Spanish ham - or jamon Serrano - is just one of many jewels of Spanish food.
Deliciously healthy, with an exquisite taste, it's ideal both as tapas and as an element of a main meal... Especially when washed down with a ruby red tumbler of smooth Rioja wine.
But , what precisely is Serrano ham, how is it made, what are its health benefits? And, how about the king of Spanish hams - jamon Iberico? How does Iberico ham differ from Serrano ham? And, what's "pata negra", and what does it mean?
Jamon Serrano
First off, let's get the pronunciation and meaning clear. It's pronounced "ham-on", with "jamon" meaning "ham", and "Serrano" being equivalent to sierra or Mountains. For, traditionally, Spanish hams are cured in hilly or craggy countryside.
Curing Process
Serrano ham is made from white pigs and, after being snuffed out in Nov, the hams are tucked between layers of sea salt and curing salts for one or two days - routinely 24-48 hours per kilo.
The salt is then cleaned off, and the curing and process of aging happens, normally lasting some 12-14 months.
In this time, a specialist will regularly pierce the ham with a cow bone and sniff it, to determine the quality of the ham.
At the end of the curing process, the hams will have lost as much as 40% of their original weight, the meat now being dark-red in color, and the fat wet and yellowy.
Jamon Iberico
Iberian pigs vary from their Serrano cousins in that they're virtually always black, with black hoofs. Here is where the term "pata negra" comes in, for it implies "black hoof".
It's the free range diet of the Iberian pigs that makes their ham superior to that of the ordinary Serrano pig, and a longer curing process of 18 months to 3 years.
The king of the Iberian ham is the "Bellota" ham, for these pigs are fattened completely on acorns. And, yes, the Spanish for acorn is "bellota"!
Health Benefits of Spanish Ham
Normally-speaking, too much fat from ordinary ham isn't extraordinarily good for you, as it clogs your arteries.
But Spanish ham is awfully unusual... Tests have shown that its fat content is monounsaturated. In other words, it will not block your arteries and, in reality is high in healthy Omega-3. In Spain, the ham is sometimes known as "the 4-footed olive tree" because it's so good for you!
Hence when you are enjoying paper-thin slices of Spanish ham, be assured that it isn't only succulent, but isn't playing havoc with your cholesterol!
About the Author:
Lola Espana is a leading importer of Spanish foods into the United Kingdom and sells direct to the general public as well as to cafes, hostels and wholesalers.Ran by a renouned Spanish chef, they actually do know their Spanish cuisine and are looking to share the joy of their cooking with you.To get some more information, come visit their website with the following link; Buy Spanish Hams