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.
Carving a bone-in ham can seem like an intimidating task, especially if you only cook one for the holidays. But have no fear! With the right tools and techniques anyone can learn how to properly carve a bone-in ham. In this article, we’ll walk through the entire process from start to finish using simple easy-to-follow steps.
What You’ll Need
Before getting started make sure you have the proper carving tools on hand
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Carving Knife – You’ll need a long, thin, and very sharp knife. Look for one specifically made for carving roasts and hams.
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Carving Fork – The fork helps stabilize the ham as you cut. Choose a sturdy, two-prong carving fork.
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Cutting Board – Use a large, heavy cutting board that won’t slide around. One with a channel or well to collect juices is ideal.
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Ham – Choose a bone-in half ham, ideally around 10-14 pounds. Opt for shank half or butt half.
Step 1: Position the Ham
After the ham is cooked, place it on the cutting board with the cut side facing down. Situate it so the bone runs perpendicular to you. This makes it easier to work around the bone while carving.
Step 2: Cut off the Non-Bone End
Take the carving fork and pierce the ham where there is no bone. Angle the tines downward to hold the ham in place. With the other hand, use the carving knife to slice off the solid muscle end opposite the bone. Make this cut all the way down to the board. Set the boneless piece of ham aside for now.
Step 3: Make Vertical Slices
Turn the ham so the cut side faces up. Make straight vertical slices along the ham, cutting from the top down. Make the slices as thick as you prefer, generally around 1/4 inch. Go almost all the way through each slice, but stop right before you hit bone.
Step 4: Cut Along the Bone
Once you’ve made vertical slices, turn the knife parallel to the cutting board. Carefully cut along the bone to free up each slice. As you do this, the slices will come cleanly off the bone. Transfer them to a serving platter.
Step 5: Carve the Boneless Piece
Take the solid ham piece you initially removed and situate it cut side down. Hold it steady with the fork and slice it vertically into servings. Arrange these carved slices on the serving platter with the other pieces.
Step 6: Cut Remaining Meat off the Bone
Some meat will likely remain stuck to the bone. Hold the bone steady and carefully slice off any scraps of meat. You can dice these up for stir fries, casseroles, soups, or other dishes.
Serving Suggestions
Once carved, arrange the ham slices neatly on a platter. Garnish with fresh herbs, fruit, or edible flowers. Provide a tangy mustard or fruity chutney for spreading on the ham. Serve immediately or hold in a warm oven until ready to eat.
Here are some quick tips for serving bone-in ham:
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Offer a selection of breads, rolls, and biscuits so guests can make sandwiches.
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Pair it with classic side dishes like scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, or glazed carrots.
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Use the bone and trimmings to make split pea soup, bean soup, or lentil soup. The bone infuses them with smoky ham flavor.
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Dice up the scraps to mix into pasta salads, scrambled eggs, or fried rice.
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Slice leftovers thin and use for sandwiches or rollups with cheese and veggies.
Carving Tips and Tricks
Follow these tips to master carving your holiday bone-in ham:
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Let the ham rest 15-20 minutes after baking. This makes it easier to handle and slice.
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Use a very sharp knife. A dull one requires more work and risks slipping.
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Cut all the way down to the cutting board on the initial slices. Sawing halfway won’t work.
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Keep slices around 1/4 inch thick. Thicker and they’re hard to chew; thinner and they dry out.
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Cut against the grain of the meat for tender slices that don’t string.
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Have a game plan before you start carving. Don’t just dig in haphazardly.
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Carve at the table or buffet if you want to impress guests with your skill!
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Work carefully around the bone(s). Focus on meaty areas first, then remove the trickier bone sections.
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Don’t discard the bone! Use it to flavor soups, beans, lentils, and more.
Storing Leftover Ham
Leftover baked ham will keep for 3-4 days refrigerated. For longer storage, freeze it:
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Wrap slices individually in plastic then foil. Thaw what you need as you go.
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Dice or slice ham, then freeze in batches for later use in recipes.
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Cut the bone off, wrap in foil, and freeze. Use within 2-3 months for soups.
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Portion ham into recipe-ready amounts like 1 cup diced, 2 cups shredded, etc. before freezing.
With the right tools and some practice, you can become a master ham carver. Holiday dinners and special occasions will be that much more impressive when you can slice perfect portions for your guests. Just follow the steps for a foolproof ham and your carving skills will improve each time.
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.
How to Carve a Whole Bone-In Ham (For Beginners)
FAQ
How do you probe a bone-in ham?
How do you carve a bone-in Ham?
Luckily, carving a ham is actually pretty simple if you have a sharp knife and use the right technique. You can carve slices as you need them from a bone-in ham or you can carve an entire bone-in ham quickly and easily by using a spiral-sliced ham. Cut what slices you need to keep a bone-in ham fresher for longer.
How do you carve a ham shank?
Simply skip step 2 if you’re wondering how to carve a ham shank. Place the bone-in ham on a large cutting board with the fat-side up. Using your knife, make a cut down through the center of the ham, right along one side of the aitch bone. Follow the edge of that bone with your knife working toward the exterior side of the ham.
How do you cut a ham from a bone?
Next, carve the remaining ham (the part with the bone), slicing horizontally into the bone, then vertically along the side of the bone to remove as much meat as possible—this will cut off the horizontal slices that you just cut so that the meat falls off in pieces.
How do you cut a ham with a carving knife?
Use the carving knife to cut across the ham and all the way down to the bone and slice down the length of the ham to cut the desired number of slices. Cut thin 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) slices for things like sandwiches and cut thicker 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) slices to serve with a larger meal. Use smooth, fluid sawing motions to cut through the ham.