Which are the differences between ham and shoulder?

Spanish ham, especially Iberico ham, is one of the stars of Spanish food, probably the brightest. But maybe, when you go to buy ham, you find that there is a very similar product called shoulder, and you may have doubts. What is the shoulder? Which is better? Today, we are going to know better what the shoulder is, how it differs from the famous ham and if there is a better product than another.

In general, we refer to ham when we talk about cured pork legs, however, depending on whether the leg is back or front, we will be talking about ham or shoulder, respectively. Therefore, they are similar products, which will share many characteristics. Similar taste, color, smell…. However, due to the pig’s physiognomy, the products have their unique peculiarities. As we can see in the image below, the physiognomy of both products is different, and due to this are their main differences: size, preparation, flavor, etc.

Efficiencie

One of the main differences between ham and shoulder is the amount of meat can be used per piece. The ham is larger and has more meat in relation to the bone, so it has better performance. This difference is important to take into account when buying whole pieces, but lacking in value in the case of sliced or boneless pieces

Flavour

The flavor of the shoulder is more intense thanthe flavour of the ham, ideal for those palates who like intense flavors or are familiar with cured flavors. For its part, the flavour of the ham is softer, and being larger, it can have different nuances in flavor depending on which part of the ham you are eating.

Making Process

Both products are made in a very similar way, through a salt curing process that lasts several months, depending on whether it is ham or shoulder and the quality. The shoulder, having less meat, has a lower curing process than the ham, which is more evident in the case of the Iberian.

Price

The difference in price is mainly due to its preparation, among other circumstances such as demand. The longer the production time, the higher the price, so that the ham is generally priced higher than the shoulder. If we refer to whole pieces, it must be taken into account that the ham is also larger than the shoulder, so the price of the piece will also be higher than that of the shoulder, although this does not affect the price per kilo.

Having seen the similarities and differences between ham and shoulder, which one is better? You can’t really say that one product is better than another, and it will depend on your needs to buy one or the other. For example, if you like stronger flavors, the recommended one is shoulder, but if you want a slightly softer flavor or a piece that will last you several weeks for a family, ham is better. Or maybe it would be important for you to consider the prices before chosing one. The main point is that it does not matter whether you buy ham or shoulder, success is assured!