store.
How Boneless Ham is Made
If boneless ham ever gets a bad rap, the problem is that some companies sell inferior versions. They’ll combine a slew of random pieces and freeze them all together to simulate a boneless cut. When you defrost the so-called ham or the paleta it can look alot like the real thing. Not only will you miss out on the unique textures of an authentic jamón ibérico, but it’s challenging to track and guarantee quality with a mixture of all sorts of random parts.
Luckily, that’s not how we do it at COVAP.
Our boneless ham is made just as any other Acorn-Fed Jamón 100% Ibérico. Cured in nothing but salt and fresh air until it arrives at the perfect taste and texture, each boneless jamón is handled with the utmost care. We aren’t curing the boneless hams any differently than the bone-in varieties.
In fact, we don’t even cut them until they are fully cured and aged to our exceptionally high standards. Our master jamón-carvers are specially trained in proper slicing techniques, and that includes deboning the hams by hand without any sort of machinery— just the trusty ham knife! All this means you’ll get the same high-quality jamón or paleta you get cut from the bone.
How to Store Boneless Ham
One of the best parts of boneless ham is the ease at which you can preserve and store it. The most important thing to remember is that boneless ham doesn’t function exactly like a bone-in ham. The bone actually helps to preserve the meat, meaning the boneless version won’t last as long.
A vacuum-packed boneless ham, for example, will last about three months unopened without refrigeration (though we do recommend you keep it in a cool place in the house, away from direct sunlight).
Once you open up the package things change. The ham is exposed to oxygen and that means you need to go ham on your ham. Okay, so you don’t have to eat it all in one sitting, but we do recommend storing it in the fridge at this point in an airtight container to keep oxygen out. An opened package of boneless jamón will last 30 days in the fridge. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving. Served at room temperature to best enjoy the flavours of this product.
Why You Should Buy Boneless Ham
Boneless hams are an easy way to keep high-quality jamón ibérico around the house without taking up too much space. And because they’re smaller, they are ideal for couples or small families who may not be able to handle a whole leg on their own.
Boneless ham is also a great idea if it’s your first experience with this cured Spanish delight. We understand some people may be intimidated by trying to cut into a whole jamón on their own— you may not be a master just yet! Heck, there are people in Spain who dedicate their whole lives to perfecting this craft, so starting off with a piece of boneless jamón is undeniably easier. And you won’t have to worry about cutting around complicated edges or wasting a single bite.
Ready to dig into your first jamón ibérico but don’t know where to start? Go boneless and get fresh, paper-thin slices of this national treasure whenever your heart desires.
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