How to choose the part of boneless ham that fits our needs?

chosse part boneless ham shoulder

Differences between boneless ham and shoulder


The ham is the back leg of the pig. Ham pieces are bigger than those of shoulders, so they need a longer healing time and that's why their flavor is more intense. The slices we will get are larger and with less fat.

The shoulder is the hind leg of the pig. The anatomy of the bones located in the hind leg of the pig makes the removing of the bone more complicated. Its shape is narrower and has more corners than hams, so we will get smaller and tasty slices thanks the fat proportions and its proximity to the bone.

The whole boneless pieces keep their organoleptic features and properties. That is to say, if you choose ham or shoulders, the properties will be conserved as it was a whole piece.

Do you want to buy only a boneless piece?

You also have the possibility of buying boneless hams and shoulders into pieces. This is very practical if you do not have enough space to have a whole piece or simply because you prefer to consume a specific part of the ham.


Parts of boneless ham

  • Center: This is the juiciest part with the less fat in the ham. This part is the better valued and it usually has a great quantity of infiltrated fat, the most characteristic fat of Iberian hams.
  • Bottom piece (“la punta”): This is the part which is easier to cut and it has a great proportion of external fat. It is very tasty.
  • Contramaza: This is the part of the ham that is located at the back. It is the most cured part of the ham and the one that contains less fat. In boneless pieces, this is the part which is better to slice.

Parts of the boneless shoulder

  • Top part: This is the juiciest and bigger part of the shoulder. It is the top part of the piece, the closest to the hoof. The slices are bigger and they have more infiltrated fat.
  • Bottom part: This is the part of the shoulder is the most healed and the smallest. It is the lower part of the shoulder, which is placed closer to “la punta”. At the time to cut it, it is divided into two pieces from where the bone was.

Consumption and conservation of boneless hams

We recommend conserving boneless hams and shoulders in the fridge when it is still vacuum-packed and when it is already started. When the piece already opened, it may be wrapped in film or kept and tupper.
Keeping it in the fridge helps to cut it better freshly taken out and cold. After leaving the sliced at room temperature before consuming, the flavor will be improved and the texture will be oily and very juicy.


To know more about conservation and consumption of boneless pieces here


We encourage you to try different parts of hams and shoulders and discover which one do you prefer.

See our section of boneless hams here