Serrano Ham Ideas

#1

I’ve been given a 2kg joint with bone and told not to freeze it. Apart from slicing it I’m stuck about how to use it before it goes off. Has anybody turned it into something like Panko/crumbs or used it in soups/casserole please?
Thanks.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #2

You could surely slice off all the meat and freeze it, if you can’t eat it all in time. It’s trying to freeze the bone that is probably what you were warned about. Myself, I would be eating it at every meal until it was gone, but I enjoy leftovers quite a bit and don’t have that much need for variety. As for the hambone, have you checked our Recipes forum for soup/casserole ideas?

As for other sites, www.dietdoctor.com has recipes, and I believe a lot of them are free. Also, there is Harlan Kilstein’s Web site, to name one off the top of my head, which has a lot of keto recipes along with everything else. And the keto chef Maria Emmerich has a Web site, as well, but whether you’d have to subscribe or not to get the recipes, I don’t know. And there is a couple on YouTube named Matt and Megha who do recipes. Can’t remember the name of the channel, but if you search on their names, it should come up.

#3

Thanks Paul, I’ve been eating just the ham since last night and it is nice but it’s incredibly filling! The friend that gave me it looked horrified (offended) when I suggested freezing some of it! But I’ll try freezing as that’s better than it going off.

This might be my induction crash course into carni!

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #4

I can’t imagine why, to be honest. Unless it’s from a feeling that the ham won’t taste its utter best after freezing.

I suggest thanking your friend profusely for the tasty food and not mentioning where it ended up. If I’d cooked it for you, I’d be more offended if any of it ended up in the garbage, than if some ended up in the freezer!

#5

I never met any meat that had problem with freezing… That’s what I do when I have especially much leftover meat or when I got bored of it or when I have something special I know I will appreciate later…
Okay, I didn’t freeze ham yet but I can’t imagine it would be bad like that. Even if it’s not as good for someone more sensitive than me, it’s better than throwing it out when it gone off…
But meat always worked for me. I know many things not to freeze but meat? Interesting.

I have no ideas what to do with it, sorry.

#6

If the meat has been previously frozen you are sure to have some degradation in quality. SOO many ham recipes and of course stewing that bone and adding chopped ham …https://www.carbmanager.com/recipe-detail/ug:508497e8-8f9e-b4e9-63f6-4ebe26d884a7/keto-pulled-pork-stew

Serrano ham is a bit on the pricey side so I would buy some great hard cheeses and have a party

#7

Combine it with every meal until it is gone or putrid!

#8

Yeah, vacuum seal some of it and freeze it…it might lose some texture, but will still make a great extra flavour ingredient to your other meals for flavour (casseroles, soups, omelettes etc.).

#9

Ideally, you shouldn’t freeze serrano ham. On or off the bone.
Freezing weakens the structure of the meat, meaning it will break apart when you slice it. It can also ruin the flavour. Serrano should be left out on the counter or hung. Then every time you want some, the first slice that has been exposed to the air goes in the bin, or dog, or frying pan to steralise.

However… It’s your ham. You should do with it what ever is most convenient. I would eat as much a possible over 2 weeks, then think about slicing the rest up and freezing in packs.
You’ll loose some flavour, but its better than wasting it.

#10

Better than wasting it…correct friend!

#11

Hi, thanks for all the replies with help. It’s day 5 of almost just ham and there’s about a third left. I think I’ll get through it without needing to freeze it, just!
Made a quick soup this morning as fancied something different and it was delicious!

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#12

Looks good!

#13

Thanks! I am very, very surprised! Low carb, tasty, cheap and not welded to pan but the real biggie is that this is the first time the cream hasn’t split using heat!

I think I can make some for the freezer too!

(Diana) #14

Slice thin and make roll ups (smear some cream cheese or goat cheese and put pickle in middle). Great keto snack. Even non keto fam members will like it.

Or stuff chicken breast with thin slices (like a cordon blue).

#15

Thanks for all the ideas, I’m still trying to finish it, weighed the remaining this morning and it’s 400g. It’s off the bone now, stored in fridge and will prob freeze some as I’ve no idea what it’s shelf life is.
Stuffed chicken breast is for dinner, thanks @Finishingtouches . Anything that livens up a chicken breast is most appreciated.

#16

Don’t let anyone tell you the shelf life, no one knows ad there are so many factors involved.
The biggest one will be what meat has been exposed to the air.
I would say that a meat cured as much as serrano ‘should’ be ok in the fridge for a while. Your nose will be your only real guide as to if its going off.
Personally I would cling film wrap it in portions.
I’m guessing 50g would be as much as you want to use per portion as its quite strong.
But of you keep all the ham together, and use 50g at a time, you are going to unwrap and rewrap, or take the lid off the tupperware 6-8 times before you finish it. Where as, wrapping individually means you won’t be exposing it all to the air every time.

I used to deliver cured meats to reasutrants for a producer.
The guy are an arsehole. He once threw away a whole unwrapped serrano ham worth £150. I said I would have it and he said I could have it for £50. I couldn’t afford it and it was only going in the skip anyway, so I asked why I couldn’t just have it. He said it would be unfair on the rest if the staff if he gave it to me for free. So he cut it open and threw it in the skip so no one could have it.

#17

He sounds awful! What a waste!
Good idea about cling film-ing individual pieces, thanks!
I’m thinking about buying something cured next month as it’s tasty and no cooking needed. I’m hoping it’s not huge bucks though!

#18

Really good cured meat is very expensive.
The problem is that it is 3 times the price to buy it pre sliced and packaged, and, when you buy it like that it starts going off as soon as you open it.
I can really recommend Suffolk salami. The big ones are 1kg but are still £25. Which is too expensive for me, but cheaper than most cured meats. I managed to get a few when I worked for that guy for £10.

The other place that is worth trying…ssee if you have any polish shops near you.
I don’t speak any polish but the guys in the shops are usually pretty helpful. I often go straight to the counter and ask then to come and help me choose.
Some of them might have a deli. I usually ask for a hard, ready to eat, smoked ham. They often have these small dark joints that are like rocks. But when you slice them thin enough they are wonderful to eat.

They sell some lovely sausages to, but some have a lot of wheat flour or rice flour as filler, so ask the guys to translate for you.
The only downside if that meats shipped over from Europe will be quite heavily processed with lots if preservatives.

(Diana) #19

It’s gonna be great! A little ham, a little cream cheese or your fave type of cheese. Just yum:)

#20

Morning Rusty and thanks for all the info and help. I’m going to order from Suffolk Salami, I really like their set up. As I’m cooking for one I suspect the fuel costs (driving and cooking) are costing more than the meat so buying from them makes sense for me. You obviously know your cured meats so a personal recommendation is very valuable, big thank you.