Ham for Christmas dinner. Which one to choose?

At Christmas there is usually a ham or a palette in the kitchen of our homes, either because they have been given to us or because we have bought them thinking about the numerous family gatherings on these very important days. The type of ham in question is something that some people do not give much importance to, what counts is that it is not lacking. At Enrique Tomás we believe that the most important thing is that you can enjoy this product at Christmas, but this time we are going to help you choose the ham for Christmas dinner. The one that is ideal for you according to your needs or purposes.

Ham is a food that everyone easily likes and gives us to eat alone, on a table with Iberian sausages or accompanying salads, creams or grilled vegetables. Be that as it may, it can be the protagonist of our tables at any time. Even so, each occasion makes us think about which type is better for us, out of necessity, budget or taste: shoulder, Iberian ham, non-Iberian ham, from what origin? All these questions can arise at any time, but to choose the ham that will star in those Christmas family gatherings, they are really interesting to answer.

Factors to take into account when choosing ham for Christmas dinner

We have devoted many posts to talking about the breed, food and the differences between shoulder and ham , between Iberian and non-Iberian, so we are not going to insist on the same thing here and we invite you to take a look at them to complete these tips . On the contrary, we will give you some guidelines according to your budget and taste.

Iberian or not Iberian?

Grand Reserve

The Enrique Tomás Gran Reserva Ham or Shoulder are, for example, not Iberian, because they come from a white pig. However, this Gran Reserva is "bocato di cardinale", commonly referred to as Gran Reserva but it far exceeds any Gran Reserva on the market. Its value for money is extraordinary, whether it is shoulder or ham.

Iberian bait

Now we are entering the range of Iberian products. The quality of the Iberian ham is obviously different because we are dealing with a different breed that produces an exclusive ham from our peninsula: the Iberian breed. This has the particularity of being able to infiltrate fat into the muscle, and for this reason, its meat is so tasty and delicious. The Iberico de cebo is of extraordinary quality, although it must be borne in mind that, unlike the free-range and acorn-fed, its diet in this case has been based on bait, hence its name.

Iberian field bait

This ham also comes from an Iberian pig which, in this case, unlike the bait, has also been raised in the freedom of the field (hence its name) or in the pasture but outside the typical months of the Montanera. They are fed with fodder and cereals, but also with herbs and wild fruits that they have found in nature. As for the acorns, they may have eaten some in isolation, although they are not part of their usual diet.

In addition, the curing time is longer than that of bait, which is why, due to these characteristics, it is already somewhat more expensive and its quality increases exponentially.

Acorn-fed Iberico

For a slightly larger budget, Iberian ham or acorn-fed shoulder are the "Caprice de Dieux" of Ham. The quality of this ham is extraordinary because it comes from Iberian pigs and because they have done the montanera, that is, they have lived 4 months in the freedom of the Dehesa. Its price varies depending on whether it is 50% or 100% Iberian, the latter being what is commonly known as Pata Negra . It is true that they are more expensive, but there are reasons for this. We have to think that these pieces of ham have been made for a minimum of three years and a maximum of 5 years, including all the curing phases, the artisan work and the exclusive dedication of the master ham maker.

Acorn-fed Iberico Ham Lot

Acorn-fed Iberian Shoulder Lot

Pata Negra Shoulder Lot


Pata Negra Ham Lot

The Christmas baskets of Enrique Tomás

For Christmas dinner, what better than to include a set of gourmet products that accompany and pair the ham in question. For this reason, each batch of ham mentioned above includes Iberian sausages such as Iberian chorizo, salchichón or Iberian loin, typical Sevillian picos from our Peninsula, the classic nougat for dessert and, finally, to pair with a selection of wine and cava. which varies according to the quality of the lot you choose.

Access our options for this year's Christmas baskets and choose the most suitable one to share with your loved ones during these Christmas Holidays.

More details to take into account when choosing ham for Christmas dinner

Ham or palette?

If the ham is larger and has more meat than the shoulder, it will obviously be more expensive. It is not the quality that determines the price, but the size and the curing time that a ham master has invested in transforming a piece of meat into a gastronomic jewel such as an Iberian shoulder or ham.

There are more differences to take into account between one and the other, for example, the shoulder is more cured than the ham because its meat is closer to the bone.

Another aspect that can help you make the decision is the yield of the piece, that is, when buying a ham or shoulder, you should take into account how many of you are at home and how often you are going to cut ham. It's not nonsense! If you are one, two or three people, the most recommended is a shoulder blade, due to its size and because it is advisable not to exceed 17 days of consumption if we want to maintain the texture and flavor of its meat as much as possible and of course prevent it from spoiling. if we do not cut almost daily about 100 gr.

Even so, we know that for the Christmas holidays families expand and get together, so the yield of the ham or shoulder changes.

Is a whole piece excessive?

If you think that a whole piece may be excessive for you, for the reasons that we have mentioned above, or you are not an expert in cutting, you do not have to give up ham for any reason. There are packs or sliced ​​envelopes of all the types mentioned. Take a look at our selection of sliced ​​packs for Christmas such as the "Don't be shy" or the "Saving Packs" of sliced ​​Enrique Tomás .

Buy the format that best suits your pocket, your taste, your need after all, and let yourself be advised by your trusted store.

There is custom ham for you!