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 geokills
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Registered: 05/08/01
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 Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano 
#8052704 - 02/21/08 04:51 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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This stuff is one of my absolute favorite foods. I've spoken of it here often over the years,
but for whatever reason have neglected to dedicate a topic to it. Similar to the Italian
Proscuitto ham, I prefer this variety, likely because I have Spanish relatives and as a result
was exposed to it at a very young age - continuing to enjoy it a few times each year.
While good in soups and sandwiches, I find it showcased best thinly sliced and simply placed
atop a piece of crusty buttered bread. It is truly a symphony of supremely delicious flavor.
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Can a single flavor represent the essence of a country? If any food could be
Spain’s ideal ambassador, Jamón Ibérico de Bellota would doubtless claim
that honor. We can think of no product so tied to its history, its land and its
traditions. But even more importantly, there is no food in Spain that evokes
as much passion as an excellent Ibérico ham.
Ibérico pigs have always been in Spain. These descendants of wild boars
have been with the Spanish people since before written history, providing
them the means to survive and flourish. Over these thousands of years,
through experimentation and luck, the ideal method of preserving pork for
later use evolved from a necessity into an art, transforming a piece of salted
meat into a symphony of flavors and textures unrivalled anywhere.
The luckiest of these Ibérico pigs spend the last months of their lives in pig
heaven. They are released in a carefully maintained oak forest and
pastureland called the "Dehesa". There they spend their time foraging and
gorging on acorns and grasses. Once they have roughly doubled their weight
on this porcine manna, only then can they be labeled "de Bellota" which
means "Acorn Fed" in Spanish. The trees in the "Dehesa" have enough acorns
for only one pig per acre, meaning these pigs truly must range freely. Getting
plenty of exercise allows the rich, acorn flavored fat to integrate with the
meat, one of the secrets to the amazing taste of Ibérico de Bellota. And the
countryside of Spain benefits as wll - these beautiful, ancient forests and
pastures are preserved from development because of the fame of the Ibérico
ham!
Once the Ibérico pigs are "sacrificed", the hams, shoulders and sausages are
cured using salt, mountain air and time. Within the hams, profound chemical
transformations not only preserve the meat, but fundamentally change it. A
complex array of volatile flavor compounds is created. Crucially, but only to
its full extent occurring in the Bellota hams, the fat is transformed from a
normal animal fat into a substance high in oleic acid, the same beneficial fat
found in olive oil. So not only is this the most delectable cured ham in the
world, it may actually be good for you!
It is important to reiterate that there are two types of Ibérico hams. The
delicious Jamón Ibérico is made from a black hoofed pig that lives a
traditional farm existence, eating grains and normal pig feed. The resulting
ham has an incredibly intense flavor and surpasses any other ham with the
exception of its big brother, the "Bellota". The Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, free
range and acorn fed, is the ultimate, and that is why it can cost twice as
much.
The beautiful landscape of the “Dehesa”, the noble Ibérico swine and their
free-range, acorn-munching lifestyle all combine to create the perfect raw
material for the ideal ham. Salt and cool mountain air take care of the rest.
For the finest Ibérico de Bellota this means two or three years of curing,
experiencing the change of the seasons, losing an incredible 40% of their
weight as much of the fat drips away.
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[Purchase Jamón Serrano from Tienda.com]
[Purchase Jamón Ibérico from Tienda.com]
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 mayfly
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Registered: 01/05/08
Posts: 800
Loc: planet home
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 Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8052840 - 02/21/08 05:23 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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That looks really good, but I've never had it before. Similar to proscuitto, you say? Mmmm-MMM-mmm!
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Nutmeg shaman
Registered: 03/15/00
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8052887 - 02/21/08 05:38 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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I would eat bread with smoked ham quite often from my local Italian Deli.
Unfortunately, the owner passed away, so they no longer make their own bread. 
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geokills
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Registered: 05/08/01
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Loc: city of angels
Last seen: 1 hour, 39 minutes
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Smoked ham is delicious, but Jamon is so damn exquisite it needn't even be smoked!
To note (as I had neglected to mention it in the original post), the difference between
Jamon Serrano & Jamon Iberico is the pig. Serrano comes from pink pigs, and only
the Iberico comes from the special black pigs as noted in the article included above.
If you're serious about this stuff, I'd highly suggest aiming for purchasing leg chunks.
I usually buy 1 - 3 of the 2 lb end pieces a year, slicing them by hand when ready to
consume. If you don't want to commit to such a piece, you should of course try the
pre-sliced version, but it doesn't offer quite the same depth of culinary experience.
Probably because it loses some of its moisture, even though it comes vacuum sealed.
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Nutmeg shaman
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8052920 - 02/21/08 05:45 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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I would probably do that if I were hosting a party of people who were all willing to eat pork. 
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mayfly
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Registered: 01/05/08
Posts: 800
Loc: planet home
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8052923 - 02/21/08 05:45 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Definitely worth a try. Where can you get it from?
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"The important thing to remember: if we ship all our fat-bottomed girls off to foreign countries, the terrorists win."
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geokills
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Registered: 05/08/01
Posts: 23,591
Loc: city of angels
Last seen: 1 hour, 39 minutes
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What kinda crazy isn't willing to eat pork?! 
I'm taken aback... this is no thread for cooked ham! 
mayfly: I have links embedded in both of my previous posts... 
Though there are some producers that cure "Serrano" domestically,
I'm sorry to say that it just doesn't match the quality of the treats
offered through Tienda.com. And of course, if you ever find yourself
in Spain, do yourself a huge favor and get some fresh sliced Iberico
as a tapa with your Tinto de Verano!
Quote:
I remember we used to take walks out on the coast, commonly starting around 10pm! We'd take a seat in some side street stand, often on the waterfront, gettin' served some pinchitos (tasty marinated beef skewers cooked over an open flame), washing 'em down with a splash of tinto de verano 
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mayfly
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Registered: 01/05/08
Posts: 800
Loc: planet home
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8052961 - 02/21/08 05:55 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Ah, obviously I fail at reading.
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LiquidSmoke
My title's cooler than yours DBK
Registered: 09/04/01
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8053005 - 02/21/08 06:06 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't the difference between prosciutto and serrano ham due to prosciutto being salt-cured, while serrano is just dry-cured?
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geokills
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Registered: 05/08/01
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 Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: LiquidSmoke]
#8053150 - 02/21/08 06:33 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Incorrect.
Quote:
There is nothing more Spanish than jamón serrano. This country ham is a national treasure shared in Spain
by all walks of life. Cured for at least a year, it has a much deeper flavor firmer texture than its closest
relateive, Italian prosciutto. Serve as a 'Tapa' with cheese and olives, or in your favorite Spanish recipe.
What's all this Ham thing about?
Jamon Serrano country ham is a source of great pride among Spaniards. From time immemorial in the
mountains of Spain, they have rolled fresh hams in sea salt and hung them from their rafters to cure. A
year to eighteen months later the jamones are ready to mount on special stands that are designed so that
anyone can stop by, carve a few paper-thin slices, and enjoy an impromptu snack – perhaps with some
manchego cheese.
It is unlike the smoked and salty Virginia country hams, which have to be soaked and cooked. And it is
even significantly different from Italian prosciutto, which is cured for a few months with a coating of lard.
The Spanish jamón serrano has distinctly more flavor, and significantly less salt than country ham and less
fat than prosciutto.
Jamón serrano is more than a delicacy in Spain; it is a normal part of every family’s life. Every tapas bar
and neighborhood café has their own hams. During the Holiday Season there are literally hundreds of them
hanging from the rafters of major food stores for the holiday shoppers.
What is the appeal? Jamon Serrano is a flavorful, natural ham, cured in the country air. This extended
curing transforms the ham, imparting a deep flavor and aroma. This lengthy curing also means it is much
less fatty and has a firmer bite than Italian prosciutto. You can serve it sliced paper-thin with cheese and
olives, or use it to flavor your favorite Spanish recipes.
The secret to jamon lies in its curing, recreating the effect of traditional techniques. This tradition is kept
alive in rural areas where in early winter, family and friends gather to slaughter their livestock in
preparation for winter months. The hams are placed in sea salt for a brief period of time – approximately
one day per kilo – and then they are strung up. They are allowed to experience the changes of
temperature as the seasons progress. The right time to eat them is when an experienced ham-master
inserts a long splinter of cow bone and whiffs the jamón, like a connoisseur of wine who sniffs the cork.
Source: Jamon Serrano - The Basics
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Nutmeg shaman
Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 40,819
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8053162 - 02/21/08 06:35 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Geo, on the topic of ham ...
Nothing beats cooked ham with a generous basting of brown sugar and cloves.
Pineapple optional.
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chunder
marker
Registered: 08/11/02
Posts: 966
Loc: The City
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8053530 - 02/21/08 07:40 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Amazing thread. I've been enlightened, I will seek this ham!
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geokills
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Registered: 05/08/01
Posts: 23,591
Loc: city of angels
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 Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8082623 - 02/28/08 06:03 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Continuing to enjoy this wonderful comestible, I do hope some of you afford
yourselves the opportunity to experience this little piece of heaven. 
I call this one Serrano Sashimi - a beautiful portrait of this delectable delight!
 
You may also want to consider some Spanish Lomo or Chorizo, all from the pig.
Lomo is a dry cured pork loin, lower in fat than Serrano ham and also milder in flavor.
It is often served sandwiched on a soft toasted bun with alioli (which could be equated
to a delicious garlic mayonnaise) to add moisture to the otherwise dry pork loin.
Spanish Chorizo is worlds apart from the Mexican chorizo we are used to here in
the United States. It is akin to a hard salami and it is absolutely delicious, but also
quite high in fat. The flavor is considerably potent, so persons accustomed to milder
taste may want to pass on this one. Excellent lightly heated or raw, on crackers,
with eggs, in salads, or plain straight up!
From left to right, you'll witness the beloved Jamon Serrano, Lomo, and Chorizo.
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┼ ··∙ long live the shroomery ∙·· ┼
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Nutmeg shaman
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8082647 - 02/28/08 06:07 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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That last one would look good on a french roll!
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TheCow
Stranger
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8082848 - 02/28/08 06:47 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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When I was in Spain my friends and I saw this chain called like, the house of ham, or the castle of ham, I forget the name as I was drunk most of the time. Anyways we used to get sandwiches in there, and at some point I bought some of their most expensive ham. Shit was literally like 150 a kilo, I only got like 6-10 dollars worth of it. Some absurdly strong ham. We also went to a nicer looking non franchise ham store. Got 10 dollars of their finest ham there, I think it was more expensive. I ate it all immediately as it didnt look like very much, then spent the next hour trying not to throw up. Nice ham in the morning on an empty hungover stomach was a poor idea. Delicious though
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LiquidSmoke
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: TheCow]
#8082940 - 02/28/08 07:05 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
TheCow said:
When I was in Spain my friends and I saw this chain called like, the house of ham, or the castle of ham, I forget the name as I was drunk most of the time.
Just a shot in the dark, but are you thinking of "Museo de Jamon"?
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"Shmokin' weed, Shmokin' wizz, doin' coke, drinkin' beers. Drinkin' beers beers beers, rollin' fatties, smokin' blunts. Who smokes tha blunts? We smoke the blunts" - Jay and Silent Bob strike Back
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TheCow
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: LiquidSmoke]
#8083003 - 02/28/08 07:19 PM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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haha yea. It was all over Madrid. I don't remember seeing it in Barcelona, but it might have existed there also
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ohmatic
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Posts: 6,742
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: TheCow]
#8084969 - 02/29/08 05:13 AM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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its prosciutto right ? lovely 
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geokills
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 Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: ohmatic]
#8085507 - 02/29/08 10:14 AM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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 Brother, did you even read this thread or just look at the pictures? 
While I've no lack of love for Italian prosciutto, this is Spanish serrano!
Definitely similar, but definitely not the same. 
Anyone else have regional dry cured meat favorites that they enjoy?
Would love to find some new ones to try, so please share if you do.
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Nutmeg shaman
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Re: Jamón Ibérico / Jamón Serrano [Re: geokills]
#8085522 - 02/29/08 10:15 AM (16 years, 1 month ago) |
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I would mention bacon, but then you could give me the  if I did that, so I won't mention it.
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