● Allow the hot ham to rest, covered, for at least 15 minutes before carving so the juices settle, resulting in a juicier and easier to carve ham. (If you’re not heating the ham, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for about 1 hour before carving.)
● Trim two or three slices off the bottom of the ham, parallel to its length, to help stabilise the ham during slicing.
● Make a circular cut through the rind about 10cm from the shank end; run your fingers under the edge of the rind then pull rind back from the cut. Reserve the rind to cover the cut surface of the ham to keep it moist during storage.
● Hold ham firmly with a carving fork and cut a 1.5cm-deep cut down to the bone next to the rind at the shank end. Placing the knife about 7cm from the cut, slice through the ham on a slight angle to meet the first deep cut; remove wedge of ham. (By removing the wedge the succeeding slices are easier to cut and release from the bone.)
● Take long sweeps with the knife against the cut surface to carve thin, even slices of ham at an angle.
● The meatier part of the ham should be on top and the shank end should always be placed to the carver’s right.
● As you carve, the slices will increase in size; when they get too large, carve the slices from the side to the middle rather than fully across. Alternate sides as you make your slices. Carve slices as thinly as you can; keep the cutting line straight as you carve the ham.
