We bring to your attention in text and audio material the Russian broadcast of “International Spanish Radio” about jamon - pork ham, which is one of the symbols of Spanish cuisine and way of life.
- audio file No. 1
Origin of jamon
In our audio file in the upper left corner of this page you can listen to the original Russian program about jamon of the “International Spanish Radio” from Madrid in the recording site.
In addition to the interesting story below, in the audio file you can also hear Spanish songs related to the traditions of cooking jamon and other pork dishes.
« WITHViña is called Porco, Ferdo or Morano in Spanish. Three whole words. Not for nothing... Is Spain a pig paradise? Certainly! Just not eternal. For grunting creatures it lasts about two years. Then the one who eats dried pork ham feels like he is in heaven. But the total number of pig herds does not change from year to year - 25 million heads.
Among all the delicacies made from pork meat in Spain, the undisputed king is Spanish ham. These are not smoked, but dry-cured pork limbs with salt, kept at a certain temperature for 1 to 2 years. "Jamon" is a ham from the back leg of pork and a "palette" from the front leg.. They taste slightly different. “Paleta” is somewhat more aromatic and sweeter, “jamon” is spicier and saltier. But traditionally, outside of Spain, these two delicacies are combined into the general concept of jamon.
The first news of the production and consumption of jamon on the Iberian Peninsula dates back to the time of Roman rule. From Spain, jamon was also supplied to the metropolis - Rome and served as dry rations for all legionnaires on their campaigns abroad. In archaeological excavations in Tarragona, Catalonia, jamon was discovered that is 2000 years old. And it was perfectly preserved.
In an illustration from the Spanish website of a company producing and selling jamon from Extremadura:
One of the main characters of this article, pigs of the “cerdo iberico” breed, blissfully graze under the oak tree of the encina species, also mentioned in our material.
The breed of Spanish pigs “Ferdo Iberico” (“Cerdo Iberico”) - the Iberian pig is very different from its fellow tribesmen and fellow tribesmen in other countries.
A real Iberian pig with smooth, purple-black skin, practically without hair. It has a long snout and a thin skeleton. A top model, or rather an athlete, because the herds of Iberian pigs, from which the most expensive and high-quality jamon is then produced, are raised not in a pen, but freely grazing in the wild - in light oak forests.
“Encina” is the name of a variety of this oak, whose appearance is completely different from the one you are familiar with and growing in Central European latitudes. But Insina’s acorns are the most authentic ones. And they form the basis of the diet of the Iberian pig. What is the basis of nutrition?
The best quality hams from Andalusia and Extremadura come from pigs whose diet consists of 100% acorns. Acorns contain carbohydrates, oleic acid and vegetable oils, which, penetrating into the meat, result in fat that is more liquid and more evenly distributed in muscle tissue.
Part of the feeling of homeland
For a Spaniard, jamon is no longer so much a part of the national cuisine, but a part of the national culture, a kind of sign of the quality of the Spanish way of life.
Here, I think, lies the main difficulty for a foreigner when he gets to Spain and decides to understand the intricacies of the issue. Because the jamon immediately catches his eye. It is everywhere - on the menu of any bar or restaurant. As an appetizer, first, second, and almost as dessert. In any grocery establishment - at the market, in the supermarket, shelves with pig legs stretch for tens of meters. Here come the schoolchildren, unwrapping sandwiches as they go. Sliced pieces of jamon peek out from a long French roll with red and white tongues. Here is a newsstand with advertisements for jamon on the glossy pages of magazine covers. Here's the cinema. The poster features a retrospective showing of Almodóvar's film Jamón, Jamón. Here is the picture gallery: “Jamon in still lifes of famous masters.”
And if an inexperienced tourist enters “museo de jamon” - “jamon museum” - this is the name in Spain for a specialized store selling jamon, then he will open his mouth and won’t close it for a long time. Hundreds of pig feet suspended on the walls and ceilings. Intoxicated by the strong aroma, the unfortunate tourist thinks: no matter how a foot accidentally falls on his head, he will kill him. And the Spaniards sit right there at the bar counter (there is one in the store), make noise as if at a market, drinking red wine in wide low glasses, casually pointing to the salesman-waiter at the pig’s leg, from which he then, with deft movements of a knife, cuts it into thin shavings jamon for appetizer.
Varieties of jamon
Well, in five words, where is the dog buried? Or a pig?
Jamon is produced throughout Spain, with the exception of the coast. There are too many vacationing people there even without pigs. And the climate is not the same.
But seriously, there are two main types of jamon: “Ibérico jamon” and simply “jamon”. Jamón Ibérico is made only from the local species of black Iberian pig. That's why it's "Iberico". It tastes better and is more expensive. All other hams are simply called “jamon” and are made from white pigs. Here is the first sign for differentiation - the color of the ham's claw. The simple Jamón has white hooves, while the Ibérico has black hooves. Plain white pig jamon is sometimes given the prefix "serrano jamon". It means that this ham was aged in the mountains during the drying period - in a cold and dry climate.
“A pig in Spanish is called porco, ferdo or morano. Three whole words. Not for nothing... Is Spain a pig paradise? Certainly! Just not eternal. For grunting creatures it lasts about two years. Then the one who eats dried pork ham feels like he is in heaven.”
(Russian broadcast of “International Spanish Radio” dated 04/12/2009).
So, the first and most important difference in quality and price is “Ibérico jamon” from a real black pig and simple “jamon” (an improved version of “Serrano jamon”) from white breeds of pigs.
Like Spanish wines, jamon, whether “Ibérico jamon” or an improved version of simple jamon – “Serrano jamon”, has its own quality mark - “Denominacion de Origen” - “guarantee of origin”.
Capital Latin letters on the D.O. label they say that this ham was produced in a certain province and in compliance with constant standards. Only four types of Iberian ham have such marks of excellent quality. Two of them are produced in Andalusia. This is jamón Ibérico from Huelva and the city of Pedroches. Another jamon in Extremadura and one in Castilla de Leon (“Ibérico jamon” from Salamanca, from the village of Guijuelo).
A simple pork ham from a white pig, but ripened in the mountains, “jamaon serrano” (from the word “sierra” - “mountain”) also has its own marks of quality. These are hams produced in Teruel (Castile-La Mancha) and Istreveles (in Andalusia, Granada). Following ancient traditions, producers of any Spanish jamon, Iberico or simple, pay great attention to preserving centuries-old technologies.
Within the two main groups of ham - “Iberian jamon” and simply jamon, there are several more subgroups: depending on the diet of the pigs from which the jamon is prepared, the aging period, etc. But if I dwell on this in more detail, it will turn out to be a whole scientific treatise - perhaps it will complicate my main mission - to convey to you the spirit and meaning of the national Spanish symbol that has crossed the boundaries of the kitchen. I suggest not to climb into the forest, but to take a walk through the oak groves of Andalusia and Extremadura, where future Iberian hams graze peacefully, devouring up to 10 kilograms of acorns a day.
The village of Santa Barbara de la Casa, where we are now, in the province of Huelva, has no more than 1,000 inhabitants. And they all keep the famous Iberian pigs. Those who have a huge flock have a whole factory. Like Señor Romero Sanchas Carvajal, whose “jamon de bellota” (bellota in Spanish is an acorn) is one of the most famous in Spain. And who has a couple of grunting creatures in their family?
When it comes slaughter period (late December - early February) Santa Barbara de la Casa has a special atmosphere. I don’t know about the pigs, but for all the residents "matanza" (which means "slaughter" in Spanish) a great holiday of reaping one's labors. On the day when a pig is slaughtered, the whole large family gathers in the house: grandparents, aunts, sons-in-law, sisters-in-law, children, grandchildren - there is work for everyone. AND Spanish law, by the way, obliges slaughter to be carried out only with a special press gun. In Santa Barbara there are twelve such pistols per 1,000 residents. So all the yards use it in turn.
The one who carries out the slaughter is called "matarille". How long will it take to cut up the carcass of a two-year-old pig weighing approximately 200 kilograms? Just divide it - four hours, or even six. And there will be work for everyone. Including the local veterinarian, who immediately after slaughter comes to take tests to ensure compliance with all hygiene controls and the quality of the meat. Until late at night, children will run around the steaming pork carcass, butchered in different parts of the yard exclusively by men. Until late at night, the women at the table in the cold barn (and an old coal stove is placed under the table so that their feet do not freeze) will wash out the intestines and mix the minced meat. Meat, sweet or pepper, garlic, sharp-smelling blood, stuff your intestines with them - this is the famous Spanish sausage - “chorizo”.
And they will sing - all the time, all evening. Choriso, by the way, is eaten raw, or fried, or used in recipes for many dishes. The best chorizo is Andalusian (like the residents of Santa Barbara de la Casa, where we are) or our neighbors from the village of Khabuga. And late in the evening the barbacoa will be fired up and the first course of steamed pork will be prepared for all the gathered relatives. To have a pig is to have wealth. Up to this day.
Nowadays you hear the famous songs that are sung during the “matanza”, the time when women take apart these intestines and stuff the intestines with meat, making the famous “chorizo” or “langanisa”... A typical song that is sung in Andalusia during the “ matanzas.”
The most famous Iberian jamon from these lands, the autonomy of Extremadura, on the border with Portugal. So let's go to Jerez de la Vaz Caballeros, to the jamon factory. The factory doors open at four in the morning. Before two days, workers are already butchering about 450 pork carcasses. Despite the fact that the main processes are automated, carcass cutting is completely done manually. It must be said that the strictest sanitary control and constant monitoring throughout the life of the pig animal also extends to the period of jamon production.
What is the drying process? Let's go to the workshops. There, in the first workshop the temperature is low - from one to five degrees Celsius. Humidity up to 90%. Pork legs - the future famous Extremaduran jamon - are literally buried in salt. The hind legs - "jamon" - are kept in salt for ten days, because they weigh about ten kilograms. And the front ones - “politya” - take about six days, because their weight is usually six kilograms. After these six to ten days, the hams are washed and placed in special chambers so that the salt is evenly distributed over the entire area. After a month, the hams are placed in a suspended state for another three months to dry. And only then for final ripening in the cellars - in the “bodega”. And this “bodega” (as in the factory in Jerez de la Vaz Caballeros) holds approximately 80 thousand hams.
The highest quality jamón ibericos in the hierarchy, such as jamón ibérico de bellota ("Bellota" is Spanish for acorn, and "jamón ibérico de bellota" means that it is made from pigs that only ate acorns) are aged in cellars from 18 to 24 months. And the most expensive jamon in the world - the Joselito brand, which is produced in the village of Guijuelo, in Salamanca, can be aged for up to seven years. It's hard to believe, but mold on them is the highest sign of quality. How much does a “bald” jamon of the “Joselito” brand cost? A whole leg (ten kilograms) can easily cost three thousand euros.
The famous Spanish doctor Gregorio Marañon, in his famous apologetics for Spanish cuisine (by the way, he is a Nobel laureate), argued that the nutritional value and ease of digestion turn jamon almost into a medicine. Our health is a true reflection of what we eat. Our body fat, including fats in our blood, can be worse or better depending on what we eat. The type of fat we eat depends on the meat we eat, says doctor Ramon Cavalopez, professor of food technology at the veterinary faculty of the University of Extremadura.
The main example of a fatty food in the Mediterranean Diet Mediterraneo diet is pork, which has been criticized for many years for this very characteristic. However, studies conducted both in Spain and abroad (in particular in the United States) have shown that this fat not only does not harm us, but, on the contrary, is beneficial. While other types of meat contain mainly saturated fatty acids, which contribute to the formation of LDL, or so to speak, bad cholesterol, pork is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. These acids have the opposite effect of the first. They promote the formation of protective cholesterol, and as a result suppress the growth of the formation of harmful cholesterol in the human body. Ham, in addition, contains one and a half times more proteins than regular meat. And the Spanish Ministry of Health officially included jamon in the list of dietary products available for consumption by all age categories. Of course, if you don't want to eat the whole leg for dinner.
"The Boar of St. Anton"
A black boar walks the streets of the town of Alberca, near Salamanca, freely and proudly. The whole city feeds him. On the Plaza Mayor, the main square of the city, there is a statue of him, or his relative. All of Spain knows his name: “El Morano de San Anton.” Translated: “St. Anton’s boar.”
The man of God, Saint Anton, was the patron of all animals and birds. On Saint's Day - June 13, a small pink twenty-kilogram piglet is delivered to Plaza Major Alberqui. He is sprinkled with holy water and released into the streets of the city - to swim freely. The nameless little pig takes on the name and proud status of St. Anton's pig and for eight months, until January 17, he roams like a cat wherever he pleases. He feeds himself either in a restaurant or in a bar, using waste, or passing tourists treat him to food. Meanwhile, a lottery with a number is being sold in the city. On January 17 of every year, lottery ticket holders, which is practically the entire city of Alberca, gather in the Plaza Mayor and will “refar” (“play”) a pink piglet, which has turned into a healthy boar in seven months. This is a tradition that repeats itself from year to year.
Spain is a paradise for pigs and for those who consume them!”, broadcast on 04/12/2009 by the Russian broadcast of “International Spanish Radio” (Radio Exterior de España).
Information by section
Good afternoon, dear readers. Dmitry Kesadov is with you. It is difficult to imagine Spanish cuisine without jamon and meat. Of course, this is not the first time I’ve written about jamon. At the end of the nineties, there was a running joke that in Russia only the very lazy do not engage in trade or real estate. So every Spaniard considers himself a connoisseur and connoisseur of good jamon. But, on the other hand, how can we imagine Spain today without jamon, without football, without shrimp, without wine? This will be a different Spain. Yes, these are simple and prosaic joys of life, a celebration of the belly. So what? It’s not all the time to watch the arthouse of Almodóvar and Medem, leaf through the albums of Picasso, Miró and Tapies, and read Luis de Góngora. You can also think about simple human joys. They also motivate us. Remember how in the film “Peter 1” the Great Peter, before the assault, long and beautifully agitated his soldiers to go on the assault for patriotic reasons. Then Menshikov came forward and shouted at the top of his lungs: “There is wine and women in the fortress, follow me!” Let's go to this gastronomic assault!
Do you love meat as much as I love it, and why is a goose not a friend to a pig?
Loving meat is not a great sin. But today let's not love blindly and without looking back, let's immerse ourselves in the subtleties and details of our love for meat, let's indulge in this passion consciously and competently. “You cannot embrace the immensity,” the ancients said, so today we will limit our topic and talk only about pork. Because meat can be game, poultry, red, white, aged, stewed, fried, smoked, it runs, flies, crawls... You can’t write about everything in one article. The Panikovsky you know could not calmly pass by the goose. Well, it happens, and even deserves a separate discussion. But not today, because the goose, as you know, is not a pig’s friend. The pig has no less fans.
In European culture and everyday life, the role of the pig is very noticeable. Many cultures offend and underestimate the pig: “God won’t give it away, the pig won’t eat it,” “the woman had no trouble, so she bought a pig,” “knows a lot about oranges,” “the pig threatened to eat the moon.” There are countless sayings and proverbs, and most are not very flattering. The Jews even declared the pig an unclean animal. But the people also have gratitude towards the pig, hence the folklore and literature with the rather cute three little pigs or the naive and cute Piglet. Let us not forget that the Pig, although the last, came to visit Buddha, receiving as a gift a year of the eastern calendar with its name, among the 12 distinguished animals. And the year of the Boar or Pig is considered for people a year of prosperity, peace, tranquility and harvest.
This debate was summed up by Winston Churchill, who said: “I love pigs. The dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. The pigs look at us as equals." So the Spaniards look at the pig as a worthy representative of the fauna and as a nurse.
There is an old European saying that a man eats the whole pig, from ears to tail. What interests us now is not the tail or the ears, which the Spaniards really also know how to cook, but the legs. More precisely the back leg. Yes, jamon is a leg, specifically the back one. The word "jamon" refers to the hind leg. You ask, what's wrong with the front? Nothing, it can and should be salted too, but it is called differently (palette), not so large and not so tasty. Although everything is not for everyone. Well, that's it with the introduction. Now let's talk about how an ordinary pickled pork leg was turned almost into an object of cult.
Jamon serrano
Iberian pigs
The main thing is reputation. In the fight for quality
Just imagine, you have a task in front of you: to obtain a product of the highest quality. You will have to work hard.
Well, first of all, selection. Of course, jamon can be made from white pig breeds. In this case it will be called “serrano”. But white breeds give birth often and a lot and move too little; their meat is not so tasty. That's why connoisseurs prefer black pigs. The French have black breeds, there are in the Canary Islands, there are Chinese and Vietnamese black pigs. Strictly speaking, dividing pigs into black and white breeds is just as wrong and too simplistic as dividing women into blondes and brunettes. This is convenient for jokes, but in reality everything has long been mixed up and the situation is much more complicated. The best ham is made from Iberian black pig. We'll talk about this later.
Secondly, nutrition. Before reaching our table, a product lives a complex life. Take ducks, for example, which are force-fed to increase the size of their livers. Or snails, which are put on a flour diet to clean their meat. Sturgeon have to be raised for several decades to obtain the highest quality caviar. The famous French chicken from Bresse is superior to its relatives because it is groomed and nurtured for 18 months (and an ordinary chicken has 6 months of life, and their nutrition is not comparable). That is, in order to obtain a product of exceptional quality, it must be patiently grown and fed. Spanish Iberian pigs are no exception. The Iberian pig walks in oak groves and is recommended to eat acorns. The bigger, the better. What is all this for? In a word: to make the product fatty and plump. The secret of most luxury products is fat, in the good sense of the word. The best breeds of meat usually have a marbled texture and a high fat content. It's the same story with foie gras or tuna belly. You may find it a little cynical, but the Spaniards truly believe that their pigs, bulls and cows are the happiest animals in the world. However, the Japanese, who play flutes for their cows, treat them to beer and massage their sides, probably also think about their cows.
Third condition: walks in the fresh air. Let's not forget that the meat we ultimately consume is muscle, and muscle needs to be trained. Therefore, premium products do not live in incubators on shelves, but walk through fields and forests. Moreover, this is regulated by law. As for Iberian pigs, they roam in oak groves. The best ham producers pride themselves on planting hundreds of hectares of young oak trees.
The next condition for obtaining a luxury product is patience in processing. You can't rush and fuss. The best jamons are aged for several years. Excess moisture comes out of the meat, but due to its high fat content and complexity (remember our condition for proper nutrition), it does not dry out, but becomes more expressive and better. The taste is concentrated. It’s a similar story with meat: contrary to popular opinion, so-called fresh meat is not better, but worse than seasoned meat. Another question is that it must be kept competently, at optimal temperature and humidity. If you do everything right, you will get the Rolls-Royce of jamons.
Jamon. How and where it is made
Well, you and I are not farmers or jamon producers, the nuances are not so important to us. In general terms, we wash the leg, dry it and salt it. After the first, intensive salting, we remove excess salt and move on to the drying stage, and then hang the leg for ripening. All this is accompanied by control of temperature and time of each stage. And the goal is for the salt to be evenly distributed, for the fat to be adjacent to the meat, or more precisely with the muscles, and for the taste to be perfect. You may not see anything complicated in the method we described, and you will be partly right: something similar is done with pork all over the world. And even at home, in the country or in the village, you can repeat these steps. But what makes ham a unique product is the Iberian black breed, which has long hind legs and special genetics that imply a marbling distribution of meat and fat in spectacular layers. You don't have such pigs at your disposal. In addition, they feed on acorns, and one pig eats tens of kilograms a day and during the season it alone needs hectares of oak groves. You don't have them at your disposal either. In addition, only an Iberian pig is suitable, since its blood contains admixtures of wild boar breeds, it is ready to wander tirelessly and gain muscle - ordinary domesticated pigs will simply lie down under the very first tree and, if you please, you will get excellent lard or bacon, but nothing similar for real jamon.
Ham: from simple and cheap to complex and expensive. Top brands
Until now everything was clear. We take the black Iberian breed, walk it freely in oak groves, don’t forget about proper nutrition, especially acorns, salt it and age it in the right cellars. But then the fog begins: there are no clear ratings, no competitions, no world championship among jamons. In principle, they should be. For example, cheese championships are held regularly, and there are a huge number of olive oil ratings. But for jamon, no.
Having conducted a small investigation in our best traditions, I came to my own conclusions: if the jamon is of average quality, then it is quite fully characterized by the region, the percentage of acorns in the diet and other specified characteristics. That is, such hams have no need for competitions. But if jamon is from the major league, then for the Spaniards it goes beyond the category of just a product and becomes akin to an object of art. That’s why we don’t see championships and competitions: who would think of organizing a competition between Leonardo de Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Botticelli’s Aphrodite? Which championship can be decided by who is better: Kandinsky or Renoir? But the country of Spain should know its heroes, and this will be useful for us too.
So, brand number 1: professional chefs prefer Joselito. Jose Gomez's friends include Ferran Adria, Joel Robuchon and the Arzak family. A few years ago, my wife and I were in Alicante for a gastronomic exhibition and attended a Joselito ham tasting. There were three hams from different years, that is, they differed in vintage, age and degree of ripening. Joselito is known for its work on improving the pig breed and for its vintages of different years. It was a fascinating evening. Besides the excellent jamón, it was very educational and amusing to observe a large number of beautifully dressed men and elegant women who came to this tasting in the same mood and in the same outfits as if they had come to the Vienna Opera or the best restaurant in Madrid. Impatience in the eyes, trembling hands, champagne and wine flowing - I want to repeat this evening!
Brand number 2: Traditionalists prefer the 5J brand. Over the decades, Sanchos Romero Carvajal has acquired a reputation for producing ham of impeccable quality. He always emphasizes that the farm has 130 years of experience and plants a huge number of young oak trees. Maldonado, Beher, Domesq, El Zancao, Monsalud, Juan Manuel Hernandez are also excellent brands.
Iberian pigs
The best jamon in the world. A chapter for the inquisitive reader
What do you think the Maybach, the Iberian "manchado" (spotted) pig and the albino sturgeon have in common? The fact is that these products claim to be the best among the best. No one questions the quality of “ordinary” sturgeon caviar, Iberian jamon and a Mercedes car. But this major league also has its peaks: the golden caviar of an adult albino sturgeon has an extraordinary taste, the Maybach is technically perfect, and the ham from a special spotted breed is the king of hams. So the best hams are not black at all, but spotted. These products are united by the fact that they are not just rare, but are already on the verge of extinction: wild and adult albino sturgeon are extremely difficult to catch (although they say that the Gruel family in Austria has learned to breed albinos), and the breed of spotted pigs numbers less than 1000 individuals. Even Maybach announced it would stop working (albeit for the second time in its history). A kilogram of albino sturgeon caviar costs from 10,000 euros, jamon manchado - from 1,000 euros. A kilo of Maybach will cost you less.
What's true, not really, or not at all true about the ham rumors
Jamon serrano from a white pig and with a white hoof is always bad.
Answer: Of course not. There are excellent white breeds, they can also be raised and fed with acorns in the natural area. The result will be quite decent jamon. And the bad reputation of serrano is due to the fact that mass-produced serrano is made in a factory; it is rustic and often too salty.
Palette, front leg – always bad.
Answer: No, either; those who like drier meat will quite like it. Yes, and cheaper. Feel free to buy or order at a restaurant.
The longer the shutter speed, the better.
Answer: Not exactly, during aging and ongoing fermentation the jamon dries out - you need to be able to stop in time. So long aging is affordable and only benefits the best ham, with good fat content and excellent marble structure.
Ham should only be eaten in Spain.
Answer: There is a kernel to this observation: many have noticed that jamon is not as good outside of Spain. But this is often due to improper preparation of the jamon: we usually export the jamon in a vacuum. It is necessary to take it out of the vacuum in advance, let it breathe and open up. And we ourselves need to tune in to the right mood.
Jamon is an everyday food.
Answer: Well, a serrano sandwich, yes. And the best Iberico is just the opposite - the festive food of the Spaniard. The tourist pounces on shrimp and jamon, sparing neither his stomach nor his wallet, but the Spaniard is forced to limit himself and in the minds of the average Spaniard, “mariscos” and jamon are festive food. For New Year, for example.
The Spaniards love jamon so much that they hang it from the ceiling at home and in restaurants for decoration.
Answer: not really. Spaniards do not often buy whole ham at home; a leg of good ham costs about 500 euros, plus you need to know how to cut it, you need to have a cool place to store it. But the Spaniards explain the tradition of hanging a leg not as a craving for home decoration, but as a historical necessity: during the years of the Great Inquisition and persecution of the Jewish people, the hanging legs of a jamon served as a safe conduct, a simple way of separating the houses of Christians and the houses of Jews.
Ham is made all over Spain.
Answer: yes, but the best jamons are made only in the protected natural complexes of Dehesa. There are several such legally protected areas, the best are in Andalusia and Extremadura: Dehesa de Extremadura, Guijuelo, Teruel, Huelva.
Only a professional cortador will cut your jamon correctly by hand, but all machine-made jamon is hack work. And you don’t have to try to cut it yourself, it won’t work.
Answer: yes, in Spain they take cutting seriously. But there is more common sense than mysticism in this: cutting a leg is not easy, it is not uniform. But jamon is an expensive product, and you need to use your foot and cut everything as much as possible, and this requires skill. And most importantly, imagine you have a full restaurant or, say, a wedding, and everyone is waiting for jamon. And cutting into thin petals is not a quick task. Therefore, in these cases, a separate person must be “on the jamon” so that people do not wait for hours. Well, it’s better, of course, if it’s a cortador who knows how to cut correctly. Otherwise it’s a disaster.
Among the diverse ham kingdom in Spain there is an internationally recognized masterpiece - the Iberian jamon Pata Negra, which means "black leg". The day of King Juan Carlos I of Spain begins with a plate of such jamon, and Emperor Nicholas II specially ordered it as a delicacy for his table.
To prepare this amazing dry-cured pork ham, you need to spend at least five years. To do this, you will need an Iberian pig, as well as free pastures where holm oak grows, which produces a unique acorn, which the pigs feed on. In addition to this, one must strictly adhere to technology, which has not changed for many hundreds of years, if not millennia.
History of jamon
Many believe that the tradition of preparing Iberian jamon came from the Celts, who lived in the 2nd century BC on the territory of the Iberian Peninsula and for whom pork was one of the main foodstuffs. The Romans, who conquered the Iberian Peninsula, liked jamon. In their letters, the Roman Emperor Diocletian and the war poet and historian Marcus Terence Varro praised the virtues of this delicacy.
In those distant times, the ancestors of modern Spaniards took with them on the road dry-cured ham of Iberian pork, healthy and nutritious, and also shelf-stable for a long time. They say that Christopher Columbus was able to discover the New World thanks to the Iberian jamon, which was unpretentious to storage conditions, and which was included in the obligatory diet of the conquistadors.
Iberian pig
The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture awards the seal of quality to jamon produced only in four regions of Spain: Guijuelo, Huelva, Extremadura and Valle de los Pedroches.
RIA Novosti offers you a convenient tourist guide that will allow you to choose a country for a tourist trip depending on your preferences for the type of vacation and visa regime.For the production of Iberico jamon, exclusively black Iberian pigs are used - descendants of wild Mediterranean boars. “The secret is that the black Iberian pigs have a unique property at the genetic level: their fatty infiltration occurs between the muscle fibers, and not the muscles. This is explained by the fact that since ancient times, in order to survive hungry times, they were forced to do so way to redistribute accumulated fat,” said Juan Atanasio Carrasco, who has been practicing this difficult craft for the fourth generation, in an interview with a RIA Novosti correspondent.
The Iberian pig has a slightly unusual appearance, perhaps because its drooping ears cover its eyes and its black body has virtually no hair. She also has relatively long legs and strong black hooves (pata negra), which give the name to the best Spanish jamon.
“From birth, each piglet has special identification “earrings” attached to its ears with information about the parents and place of birth,” Carrasco continued. “Further, all information is sent to a special National Registration Chamber, where it is processed and stored.”
Each pig has a metal ring in its snout. “This is so that it cannot dig up the ground and damage the roots of hundred-year-old and sometimes three-hundred-year-old oak trees,” explains RIA Novosti’s interlocutor.
Fodder expanse
These animals not only differ in appearance from their counterparts, but also live in “royal” conditions. For 14 months, pigs of noble Iberian blood are fattened on pig farms, and in October, when the pigs reach a weight of 100 kilograms, they are sent to “free bread”. On fincas (farms) occupying hundreds of hectares of natural pastures covered with holm oaks, Iberian pigs gain weight until mid-February, eating only acorns and wild grasses.
The pastures are impressive in their appearance: holm oaks with strange wide crowns stand among the fields. “The crowns of oak trees are pruned to protect the tree from lightning strikes during a thunderstorm,” explained Juan Atanacio.
To fatten one pig, two hectares of pasture are needed, since on average it eats up to 11 kilograms of acorns per day. “Not many producers can afford this,” notes Carrasco.
After four months, the Iberian pig gains marketable weight - about 170 kilograms. The pastures themselves are arranged in such a way that the pigs are always on the move - running to the watering hole and back in search of food. With this regime, the bulk of the fat that is deposited on the back of the neck gradually seeps down and penetrates the muscular, fleshy parts of the carcass. The quality of the future jamon is not least determined by the quantity and quality of this fat. This “diet” gives a unique smell and taste to the final product.
Holm oak
In Spain there is a special law on the protection of holm oaks, which are a national treasure. This is understandable, because it takes at least 50 years for an oak tree to begin to bear fruit. Without special permission from a special commission, it is prohibited even to trim dried branches - a fine of 3 thousand euros will be charged for violation. Such a reverent attitude of the Spaniards towards these rare trees is explained by the fact that the acorns of holm oaks are unusual: they contain a large amount of carbohydrates and vegetable oils, which penetrate into the meat of animals. It is noteworthy that the amount of oleic acid in acorns is approximately the same as in those varieties of Spanish olives from which the best oil is made.
EU restaurateurs will pour olive oil into plasticIn accordance with the decision of the European Commission, from the new year, restaurants will be required to serve olive oil in disposable containers with a label, as some restaurateurs deceived their customers by adding a cheap product to them.“Without such food it is impossible to grow true Ibericos,” explains our interlocutor. “It is the acorns, which have a sweetish taste, that provide the range of taste qualities that distinguish the best examples of jamon.” It is no coincidence that manufacturers with particular pride mention the word bellota - “acorn” - in the name of their product.
An attempt to reproduce Iberian jamon was made in many countries, for example in Italy and France. But such unique natural conditions necessary for the growth of holm oak exist only in southwest Spain and only on an area of 1.1 million hectares.
How a delicacy is born
“The technology for making jamon is simple,” jokes Juan Atanacio, “it requires nothing except a fresh pork hind leg, sea salt, clean air and time.” And he adds seriously: “Producing jamon is not difficult, but producing high-quality jamon is a very difficult process.”
An important component of production is the time of year. Pigs fed on an acorn diet are slaughtered from late January to mid-February. This is due to the fact that at the initial stage of preparing the product it is necessary to maintain the air temperature in the premises no higher than 4 degrees Celsius. First, the pork legs, having previously trimmed the skin from them, are sorted by weight and a red tag is hung on each leg, on which the pedigree of the pig, the place and time of production are indicated in a special font. Like Spanish wines, jamón has its own seal of quality, guaranteeing that it is produced in a certain province in compliance with consistent local standards.
The hind legs usually weigh 11-12 kilograms, and they are used to prepare Iberian jamon. Then, in specially equipped rooms, they are covered with a large amount of sea salt. It is sea salt, observing tradition, because in those distant times where it came from, there was no other salt. “And no soaking the legs in brine!” exclaims Carrasco. “Such information is sometimes found, but it can only ruin the product.”
The salting time depends on the weight of the leg and averages one day per kilogram of meat. Then the salt is washed off from the jamon with a strong stream of water, it is given a rounded shape on a special machine and placed in a room with a temperature of 7 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 70%. Over the course of six months, the meat is evenly soaked in salt and dries out.
After this, the jamon is transported to another room for further drying (Secadero postsolado). Here, over the course of three months, a process occurs when salt from the upper layers of the ham penetrates deep into the leg. After 90 days, the next process of drying the jamon begins with a gradual increase in air temperature from plus 5 to 22 degrees. After two years of salting and drying, the final, slowest stage of ripening, that same drying, begins. The “sacrament” lasts from two to three years, while the temperature in winter is maintained at 10 degrees above zero, and in summer - plus 20. At the end of this centuries-verified process, the famous “Jamon Iberico de Bellota” is ready to go to to the consumer.
How to properly cut and eat jamon
Cutting jamon is a special art, which is performed by a specially trained specialist - a jamonero cortador. In the hands of the master, a flexible and long knife obediently slides along the leg, but the black hoof always remains untouched until the last slice, as a true testament to the thoroughbred Iberian pig from which the delicacy is made. It is customary to cut jamon into very thin, almost transparent petal slices with a small strip of fat.
What lies hidden in the white sands of the Costa BlancaThe Spanish Mediterranean coast - Costa Blanca - is called the "white coast" for its numerous light sandy beaches. The climate here is very comfortable, 3-5 degrees warmer than in the north, in Barcelona, and not as hot as in the south, in Marbella, while rain is rare here in the summer.And here we have true poetry, embodied by nature and people in delicious meat. Golden-pink color, endless facets of shades of delicious aroma envelop us, the whisper fades away under the power of incomparable taste - no words are needed, you enjoy the splendor melting in your mouth. Thank you, maestro!
A worthy companion for this masterpiece would be proper quality red wine or Spanish sherry, Carrasco believes. It is necessary to listen to the advice of an expert, especially since jamon is recognized as a dietary product; it lowers cholesterol levels in the blood and is useful for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. This is explained by the fact that the composition of fatty acids in Iberian pigs is closer to vegetable fats than to animal fats, since it consists of 55% monounsaturated oleic acid.
It should be noted that, despite the fairly high prices, the demand for high-quality jamon exceeds the supply. Therefore, large buyers sign contracts for the supply of products in advance, at least a year in advance.
Tourists visiting Madrid for the first time are often confused by the Museo del Jamon signs, which are found in almost every block of the central part of the city. But upon entering, you will be pleasantly surprised - this is not a museum at all, but something between a restaurant, a wine boutique and a grocery store, where jamon is the basis of the menu and an integral part of the interior. The delicate tantalizing aroma will not let you pass by. Don’t resist the temptation and be sure to pamper yourself by choosing “Jamon Ibérico de Bellota” from all the variety, and you will understand why the Spaniards are proud of this product, perhaps even more than olive oil or the best varieties of wine.
Yuri Nikolaev
In this article I told you about the form in which jamon exists and is sold in Spain. It remains to talk about the most important thing - about the quality of the jamon, what it depends on, how to understand what quality of jamon is in front of you and not make a mistake in your choice. I found a good one on this topic in Spanish. I will translate briefly.
Spanish jamon. What is it and which one should you choose?
So, we already know that there is jamon, and there is paleta. Spain is famous for its jamon, and not palleta (although, in fact, this is the same thing, the only difference is whether it is the hind limb or the forelimb). There are 2 types of it: Jamón Ibérico and Jamon Serrano. You should remember this very well, because this is the main difference between quality and price.
Jamon Iberico. It is made from a special Spanish breed of pigs - raised on the Iberico Peninsula (that is what Spain was called - the Iberian Peninsula - many centuries ago). Moreover, in order to have the right to call jamon “Iberico”, the pig must be at least 50% Iberian breed (i.e. you can cross an Iberian pig with another foreign breed). It is believed that Iberian pig meat does not increase cholesterol and fights heart disease.
The Iberian pig is distinguished by its color - it is black. This is a large breed, with long legs, often with black hooves, which is why you can see the inscription “black leg” on the ham - pata negra.
Iberico brand ham is distinguished by its low salt content and special taste and aroma. I’ll say right away that only a gourmet will notice the special taste and aroma. It is difficult for an ordinary person to distinguish Iberico jamon from another by taste and smell.
In general, the quality of Ibérico jamon depends on the purity of the breed (mixture or 100% Ibérico), the conditions in which the pig lived, how freely it lived, the area over which it moved, the diet of the animal and the time of drying of the meat - usually from 8 up to 36 months. The color of the jamon is dark, there are layers of fat, soft, shiny.
Jamon Iberico is also divided into several subspecies. The gradation depends on the animal’s nutrition:
Jamón Ibérico de Cebo: the animal was fed feed, cereals, legumes and raised in pens, on farms in conditions - eat more, move less, grow faster.
Jamón Iberico de Cebo de Campo: the animal grew up in a field, in a pasture. He ate natural food in nature.
Jamón Ibérico de Recebo (also written “Ibérico 50%”): the animal also ate natural food, as in the previous category, but during the ripening period of acorns, it also received them. Acorns are not a sufficient food for weight gain, so during the acorn period, animals are given cereals and legumes. This helps increase the pig's weight to 160kg.
Spanish jamon. All about jamon. Types of jamon. Jamón Iberico puro de Bellota(they also write “Iberico 100%”): This is the highest quality Iberico jamon. Animals also grow up in the wild, but from November to March they eat only acorns without various additives in the form of cereals and legumes. Reach the required weight for slaughter naturally.
To guarantee the high quality of the product and compliance with the rules of raising animals, the following signs were created indicating the place where the animal was raised:
Jamon Serrano. Unlike the first type, when raising pigs for Jamon Serrano, it does not matter where the pig comes from, the main food and living conditions. For this type of jamon, white (or pink) pigs are used. They are called the white race or white breed. Their hooves are light brown.
Raising such pigs follows the principle: as quickly as possible, i.e. lots of food, little movement. Their diet is based exclusively on feed and cereals, no natural food.
Among the subspecies of Serrano jamon, there are 3, depending on the period of drying of the meat:
Jamón Serrano de bodega: drying for 10 to 12 months.
Jamón Serrano Reserva: 12 – 15 months.
Serrano Gran Reserva: more than 15 months.
Jamon Serrano should be cured in a cool, dry place.
As you can see, the quality of Serrano jamon is affected only by the drying conditions and time. Neither the diet, nor the animal’s lifestyle, nor the breed matters. The animals are not raised in the best conditions, therefore the quality of the meat is inferior to Iberico jamon. The conditions for raising many pigs were described in a very famous program in Spain in 2017. I wrote about the program in one of the.
The program “Salvados” (“saved”), similar to our “Man and the Law,” caused a wave of indignation and greatly stirred up the public. It described the conditions in which animals live before slaughter in large and well-known “factories” for breeding pigs. After this transfer, several European countries refused to purchase jamon from Spain.
Why did I write to you about the program? So that you understand and realize that it is not only in Russia that animals on farms can be treated poorly. This is also practiced in other countries. And all because people live in all countries, and people are mercantile creatures and the majority, unfortunately, will go over their heads for money and they don’t care if someone is feeling bad. Business and the opportunity to earn more and more turn people into soulless money-making machines, for which the norms of morality, morality and mercy cease to exist.
Let's return to the jamon. How to choose the right leg of ham? To me they all look similar. They usually choose not so much by appearance as by brand. Jamon Ibérico de bellota, as you already understood from the story above, is the most famous brand and the most expensive. The most expensive leg is the one with the black hoof. Jamon Serrano is cheaper.
First, choose a brand, one that will give you money, and then look at the leg itself. I usually look at the leg in terms of the amount of visible fat, I look at the size - how much will fit in the suitcase, if I’m taking it to the Russian Federation, I ask the seller to help me choose drier meat. I love dry meat. Of course, it won’t be dry at all, but the difference is noticeable. If you take a pallet, it is damper, because... drying in less time. I’ve never bought an expensive leg of jamon, I’ve always bought a pallet – it suited me.
Let's sum it up:
- The quality of the jamon in the “leg” depends on the living conditions of the pig, its feed and/or the conditions and time of drying of the meat.
- The lighter the meat looks, the less it has been dried, which means it should be cheaper.
- Ham has a dark red or burgundy color and is more expensive.
- It is more convenient to transport jamon in a package than to transport a whole leg. It is better to buy jamon in local supermarkets rather than in tourist places.
You can also see an inscription on the jamon indicating what kind of pig it was - female or male. Previously, this “point” was important, because It was believed that female meat was better due to the fact that males were castrated too late and the meat smelled a little like urine. Now females and males are castrated very early and their meat is equally tasty. However, some manufacturers still have the inscription indicating female or male.
Read about which jamon to buy as a gift in another article (to be published) and.
Copyright for the article belongs to the head of the Real Estate Agency "SPAIN INVEST" and the author of the text - Anna Lepshina. Copying the article to other sites without the consent of the author is strictly prohibited.
To prepare jamon, strictly defined conditions are required in which the raw ham is salted and dried. This process is long, however, the result is one of the most delicious and famous delicacies in the world. The Spaniards consider jamon their national treasure. In Spain, there are special establishments - jamonerias, which are a cross between a restaurant, a wine boutique and a grocery store, in which pork ham is the basis of the menu and an integral part of the interior.
Spanish jamon has been around for more than two thousand years. This dish was popular even among the ancient Romans. Mentions of jamon are found even in the letters of Emperor Diocletianus, the war poet and historian Marcus Varro and other important persons of that time.
In ancient times, the preparation of jamon was caused by natural reasons, since the main task then was to prepare meat for future use. As for the high taste qualities of this product, they turned out somehow by themselves.
Pig slaughter was carried out in the fall; pork hams were salted because... There were no other preservatives other than salt then, and these hams hung all winter, acquiring over time their amazing and unique taste. The ancient ancestors of the Spaniards, when going on the road, took dry-cured ham from the Iberian breed of pigs, whose meat is nutritious and can be stored for a long time, as food. According to some reports, jamon played a significant role in the success of Christopher Columbus's expedition, because... the voyage lasted a very long time, but the team was provided with high-quality products, the main place among which was delicious jamon, which did not require special storage conditions. And who knows whether Columbus would have been able to reach the shores of America if the crew had been starving.
Features of cooking jamon
Over the past years, there have been no changes in the preparation of jamon. The ham is taken from the best pigs, salted and then dried. The path from fresh ham to jamon is quite long and can last for many months. And some types of jamon take more than three years to prepare.
High-quality jamon can be compared to elite wines - origin is important for both. In Spain, there is even a special concept “Denominacion de Origen” - this is a kind of quality mark, which is a guarantee that the jamon was made in a specific province, according to accepted local standards.
There are only two main types of jamon: Jamon serrano (Serrano jamon) and Jamon iberico (Iberico jamon), also called “pata negra”, which translates as “black leg”. These jamons have quite a lot of differences - different cooking methods, cooking times and, most importantly, different breeds of pigs and methods of feeding them. Externally, these two types of jamon differ in the color of the hoof: white for Serrano and black for Iberico.
The Iberico Bellota jamon is considered the best - this is the jamon that is supplied to the court of the King of Spain. According to standards, the name Iberico is given to jamon made from pigs in which the amount of Iberian black blood is at least 75%. These pigs graze on open pastures, but the main food in their diet is acorns. The word Bellota in the name of jamon means “acorn”. The black hoof of the Iberico Bellota jamon is a kind of sign of authenticity and proof that the “supplier” of the ham for this product was a black Iberian pig.
Types of jamon
Jamon Ibérico Beyota DO “Iberico del Brillante”
This type of jamon is made exclusively from the meat of purebred Iberian pigs, fed on acorns in the pastures of Extremadura. The ham is cured in cellars for 30 months, after which it acquires unique and unsurpassed properties and taste. This jamon is marked with a special qualification mark “Dehesa de Extremadura” (trans. Pastures of Extremadura), confirming the origin of the raw materials, and is a guarantee of compliance with traditions and norms in raising pigs and in the production of jamon. In Spain, it is customary to serve this jamon with slices of ripe and juicy melon.
In exactly the same way, another type of jamon is produced from the same pork - Iberico Beyota "Coto Real".
Jamon Ibérico Resevo “Coto Real”
To make this type of jamon, the meat of Iberian pigs is used, fattened on the same Extremaduran pastures, but their diet, in addition to acorns, also includes a certain amount of forage. The process of drying the ham lasts one and a half years. The Spaniards prepare light snacks from this jamon with the addition of pepper.
Jamon Serrano CS "Trivium"
A Spanish family-owned jamon company called Monty Nevado has been around since 1898. During its existence, the company has perfectly mastered the skills of preparing jamon, and now produces high-quality Serrano jamon, distinguished by its beautiful and appetizing appearance and balanced salting. Jamon Serrano means "Mountain Ham". The Monty Nevado company is part of the Jamon Serrano Consortium and guarantees the highest quality of each individual ham.
Pork hams, completely covered with salt, are salted for several weeks, then cleaned and dried for 20 months. During this time, they lose an average of 30% fat, and acquire a unique taste and concentrated aroma of dried meat.
Jamon Serrano FJS “Bernedo”
This jamon is made from the meat of white pigs, and the Fundacion Jamon Serrano qualification mark indicates its quality and preparation technology.
Jamon "Mangalica"
An indigenous Hungarian pig breed called Mangalitsa was developed by mixing several breeds. Mangalitsa is characterized by high fat content due to its genetic characteristics. Jamon from Mangalitsa meat is distinguished by the highest quality and unique taste. This type of jamon is considered an exclusive delicacy. The weight of jamon on the bone is 7-8 kg, removed from the bone - from 5 to 7 kg.
Rules for cutting jamon
The ham is cut on a special stand - jamonera using a long, sharp and thin knife into thin slices (slices). The slices are sealed (lubricated) with melted fat to protect the meat from drying out quickly.
Jamon in Spanish cuisine
Jamon is used to prepare a variety of appetizers, it is added to all kinds of salads, and main dishes and soups are prepared from it. Roasted jamon and peppers and grilled peppers make an unrivaled sauce for meat dishes. It is jamon that gives this sauce a unique, rich taste. They even exist with jamon. For example, in Spain, creamy ice cream flavored with chips made from jamon and flower honey is quite popular.
