Do You Cut Ham with the Grain or Against the Grain? A Simple Guide

Preparing a meal for a holiday or family celebration can be stressful. Luckily, you can turn the event into a stress-free dinner by serving ham as the main event. The meat is already cooked or smoked before you buy it, so even people who have never cooked a ham before can learn how to do it. The trickiest part of serving ham is getting it off the bone. It’s not hard to learn how to cut a ham, but if you only do it once a year, you might forget how to do it. Follow along with our handy guide to learn how to carve a ham.

When preparing a delicious ham for a meal, one of the most important things to know is which direction to slice it. Should you cut with the grain or against the grain? The answer makes a big difference in how the ham slices and how it tastes when eating. In this article, we’ll explain in simple terms whether to cut ham with or against the grain so you can serve perfectly sliced ham every time.

What Does Cutting with the Grain Mean?

The “grain” of the ham refers to the direction that the muscle fibers run through the meat. Muscles are made up of long, bundled fibers that give the meat its grainy texture and appearance.

When you cut with the grain, you are slicing the ham in the same direction the muscle fibers are running This results in long, thick slices where the fibers stay bundled together in long strands through each slice

What Does Cutting Against the Grain Mean?

Cutting against the grain means slicing the ham perpendicular to the direction the muscle fibers are running When you cut against the grain, your knife slices straight through the long muscle fibers, cutting them into shorter pieces

This results in shorter, thinner slices that are easier to chew. The muscle fibers are cut into small pieces instead of staying in long strands like when cutting with the grain.

How to Identify the Grain in a Ham

To know whether to cut with or against the grain, you first need to be able to identify the direction of the grain itself. Here are some tips for finding the grain:

Look closely at the surface of the uncooked ham. You should see fine parallel lines running in one direction – follow this to see the grain direction.
Or look for the long, smooth muscles running through the ham. The grain will follow the direction these muscles fibers run.
On a cooked ham, the slices may start separating along the grain. Follow these natural separations to identify the grain.
Bend or twist the ham slightly. It will start splitting along the grain line, making it easier to see.
The grain typically runs lengthwise from the hock end towards the fatter butt end. But always double check by looking for the indicators above.

Should You Cut Ham with or Against the Grain?

Now that you know how to find the grain direction, should you cut ham with or against the grain?

For easier chewing and tenderness, it is best to cut ham against the grain.

Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers so they are easier to bite through and chew. The texture will be more tender.

Cutting with the grain results in tougher, chewier slices with a stringy texture. The long muscle fibers are harder to bite through.

So for both cooked and uncooked ham, cutting against the grain is the better choice. It may take a little more work to slice against the grain, but it gives you the most tender, sliceable results.

Step-by-Step Guide to Slicing Ham Against the Grain

Follow these simple steps for perfectly sliced ham every time:

Place the ham on a cutting board or work surface. Make sure it is positioned firmly and won’t slide around. For cooked ham, place it cut-side down.
Identify the direction of the grain. Use the tips above to determine which way the muscle fibers run through the ham.
Mark the grain direction with shallow cuts. Use a knife to lightly score lines across the grain. This makes it even easier to see the cutting angle.
Slice the ham crosswise against the grain. Now cut straight slices across the scored grain lines, perpendicular to the muscle fiber direction.
Make the slices as thick or thin as desired. Cut lean ham thinner and fattier ham thicker. Around 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch is ideal for most hams.
Slice the entire ham against the grain. Continue cutting crosswise slices until you reach the other side. All the slices will now have short muscle fibers for tenderness.
Transfer slices to a platter or carving board. Arrange the sliced ham neatly to serve hot, make sandwiches, etc.

With practice, you’ll be able to quickly identify the grain and slice perfectly against it every time. Just remember—against the grain makes ham easier to chew and more tender.

Carving a Bone-In Ham Against the Grain

For bone-in half hams or whole hams, the process is slightly different. Here are the steps for carving a bone-in ham against the grain:

Place ham cut-side down on cutting board. Position the shank end facing your non-dominant side.
Find the grain direction. The muscles run from the shank up towards the fatter end.
Cut along the bone to remove the main, boneless portion. Use tip of knife to cut around bone until you can lift off the main meat section.
Flip the boneless portion over. Now the interior cut side is facing up.
Slice the portion crosswise against the grain. Cut thin to thick slices depending on your preference.
Cut any remaining meat off the bone. Slice vertically alongside the bone to remove any leftover meat.
Transfer all sliced meat to a serving plate. You can pile it high or arrange it decoratively garnished with fruit or greens.

Key Tips for Cutting Ham Against the Grain

Here are some additional pointers to ensure perfect results:

Use a long, sharp, non-serrated knife for the cleanest cuts. Electric knives also work well.
Chill the ham prior to slicing to prevent tearing or shredding. Refrigerate it overnight or for a few hours.
For less waste, start slices at the narrower end. You can always make them thicker as you work towards the center.
Cut boneless ham vertically then horizontally to yield nice rectangular slices.
Slice just before serving so the ham doesn’t dry out. Leftovers will keep 3-4 days refrigerated.
Discard the ham bone, freeze it for soup, or roast until browned to serve alongside the sliced meat.
Save ham scraps for omelets, stir-fries, soups, beans, or ham salad. Nothing should go to waste!

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have some questions? Here are answers to some common queries about slicing ham:

Should you cut spiral cut ham with or against the grain?

Spiral cut hams are already sliced against the grain when they are cured and prepared. So you can serve them as-is without any additional cutting needed.

What about smoked or country ham – same rules apply?

Yes, cutting against the grain gives the most tender, chewable slices for all types of ham, including smoked, country, honey-baked, or any other variety.

How thick should I slice ham?

For boneless ham, slices around 1/4 inch thick are ideal. Go up to 1/2 inch for very fatty ham. For bone-in ham, cut slices about 1/4 inch away from the bone.

Can I cut ham in advance?

It’s best to slice ham just before serving to prevent it from drying out. If needed, you can slice up to 4 days before and refrigerate the slices tightly wrapped.

Should I slice through the fat on ham?

Yes, your knife should cut cleanly through any fat. Leaving big chunks of fat can make the slices awkward to eat. Trim off any excess fat after slicing if desired.

Get Perfectly Sliced Ham Every Time

Now there’s no need to worry about how to properly cut into a beautiful baked ham. By identifying the grain and slicing against it, you’ll get tender, easy to chew slices every time. Share this handy guide with family or friends to ensure ham success for any holiday meal or gathering.

do you cut ham with the grain or against

What Is the Best Ham to Buy?There are several types of ham, so you’ll want to

Sharp knife: A dull knife is a dangerous knife. It might slip as you cut the ham, which would ruin dinner! Sharpen your knife for a minute before you start. We suggest that you pick a carving knife with a long, thin blade.
Cutting fork: This may seem like an unnecessary extra, but the cutting fork keeps the ham steady while you cut it. You could use a regular fork or a strong pair of tongs if you only serve roasts once a year. But the carving fork is cheap and looks nice (especially when carving at the table), so we suggest you get one. If you want to buy a new carving knife, you can get one that comes with a fork.
Serving platter: The serving platter should be big enough to hold the whole ham, and it should also be heavy and strong. As you try to slice, there’s nothing worse than a board that moves around. If you want to clean up quickly, use a cutting board with grooves to catch any extra juices.