An Insight to Jamon
Jamon Iberico
World-renowned for its cured hams, Spain is the first thing that comes to mind when the word “Jamon” is mentioned. Around 39 million hams are cured every year in Spain and the average Spaniard consumes an average of 5 kilos of ham during the same period. The popularity of Spanish cured hams goes well beyond Spain though. Many foreigners also appreciate the taste and texture of Jamon Iberico although they don’t fully understand its price and quality. The Jamon Iberico is also sometimes referred to as the Jamon de Bellota or Jamon de Pata Negra.
What is Jamon Iberico?
Majority, or around 90 percent, of Spanish hams come from white pigs. The remaining 10 percent comes from Iberian pig or those that are grey in colour. The Jamon Iberico is part of the minority and it is characterized by a refined taste though the taste can also depend on what the pigs eat. The pig itself weighs less compared to its counterparts but many will say that it more than makes up for it.
The most influential factor that determines the quality of the ham is the feeding. The best hams from Spain are from Iberian pigs that had been fed acorns (bellota) their entire life. For around five months (October to January/February), the pigs are allowed to roam on the countryside and eat as much acorns as they want in a period referred to as the “montanera”. After this, the Iberian pigs will be prepared for slaughter.
How is the Jamon Iberico Prepared?
After the slaughter, the hams will be placed in nitrified salt to drying and preservation. The timeframe of immersion depends on the ham’s weight. A good rule of thumb to follow is 1-2 days for every kilo. Typical hams are soaked from 9 to 14 days. The next step is to wash the salt off and dry the ham. Drying will be anywhere from 30 days to 40 days at the temperature of 8-10ºC and humidity of around 80 percent. The process in which the ham loses its water and the nitrified salt is absorbed is referred to as “asentamiento”.
In the next 6 to 15 months, the curing process really begins. The ham will begin to have a deep red colour and take on the aroma associated with cured ham. It is critical to be careful during the curing process. The temperature should only be between 1-5 ºC and have low humidity. The last 3 to 4 weeks is known as “maduracion” because the hams should be exposed to temperatures of around 30ºC with a humidity of 60 percent. This enables the fat to spread throughout the muscle fibers of the meat.
Hams lose 40 percent of their initial weight throughout this process. The Jamon Iberico can now be sold. But the best hams can still be cured further in a process called añejado in which the ham is stored for 7 to 13 months more in the bodega. Hams from Italy and France no longer undergoes the añejado process. This makes Spanish ham the renowned leader when it comes to Jamon Iberico.
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