How do you sharpen a ham knife?

Today we bring you a very useful post, and that is, in order to correctly cut your ham or shoulder, you will need to have on hand a good ham knife that is ready and sharp. Therefore, we explain the options you have to always have it available.

If you dare to sharpen it in the comfort of your home, the first thing you will need is a chaira. This is an element that has the same dimensions as a ham knife, but that, instead of having a sharp blade, has a rounded rod that is used to sharpen.

• To start, you will have to clean the knife and the chaira with soap and water, and dry them with a lint-free cloth.
• Next, you must take the knife with the hand with which you write, and the chaira with the opposite, (you will have to keep the chaira still and firm at all times).
• Place the knife blade on the rack at a 15-degree angle and slide it across the rack from end to end, trying to get through the entire edge of the ham knife.
• Once you take practice, you just have to perform this movement over and over again, until the knife is completely sharpen. (To check it, you can run your finger on the sheet, well covered with a napkin or kitchen paper).
• When you’re done, re-wash both the knife and the chaira to remove any metal dust and don’t forget to dry them right away to avoid rusting them.

In addition to this option to sharpen your knife, there is another alternative, such as the sharpening stone. The technique would be the same that we use with the chaira, but this time using the sharpening stone. It is more than recommended to leave this type of stone to soak for two hours before using it, and not to let the surface in contact with the knife dry during sharpening, as we could damage it.

We recommend these options at home, because the ideal is to sharpen the ham knife before each use on the ham leg or shoulder blade. But if you do not have a chaira, or a sharpening stone, or simply do not dare to do the sharpening by yourself, you always have the option of taking your material to a professional.

Finally, do not forget that if they are sharp as they should be, the ham knives cut a lot so, whenever you are slicing your ham or shoulder, place your hand above the area you are cutting, to avoid getting hurt.

And so far, our post today. As always, we hope you find it useful.

See you at the next one!