Practical
How to store and serve Ibérico ham
How do you store sliced Ibérico ham, and at what temperature should you serve it? Practical tips for vacuum-packed ham, a whole leg and the best wine to go with it.
By Ibéricos Anjoreta · Updated on
A good ham deserves good treatment. The most important secret is simple: never serve it cold.
Sliced ham in a vacuum pack
- Storing: unopened, cool and dry, as stated on the label. Check the best-before date on the pack.
- Before serving: take the pack out of the fridge 20 to 30 minutes in advance. You can also warm the pack briefly in your hands or on a warm plate.
- Opening: cut the pack open and gently separate the slices. Lay them side by side on a plate, not in a pile.
- Once opened: ideally eat it the same day. Cover leftovers well and keep them in the fridge.
A whole ham
- Keep a whole ham in a cool, dry, dark place, not in the fridge. Unopened, it keeps for months.
- Put it in a ham stand (jamonero) and slice with a long, thin, flexible ham knife.
- After each use, cover the cut surface with a few slices of fat you trimmed earlier, and lay a clean tea towel over it.
- Once cut, a ham is best finished within a few weeks.
The perfect temperature
Ibérico ham tastes best at 20 to 24 °C. The fat turns soft and glossy: the sign that the ham is ready. Straight from the fridge the fat is white and stiff and you taste almost nothing.
What to drink with it
- Fino or manzanilla sherry: the classic Andalusian pairing. Dry and fresh, it brings out the saltiness of the ham.
- Cava or a dry white: fresh and easy with drinks.
- A light red: a young tempranillo or garnacha, nothing too heavy.
- Beer: a cold, light lager works well too.
What to eat with it
Not much! Good bread, pan con tomate (toast with tomato and olive oil), aged sheep’s cheese and olives. That is all you need.
How much ham you need is explained in how much ham per person.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ibérico ham need to go in the fridge?
Keep vacuum-packed sliced ham cool, as stated on the label, and take it out 20 to 30 minutes before serving. A whole ham does not belong in the fridge but in a cool, dry place.
At what temperature should Spanish ham be served?
At room temperature, around 20 to 24 °C. The fat becomes soft and glossy and the flavour opens up. Cold ham tastes flat.
How long does sliced ham keep once opened?
Ideally eat an opened pack the same day. If anything is left, cover it well and keep it in the fridge until the next day.