The advantages of slicing

To fully appreciate a good Iberian product, proper slicing is essential, which requires time, practice, the right tools, and the skill to use them correctly. More and more people are choosing to buy sliced cured meats, which offer the same quality as the whole product but are much easier to store and consume.

The expansion of the Iberian ham industry beyond our borders led to the development of this preservation method; a way had to be found to distribute and sell it worldwide. Vacuum-packing sliced ham allowed it to retain its properties without fear of loss during the export process. Now we can all benefit from this preservation technique for our own consumption.

Buying pre-sliced cold cuts has become a very popular option for consumers. While in the past packaged products were synonymous with lower quality, this is no longer the case. The quality is the same. Buying pre-sliced cold cuts is convenient in terms of transport, storage, and use. With pre-sliced meats, you save time by not needing to assemble a cutting kit.

Preserving Iberian cured meats is easy, although you need to know how to do it. Besides cutting them properly to keep them in perfect condition, an Iberian product needs to be cared for. In contrast, with sliced cured meats, their properties and flavor are preserved until the very last minute.

Perhaps a whole piece is too much, and doubts arise when you can't eat it all and don't know how to make the most of it. That's why pre-sliced pouches are ideal in this situation, as they contain the product in just the right portion.

Many companies in the Iberian ham sector have included hand-carved Iberian ham in their pre-packaged options. This change has been a great success, as it allows consumers to enjoy the convenience of pre-sliced ham without losing the experience of tasting a hand-carved slice. Hand-carving respects the ham's shape and involves cutting along the grain of the muscle fibers, or as some professional carvers say, with the grain. This method helps to preserve the product's sensory characteristics and actually enhances them. Let's not forget that hand-carving is much more artisanal and a true feast for the senses.

This is a debate that generates some division, although it is true that, within the ham sector, most professionals prefer hand-cutting to machine-cutting.

In short, the sliced deli option is especially appealing to those who aren't very skilled with a knife and feel they're wasting a lot of the product. The industry has adapted to the needs of consumers who prefer variety and speed without sacrificing quality.