It may be a question that you have not asked yourself before, but you should know that, although they both come from the legs of pigs, there are certain characteristics that differentiate them.
- For starters, shoulder is what we commonly call the front legs of the pig. They are thinner and less meaty than the hind legs or hams. While a ham can reach 70-90 cm in height, the shoulder will rarely exceed 75 cm.
- Another difference is found in the approximate weight. For a shoulder, it will be 4 to 6 kilos, while if we talk about a ham, we can venture to say that the usual weight will range between 6 and 9 kilos.
- Due to the configuration of the shoulder, its fat-to-bone ratio will be 60%, and due to the shape of its bones, it will always be more difficult to cut than a ham leg.
- As for the flavor. The shoulder, always tends to have a more intense flavor, being closer to the bone and having more fat. Instead, the ham will always have much more varied nuances.
- We will end by pointing out another difference: the curying time. The shoulder, as it has more bone, will have a shorter healing time than that of ham, so it will always have a cheaper price. While it takes 12 to 36 months to cure a shoulder, to cure a ham leg, the times can range from 15 to 48 months.
And now what do you know the differences, do not know which one to buy?
Well, it’s not complicated. When it comes to helping you choose between ham or shoulder, you should provide your supplier with the following information: people who is going to consume it and time . If you are in the right place, they will advise you correctly on one or the other option.
Whatever you choose, we hope you enjoy it.
Until next post!