Jamon. Story. How and with what they eat it.

Hamon what is it

It is difficult to imagine Spanish cuisine without this world-famous and highly appreciated product. Jamon is in 4th place on the list of Gourmet delicacies, behind foie gras, champagne and caviar. In addition to all its taste benefits, nutritionists recommend it as an element of a healthy diet, since it contains easily digestible fats, similar in composition to olive oil, B vitamins and amino acids. Spanish jamon is the healthiest of all animal fats and contains Omega-9. The value of this product is evidenced by its large exports to other countries.

Marks of Excellence

A pig that is to become a high-quality ham must have at least 75% black Iberian blood. They feed her on a special diet, so that by the time she is slaughtered she gains a strictly defined weight. The pig lives on the pasture throughout the “acorn season” - from October 15 to February 15. And he lives very freely: no more than fifteen animals are allowed per hectare. Pigs that meet all the specified requirements are slaughtered before March 31, and the remaining pigs will never be able to become super jamon.

A little history.

It turns out that the history of jamon goes back more than 2000 years. A 2,000-year-old mummy of jamon was found in archaeological excavations in Tarraco. Ancient people began raising livestock, including pigs, 7000 BC. During the Bronze Age, people began to use salt. Historians say that it was with the discovery of this product that commerce was born. Salt was white gold. Colonization of new lands took place based on the presence of salt in the territory. When salting and smoking meat, the Iberians noticed that pork was better suited for these purposes than the meat of other ruminants. It is fattier, was stored longer and retained its taste. In addition, there was no need to prepare feed. All this made it possible to produce jamon in huge quantities and trade it at a very good price, along with olive oil and wine.

Pork was a symbol of wealth. Jamon was served to Roman emperors and legionnaires were fed with it. During the reign of Emperor Augusto, coins in the shape of jamon were minted, as well as consular medals. In the Middle Ages, with the arrival of the Arabs on the Iberian Peninsula, pork was prohibited, but peasants continued to eat it. The authorities treated this leniently, citing it as a way to maintain public health. After the expulsion of the Muslims, ham returned to its glory and honor.

Beneficial features

Dry-cured ham has all the beneficial properties of dry (or dried) meat....contains a lot of protein in a concentrated form, guess why rock climbers and mountaineers often take it with them on hikes?

If you don't climb mountains every day, just be aware of the difference with cooked ham:

A piece of cooked ham contains 100 calories and 3 grams of fat
A piece of dry ham contains 212 calories and 12 g of fat

As you may have noticed, the pieces of dry-cured ham are much thinner... to balance, but not only that, the fact is that the flavor is much better if the ham is cut into thin and small pieces. Enjoy! But don't overdo it :)

Technology of its production.

In the modern era - the Golden Era of literature - jamon is glorified by Miguel de Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Tirso de Malina. It was in those days that modern production technology was created. It includes 4 stages:

Salazon and lavado. Salting and washing. Immediately after slaughter, the ham is covered with sea salt and left for 7-10 days (depending on weight). Stored at a temperature of 1-5 C and humidity 80-90%. After this, rinse with cool water.
Asentamiento. Subsidence. Store at a temperature of 3-6 C, humidity 80-90% for 30-60 days. During this time, the salt spreads throughout the meat, promoting hydration and preservation. The consistency of the meat increases significantly.
Secado y maduración. Drying and maturing. The jamon is placed in a natural dryer, where the temperature of 15-30 C is automatically regulated. This takes 3-6 months. At this time, the taste and smell of the product is formed due to changes occurring in the proteins and fats of the meat.
Envejecimiento. Ripening. The hams are hung in storage (bodega) for at least 6 and no more than 30 months. At a temperature of 10-20 C and a humidity of 60-80%, the biochemical processes of microflora formation continue, which provides the final taste and smell. The last stage has been completed. DO control, packaging in accordance with the awarded quality mark and to the supermarket!

There you will see 2 names for this product: jamon and paleta.

The process of preparing a real dish

How is this seemingly simple dish prepared? In principle, there are no particular difficulties here. At least the process is not as labor-intensive as with any other meat processing. Except that it's all a matter of time. Sometimes, the preparation process can take twelve months, i.e. whole year. Thus, by reading the name of the jamon, you can find out how long it took to prepare it.

So, if you see the inscription “Curado”, you have a jamon aged for 7 months, if there is an inscription “Rezerva” - aged for 9 months, and, finally, the inscription “Bodega” indicates that it is aged for 12 months.

The preparation process usually begins in early spring, but can also begin in winter. This is the time when pigs are most often slaughtered. The ham is separated from the carcass and will be used for further production.

Preparation

After this, all excess fat must be removed from the ham. And there’s a lot of it – it’s still pork. The prepared ham is placed in special containers and sprinkled generously with coarse sea salt. So, it lies for about two to three weeks, while the temperature is maintained within plus five degrees, not higher.

Jamon and paleta, what's the difference?

In the photo on the left: Jamon and paleta - spainru.com
Ham and paleta. What is the difference? Jamon is the back leg of pork, and paleta is the front leg. The pallet size is smaller, the meat is tougher, and the aroma is stronger. Jamon has a complex, deep, harmonious aroma. It's impossible to say which one is better. Each of them has its own merits, although the price differs markedly in favor of jamon.

Jamon Serrano and Iberico

Jamon is divided into 2 types: Serrano and Iberico. Depends on the pig breed, breeding conditions and feed.

Jamon Iberico

Made from a breed of pigs raised only in Spain. Black Pata Negra is the only domesticated breed of wild pig living in the wild. They graze in picturesque meadows covered with oak groves in the Sierra Morena mountains.

There are 4 regions in Spain where Iberico jamon is produced. Extremadura, Guijuelo (Salamanca), La Sierra de Huelva (Jabugo), Los Pedroches (Cordoba). Of these, the largest is Extremadura. Occupies 1 million hectares of pastures and 15,000 pig farms. Andalusia is the birthplace of Jamon and almost all Iberian jamon is produced here. Guijuelo is a small cozy village that produces the best Iberico Jamon Joselito Grand Reserva. The company is 149 years old. She carefully preserves and passes on her secrets and production traditions from generation to generation. Other brands of the best Ibérico jamon: Jamon Joselito, Jamon J5, Jamon de Dehesa Maladua, Jamon 10 vetas Sierra Mayor, Beher Etiqueta Oro, Covap Alta Expresio.

Prices for Iberico jamon start from 25 euros. Depends on the breed and the food. This is indicated by the color of the label. The percentage expresses the purebredness of the breed.

White - Jamon Iberico de cebo 50%, in the paddock;
Green - Jamon Iberico de cebo de campo 50%, in the wild;
Red - Jamon Iberico de bellota 75%, in the wild;
Black - Jamon 100% Iberico de bellota 100%, in the wild.

The last 2 categories are considered the most valuable, since these pigs eat acorns and the latter is produced from a purebred black pig.

The most expensive in this category is Manchado de Jabuga from Dehesa de Maladua. Price 4100.00 euros per ham.

Jamon Serrano

Jamon Serrano from white pigs that live and eat on farms.

Price and quality depend on production time.

Jamon curado - 7 months;
Jamon bodega - 9 months;
Jamon reserve - 12 months;
Jamon gran reserva - 15 months.

Cost of a Spanish delicacy

This exquisite delicacy has different prices, which are influenced by a large number of factors:

A ham weighing 8 kg will cost 150-200 euros.
Jamon, marked with a special quality mark DOP (Demonication Origen Pro), will cost about 80 euros or more per 1 kg.
The Belotta variety sells for up to 300 euros per 1 kg.

Almost every major city in Spain has a jamon museum, where you can taste different types of ham at different ages. There are also special establishments for tasting all kinds of jamon, called “jamoneria”.

Jamon is an exquisite delicacy with a rich history and complex cooking technology. This product is definitely worth trying in its homeland - Spain. Ham is a real example of true taste that will be remembered for a long time, and its pleasant aftertaste will remain forever.

Slicing jamon.

It is believed that mechanical slicing degrades the quality of jamon. Hand cutting is a real art and requires skill. For this, a hamonera is used - a wooden device 45-50 cm long. and 15-20cm wide. and special knives. The thickness of the cut piece is very important. The thinner the better. A bad cut can ruin the quality of an expensive jamon, while a good cut can improve the quality of a cheap one. High-quality jamon has small white dots on the cut. This is tyrosine, an amino acid from meat protein. He proves that the meat has a low salt content and was cooked correctly. The cut area is covered with cut fat, cloth or olive oil. It is advisable to consume the ham within 3 weeks. This is, on average, 80 grams of paleta per day and 150 grams of jamon.

Beneficial features

Dry-cured ham has all the beneficial properties of dry (or dried) meat....contains a lot of protein in a concentrated form, guess why rock climbers and mountaineers often take it with them on hikes?

If you don't climb mountains every day, just be aware of the difference with cooked ham:

A piece of cooked ham contains 100 calories and 3 grams of fat
A piece of dry ham contains 212 calories and 12 g of fat

What is jamon usually served with?

Jamon is served as an independent dish or added to various others, giving them a specific taste and smell. Popular combinations: with grated tomatoes, olive oil, olives, cheese, beans, melon, figs. In Andalusia, the birthplace of jamon, it is served with white wine, namely dry sherry. The most popular breakfast in Spanish cafes is toast with jamon. A very interesting combination! Especially in hot weather, when both wine and ham release their aromas to the highest degree. Also delicious with beer.

Try it and enjoy!!!!

Another Guinness record for ham

In 2021, the record for the number of jamon slices was broken. This time, 205 professional jamoneros gathered in Toledo to cut 500 kg. slices of jamon. The old record was 392kg. The event started at 11 am. As a result, by 13:00 more than 500 kg had been cut. jamona. 210 thighs were used. All visitors had to donate an amount of 2 euros or more in order to receive a plate of “record” jamon. All proceeds went to the Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit at the National Hospital for Paraplegics in Toledo and, in particular, to the Neuroimmune Restoration Project led by Dr. Diego Clemente

We also recommend reading our article about Paella , a traditional Spanish dish.