If you're planning to buy ham, knowing how to cover it to prevent it from drying out is vital to ensure it stays in good condition once opened.

If you want to know what to do, where to store it, or how long you can keep your open ham, you've come to the right place!

At Enrique Tomás we're going to share all our tricks with you!

How to Cover an Opened Ham

Buying a whole ham is not an everyday occurrence, and to fully enjoy each slice, it's important to know how to cover a ham to prevent it from drying out. This way, you can savor the aromas and nuances of each slice. They will melt in your mouth!

The first thing to keep in mind is that, once you have your ham in the ham holder and have removed the rind, discard it! You may have heard the saying "you should cover the ham with its own skin."

ERROR! If it becomes rancid, it will transfer its flavor to the ham, and we don't want that to happen.

The best thing you can do is use a clean, lint-free cloth to cover your ham, and remember not to remove more rind than necessary. The rind helps insulate the ham, so the less fat we remove, the better protected the leg will be.

Where to Store an Opened Ham

If you've bought a package of sliced ham and opened it, it's clear that it belongs in the fridge. But what about the whole leg? Obviously, we won't fit it in the refrigerator, so we need to find another place. But where?

The most important thing is that the ham CANNOT be near heat sources or in a place where it gets direct sunlight. If you have a pantry or storage room, you can place it there. Since it will be covered with the cloth, it will be protected from insects.

However, despite our advice, the meat will dry out a bit because, even though the cloth prevents it from drying, it is in contact with oxygen, which will affect it. Just remove the first two or three slices to enjoy all the flavors of the meat. If you like, you can use these slices to make creamy Iberian ham croquettes. They're delicious!

Finally, one last aspect to consider is the temperature in our country during the summer, which is much higher than during the rest of the year, especially on the Mediterranean coast or in the southern regions. If you've bought a whole leg and opened it during the hottest months of June, July, or August, you should know that it's advisable to finish it within a maximum of two weeks. In winter, this period extends, and you can keep it in the ham holder for up to 21 days.

If, for some reason, you find that this time has passed, and you still have plenty of slices of ham left to cut and enjoy, bring your leg to one of our ham shops! We'll slice and vacuum-seal it for you, and thanks to this preservation process, you'll have up to three more months to enjoy it!

With that said, and now that you know how to cover a ham to prevent it from drying out, take note, and you'll notice the difference as soon as you have a slice!

You'll feel it with every bite!