Hams from Spain
Andalucia is the home of serrano, which simply means 'of the mountains'. Dry cured hams to rival those anywhere in the world.
Jamon de Espana
For the Spanish, Christmas and Three Kings is a very special time of year and, traditionally, when families splash out on whole cheeses and Spanish hams to serve to guests and visitors. That is why you will see hundreds of hams and cheeses hung in shops and supermarkets at this time of year. Having dealt with cheeses over the last few months it is now time to give hams the taste test. You do not have to buy whole hams, most supermarkets sell the different hams in heat sealed packs. If you do purchase a whole ham make sure you buy a really good ham knife and the special rack. Cut the ham as thin as you possibly can and cover the cut part with a cloth to keep it moist.
The best ham comes from the long legged, range fed, Iberian hog that has eaten up to 20lbs of acorns per day and gained up to 2lbs of fat per day. Only about 5% of hams come from the Iberian hog. Iberia Bellota ham (Ham from Acorns), is rated by experts to be the best in the world, better than Italian Prosciutto de San Daniele and Prosciutto di Parma. It's price reflects it's reputation. In taste it is superb, sweet, not too salty and very tender.
The quality of hams depends initially on the type of hog, Iberian Pata Negra or the White Hog. The Iberian, "pata negra" or black hoof - hogs are descendants of wild boars and have a more wild taste. The way in which the hog is fed and the type of feed is almost as important.
Jamón Ibérico de Bellota ham comes from pigs that have been fed exclusively on acorns and herbs. Jamón Ibérico de Recebo hogs are fed on range acorns and their last months of feeding have been complemented with commercial feeds. Jamón Ibérico de Cebo hogs have been fed continually with an authorized commercial feed concentrate mixed with range acorns.
Serrano means "from the mountains." In the past, all Spanish hams were taken to the cool mountains for curing. Now most Spanish hams are cured from eight months to three years en masse in highly controlled factories.
The hogs are sacrificed, trimmed, cleaned and then stacked and covered with salt. This sponges off all the extra moisture and prevents the ham from spoiling. The first step of the production process takes approximately two weeks. When the salt is washed off, the hams are hung to dry and commence the first curing process. In this first process, the fat begins to break down. This first process takes approximately six months. From six to eighteen months, the hams are hung in a cool, dry place. In the past, this was in the mountains in drying sheds called secadoras. Now the hams dry in a highly controlled environment. During this time, the flavours and aromas of Jamón Serrano develop. At this time, some fungi grow in the exterior part of the ham. This also adds to its unique aroma and flavour. When the ham is ready to leave the bodega where it is being cured, it is marked with a DO (Denominacion de Origin) much like you see in wine or olive oil. When the hams are being cured, they lose between 30 - 40% of their body weight!
Last month we tried the best Bellota ham. This month we look at other Serrano hams of which there are a bewildering number. Some of the best are from Trevelez near Granada. Look for the D.O. label. The best hams will have no hair on the leg The hind leg is better value, therefore more expensive, than the foreleg and the meat should be slightly soft when pressed. In packets look for the fat. Not just on the outside, which should be a creamy yellow, but traces of white fat through the wafer thin slices of meat. Enjoy.
In the previous two articles we looked at why the type of hog and the way they are fed and cured produced jamon of a particular quality and gave tips about what to look for when buying jamon.
In this, the final article, we taste test two hams from Andalucia that are rightly judged to be two of the best. Jamon de Trevelez is produced exclusively in the highest town in Spain. The town is located in the Sierra Nevada near Granada and in the middle of the 19th century the hams produced here were considered by European gourmet chefs to be the best in the world. Queen Isabel II granted the local government the right to use the royal seal on all their cured hams. Trevelez is an amazing place. The hams are cured in the traditional manner. Most are shipped to supermarkets and shops all over Spain via distributors but an enormous number are kept in the town for sale to tourists, some of whom go there specifically to buy the hams. Every other shop has bunches of hams not just inside but hanging outside as well. Many allow you to taste a ham and you will find it is red in colour with a delicate slightly salty flavour. Naturally it is the favourite tapas in the many bars.
The second ham of note from Andalucia is the Denominacion de Origen Jamon de Huelva. The hogs graze mainly on acorns in the Sierra Mountains in the province of Huelva and are then salted and cured for a minimum of 16 to 18 months. The result is a pink sweet tasting ham with streaks of fat through the meat. It is excellent served simply on a slice of baguette with a drizzle of olive oil.
For those worried about health issues. Spanish ham is rich in iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium, phosphorous, vitamins B1, B2, and niacin. 100 grams of Spanish ham provides 24% of the recommended daily intake of niacin and 33% of the protein. In fact, Spanish ham contains 50% more protein than fresh meat.
What about all those strips of marbled fat? Oleic acid is the primary component of fat in Spanish ham. This fat is the kind that promotes production of HDL (the good cholesterol). It's the same acid found in olive oil - another core ingredient of the Spanish diet. So eat in moderation and enjoy.