Jamon Serrano

[shelora]

It has taken a long time, but finally we are able to purchase Jamon Serrano here in British Columbia, Canada.

This is my second tasting since December. My first was in Oaxaca, Mexico. A Spanish restauranteur there made his own, several whole legs were hanging in his back fridge. The flavour was an epiphany. Aromatic, faintly floral, it was amazing. Thinly sliced, the jamon was served with fresh baked bread spread with a ripe tomato and olive oil mix.

Unforgettable.

The second jamon serrano, served over last week end, had the hoof attached and a special clamp held it in place, which is a traditional technique. We were treated to thin slices served with manchego cheese, quince paste, olives and toasted whole almonds. It is from a company called Campofrio. It was delicious but not as aromatic as my first experience. Is the first time always the best?

Does this depend on curing times?

How is jamon serrano served in Spain? In a tapas bar for example? Are all jamones serranos created equal?

[Bux]

Are all jamones serranos created equal?

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The short answer is no, not at all and a ham sold as serrano is not likely to be the best Spain has to offer. The best hams come from the Iberico breed of pigs, generally referred to as pata negra for their black hooves. You won't find these in the U.S., at least not yet. I'm not the one to explain many of the differences in ham from the breed of pig to its diet. Bellota quality means the pigs were fed only a diet of acorns and distinguishes the ham made from such pigs. Bellota is the Spanish word for acorn. Various producers have different reputations as well.

Here's an interesting article by Arthur Lubow. It's from a commercial site selling Spanish products in the U.S. It's a pretty complete introduction to jamon.

Let me just quote two interesting passages.

"Chef Andy Nusser, who runs the kitchen at [Mario Batali's] Bar Jamón, says that serrano ham is superior to prosciutto from Parma. However, he readily admits, "Once you taste ibérico, you can't compare it to anything else.""

"The acorn-rich diet transforms the fat of jamón ibérico de bellota. Studies from the University of Extremadura indicate that more than half the ham's fat content is monounsaturated (the type that is in olive oil) rather than the artery-clogging saturated kind usually found in animals."

[shelora]

Thanks Bux.

The fat on this particular jamon serrano we have in Canada also boasts that 62% of its fat is unsaturated. Perhaps it is the dry curing process? I look forward to the article you sent. It probably answers that very question.

Books I picked up at the library all end up talking about the patas negras and their acorn diet and how incredible they taste.

Why do they have to tease us this way?

[vserna]

I see that www.tienda.com has now pushed back the estimated date of legalization for the US market - they're accepting pre-orders for "2006-2007"... And what they offer is "boneless Ibérico", which sounds downright intolerable...

[fauxtarga]

This makes me want to cry. I got the chance to try something called jamon iberico pata negra gran reserva (or some combination of those descriptors) last year and I have been pining for it ever since. It was in Sweden at an interesting restaurant called Bon Lloc. "The White Part" I was told, "was delicious." It certainly was. They just served it sliced on a huge platter.

Is this the kind of thing they are going to stop you at customs for?

[butterfly]

I've never known anyone who got fined, but I know several people who have had the good stuff confiscated at customs at JFK and Dulles (all post 9-11).

P.S. Apart from jamon iberico, most of the varieties/producers of jamon serrano here in Spain are not imported to the US.

But I think the biggest problem with the quality of much of the imported dry-cured ham is the way that it is stored (often in humid conditions--or god forbid refrigerated). And also the way it is usually cut--with a machine whose blades get very hot and do something unforgivable to the texture of the ham. I much prefer mine hand cut.

Edited February 22, 2005 by butterfly (log)

[shelora]

Thanks again Bux. Great article. I just want to go to Spain right NOW!!!

Here's my next dilemna. What should I drink with the jamon? Butterfly, any suggestions?

And I have been offered the hoof of the jamon? Should I accept? Because I like to experiement, they thought I would like to cook with it. Do Spaniards cook with this hoof or is this pretty much no tocar?

Shelora

[Rogelio]

Jamón is perfectly matched with Fino Sherry or Manzanilla.

[vserna]

And I have been offered the hoof of the jamon? Should I accept? Because I like to experiement, they thought I would like to cook with it. Do Spaniards cook with this hoof or is this pretty much no tocar?

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The hoof is useless for cooking. The ham bone, OTOH, is great.

[shelora]

Great. I will try and score the ham bone instead.

Why does jamon serrano have the hoof attached? Is it solely from a practical stand point, something to hold on to?

s

[Rogelio]

Why does jamon serrano have the hoof attached? Is it solely from a practical stand point, something to hold on to?

s

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To preserve it from dryness.

[Rogelio]

Hi I have just found this web showing a few tips about Jamón:

http://www.aquisabemosvivir.com/

[dls]

Nice article Bux. Thanks for sharing. Here's one other passage that I found interesting:

"Ibérico ham is best eaten unembellished. Ideally it is placed on a special stand and the carver uses a long, sharp knife to cut paper-thin slices. "Anything you do with this product is going to make it worse," Ullibarri says. "For chefs, it's a bit of a problem." The best chefs have the self-confidence to present it naked."

Brought back a pleasant memory. I was in Salamanca last fall and one evening my host offered slices of Iberico (Joselito). I was astonished. Quite simply the best ham I have ever tasted. Upon my departure to the U.S. he gave me a small package with about 1 lb. of the ham, thinly sliced with slightly dappened wax paper between each slice.

After departing Madrid, I thought to myself "It's not legal to bring this into the U.S. but I'll risk it anyway". I then thought "What if I do get stopped - I'll just play dumb. I won't go to jail and probably won't get fined - It will just be confiscated but, my name will probably go into some data base and I'll be detained everytime my passport is scanned when entering the U.S."

I approached the FA and explained my problem and suggested that I share the ham with other passengers in the cabin. She thought it was a great idea and, moments later,came out with a couple of trays of the ham,rolled with a toothpick, and glasses of fino. Needless to say, I became very popular. One older gentleman, a native Spaniard, approached me and stated "In all of my life, and in my home country, I have never tasted jamon of this quality".

[Saborosa]

What a wonderful, kind act. A silver lining on the cloud of the war against terror, perhaps? (Not that that's why they won't let the ham in, rather it makes us all super paranoid about any infringement of the rules).

Edited March 2, 2005 by Saborosa (log)

[Bux]

I thought my curse was that I always pick the wrong line in the supermarket. Now I find I pick the wrong flights.

[SBonner]

Great. I will try and score the ham bone instead.

Why does jamon serrano have the hoof attached? Is it solely from a practical stand point, something to hold on to?

s

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When in Spain we drink Fino with it all the time. The nuttiness of the ham with similar flavours in the Fino are a wonderful compliment. Here in Vancouver....if I could get the ham I'd drink some lovely Spanish rose as well.

Cheers,

Stephen

Vancouver