IBERIAN HAM-JAMÓN IBÉRICO
May 18th, 2006, 11:25 PM
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IBERIAN HAM-JAMÓN IBÉRICO
Iīve been reading some threads about food, but havenīt found much about Iberian ham, the king of all delicacies. There are many copies and products of lower quality that, thanks to marketing, are more appreciated.
Iberian ham is a Spanish product. It comes from a special race of pork, the Iberian race, of Mediterranean origin. These pigs are big, black and hairless, and are never kept in closed spaces. They eat exclusively acorns.
The ham (which is the back leg, while the front leg, of inferior quality, is the "paleta"
is salted, cured and matured in special places. The whole process takes a minimum of 24 months.
The result is a top quality ham, high in HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Its fat is GOOD for the heart (something that may seem very paradoxical to many).
In Spain it is eaten everywhere, but itīs not a cheap product, it canīt be. There are other qualities, Serrano, Teruel, de recebo, etc, etc, but the real thing is the Ibérico de Bellota, with three "Denominaciones de Origen", DEhesa de Extremadura, Jamón de Huelva and Guijuelo. All in southwestern Spain.
Parma Ham is a poor solution for someone looking for a good ham, as is Biarritz ham. Nothing to do.
There are also Chorizo Ibérico, Salchichón, Costilla,...., all products coming from this race of pork, top quality, with a very distinctive flavour.
There are some pages in Internet talking about this product, not widely available in the US (these hams are hanged, mainly in bars and restaurants, something that is not permitted in the US, so clean and aseptic).
So next time in Spain, make sure you ask for real jamón ibérico. Itīs well worth the money (from 50 to 100 euros per kilo, depending on the quality)
Iberian ham is a Spanish product. It comes from a special race of pork, the Iberian race, of Mediterranean origin. These pigs are big, black and hairless, and are never kept in closed spaces. They eat exclusively acorns.
The ham (which is the back leg, while the front leg, of inferior quality, is the "paleta"
is salted, cured and matured in special places. The whole process takes a minimum of 24 months.The result is a top quality ham, high in HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Its fat is GOOD for the heart (something that may seem very paradoxical to many).
In Spain it is eaten everywhere, but itīs not a cheap product, it canīt be. There are other qualities, Serrano, Teruel, de recebo, etc, etc, but the real thing is the Ibérico de Bellota, with three "Denominaciones de Origen", DEhesa de Extremadura, Jamón de Huelva and Guijuelo. All in southwestern Spain.
Parma Ham is a poor solution for someone looking for a good ham, as is Biarritz ham. Nothing to do.
There are also Chorizo Ibérico, Salchichón, Costilla,...., all products coming from this race of pork, top quality, with a very distinctive flavour.
There are some pages in Internet talking about this product, not widely available in the US (these hams are hanged, mainly in bars and restaurants, something that is not permitted in the US, so clean and aseptic).
So next time in Spain, make sure you ask for real jamón ibérico. Itīs well worth the money (from 50 to 100 euros per kilo, depending on the quality)
May 19th, 2006, 12:19 AM
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if you want to try this ham, go to a delicatessan and buy 100 grams sliced very thin.
if you decide to try this in a RESTAURANT, do not be shocked when the little plate of mouth watering ham has cost you 80 euros.
if you decide to try this in a RESTAURANT, do not be shocked when the little plate of mouth watering ham has cost you 80 euros.
May 19th, 2006, 02:34 AM
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itīs not that expensive. A plate of ham (iberian) in a restaurant may be around 15 to 20 euros, thatīs all. If more, itīs a rip off.
And thereīs no need to go to a delicatessen, you can find top iberian hams in most "carnicerias", that is, at the butcherīs or grocery store.
And thereīs no need to go to a delicatessen, you can find top iberian hams in most "carnicerias", that is, at the butcherīs or grocery store.
May 19th, 2006, 02:59 AM
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I agree with mikelg. I have paid an average of 17-18 euros for a platter which is usually enough for 2 people.
Do not confuse this ham with "jamon serrano" which is cheaper but not as delicious( I also finf the serrano very chewy!).
Do not confuse this ham with "jamon serrano" which is cheaper but not as delicious( I also finf the serrano very chewy!).
May 19th, 2006, 03:20 AM
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Intrepid1, correct, thatīs the way we keep cured ham over here. Not all of them are Ibérico, serranos and other kinds are also hanged. You may find them also in bags, vacuumed for better conservation, without the bone.
But, for sure, itīs one of the best delicacies to be found anywhere...
But, for sure, itīs one of the best delicacies to be found anywhere...
May 19th, 2006, 04:03 AM
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I am a huge fan of Jamon Iberico..I had it recently in (non-fancy) restaurants for 20-25 a racion. For those who would like to learn more, here is one article. We will be able to get it in the States in 2008, we hope. The fat is rich in omerga-3s and it is even supposed to be good for you!!! Far superior to other similar products in my opinion. At the present time, we can get only Spanish chorizo from Palacios here in the US.
http://www.departures.com/ep/ep_0105_ham.html
http://www.departures.com/ep/ep_0105_ham.html
May 19th, 2006, 06:13 AM
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Lin is right...for 15-20 euros you got Jamon Iberico, but don't dream it is Jabugo or Guijuelo denomination, not even "iberico de bellota" (which exists also in other places). That's a very very expensive one.
May 19th, 2006, 06:47 AM
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I think some places play fast and loose with the bellota issue. I was in a great food shop in Caceres and looked at the various hams for sale. I inquired about whether or not the feed had been 100% bellota and was assured that it was but for the price, I guess it had been eating a combination of bellota and something else. So when one goes into a bar or restaurant and orders Iberian Ham, how does one go about asking for 100% bellota..by asking the producer of the ham? In Caceres the one I ate was Dehesa.
May 19th, 2006, 07:02 AM
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ekscrunchy, I guess in a restaurant the only way to know it is the price !! 
When you see the whole ham (the leg) it has the denomination label on it, so you know if it is a real "bellota" but that doesn't work on restaurants
Anyway, most people here in Spain cannot afford to buy 100% bellota ham, most people have never tasted it.
When you see the whole ham (the leg) it has the denomination label on it, so you know if it is a real "bellota" but that doesn't work on restaurants
Anyway, most people here in Spain cannot afford to buy 100% bellota ham, most people have never tasted it.
May 19th, 2006, 08:36 AM
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The last time I checked the price of Ibérico de Bellota was in Cáceres, a little over a year ago. It was 145 euros/kilo in a carniceria. I did pick up a small package at the Madrid airport, which our Basque chef friend in Seattle devoured in no time.
May 19th, 2006, 11:48 AM
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There's been a recent discussion on egullet about this very topic: What constitutes D.O.P (Denominacion de Origen Protegido) genuine Iberico and what does not:
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=86314
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=86314
May 19th, 2006, 10:14 PM
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Absolutely right, not many Spaniards have tasted a real 100% Bellota Denominación de Origen Dehesa, Guijuelo or Jabugo. Our salaries donīt allow us such an expense, except for certain very special occassions. Thatīs why Ibérico is a very good option, at a better price.
Will prices soar up when the US allow the import of this product? Will you get the real product or cheap copies? Will the best ones be destined for export and poor Spaniards will have the low quality ones? Weīll see.
Will prices soar up when the US allow the import of this product? Will you get the real product or cheap copies? Will the best ones be destined for export and poor Spaniards will have the low quality ones? Weīll see.
May 20th, 2006, 12:51 AM
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Hi there,
last year an american friend told me about this possibility of iberic ham being allowed in 2007 or 2008 in the States. We joked about buying futures on the ham
He wasnīt very sure if it would be allowed in its unadulterated form, or if the FDA would force the producers to add some kind of conservants, which would alter the flavour. There is a ham right now being allowed, Navidul, and the taste is quite different.
The iberic ham depends not only on the pigs race, but also on their food. If there is a problem with the acorns that year, some producers will feed them a mox of corn and acorns, and there have been cases where "recebo" hams (the mixed ones, and sometimes very good) have been sold as pure iberic.
If in doubt, I would tend to "Joselito" and "Sanchez Romero", two of the best known producers. I have a bit of a soft spot for Joselito, the Guijuelo producer in Salamanca (although you must take into account that many of the hams produced in Guijuelo come from pigs raised in Extremadura).
I agree with Michael about the comparison with the Parma ham and the Bayonne ham. I am not really fond of them, because I find them a bit soft to my tastes. Having said that, I like a lot the Tuscany ham (maybe itīs nearer to my tastes), and a good Tirol speck disappears at home way too soon.
Iberic ham has those little spots of fat in between the meat, itīs a bit more darker and more chewy. I watched the other day in Plaza Santa Ana two american girls dissecting a dish of iberic ham trying to get rid of the tiny fat drops ... when that fat really helps and increases the flavour.
Maribel, thanks for the link to the egullet thread. It has reminded me of a market near my place in Madrid, and I must add "La Garriga", near the top of La Castellana to the list of places where you can get a really good ham, and very good catalonian products (fuet, butifarra ...).
Rgds, Cova
last year an american friend told me about this possibility of iberic ham being allowed in 2007 or 2008 in the States. We joked about buying futures on the ham
He wasnīt very sure if it would be allowed in its unadulterated form, or if the FDA would force the producers to add some kind of conservants, which would alter the flavour. There is a ham right now being allowed, Navidul, and the taste is quite different.
The iberic ham depends not only on the pigs race, but also on their food. If there is a problem with the acorns that year, some producers will feed them a mox of corn and acorns, and there have been cases where "recebo" hams (the mixed ones, and sometimes very good) have been sold as pure iberic.
If in doubt, I would tend to "Joselito" and "Sanchez Romero", two of the best known producers. I have a bit of a soft spot for Joselito, the Guijuelo producer in Salamanca (although you must take into account that many of the hams produced in Guijuelo come from pigs raised in Extremadura).
I agree with Michael about the comparison with the Parma ham and the Bayonne ham. I am not really fond of them, because I find them a bit soft to my tastes. Having said that, I like a lot the Tuscany ham (maybe itīs nearer to my tastes), and a good Tirol speck disappears at home way too soon.
Iberic ham has those little spots of fat in between the meat, itīs a bit more darker and more chewy. I watched the other day in Plaza Santa Ana two american girls dissecting a dish of iberic ham trying to get rid of the tiny fat drops ... when that fat really helps and increases the flavour.
Maribel, thanks for the link to the egullet thread. It has reminded me of a market near my place in Madrid, and I must add "La Garriga", near the top of La Castellana to the list of places where you can get a really good ham, and very good catalonian products (fuet, butifarra ...).
Rgds, Cova
May 20th, 2006, 08:33 AM
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hi Cova,
Those futures sound like a good idea! I've often joked about that myself.
Here's the explanation of Tienda.com of the ibérico (Salamanca produced) that they hope to receive and start selling in the US sometime in '07.
http://www.tienda.com/indepth/jamoniberico.html#news
Those futures sound like a good idea! I've often joked about that myself.
Here's the explanation of Tienda.com of the ibérico (Salamanca produced) that they hope to receive and start selling in the US sometime in '07.
http://www.tienda.com/indepth/jamoniberico.html#news
May 20th, 2006, 08:47 AM
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Having just returned from Spain, where I considered, and decided against, bringing jamon Iberico home with me to the US, I am curious as to how the prices on www.Tienda.com compare to those in Spain for similar products. The Tienda prices seem astronomical to me..more than double what I recall in Spain... and I would like to know the opinion of the Spanish aficionados. Thanks.
May 20th, 2006, 11:42 AM
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this ham you are talking about is not the MOST scrunptuos one.
the bellota one is fabulous and does have a higher price tag than what you are paying. but only the BEST restaurants will have the real thing. believe me. no bar or cafeteria or middle of the road place will have it.
i , personally , would never order it, but it has been place before me at many business luncheons.
you can tell by the color and visible fat content and texture.
i find the delicatessans and high end charcuterias have the best selection, atleast near here.
which i think is the best place to try several before you buy a lot.
the person tending the counter will let you try several, which certainly helps to see and taste the difference.
there are even "ham tastngs" now.. like wine tastings.
yummy stuff worth looking into in depth on your next trip. but i would start at the counter before the table.
just my two cents' worth.
the bellota one is fabulous and does have a higher price tag than what you are paying. but only the BEST restaurants will have the real thing. believe me. no bar or cafeteria or middle of the road place will have it.
i , personally , would never order it, but it has been place before me at many business luncheons.
you can tell by the color and visible fat content and texture.
i find the delicatessans and high end charcuterias have the best selection, atleast near here.
which i think is the best place to try several before you buy a lot.
the person tending the counter will let you try several, which certainly helps to see and taste the difference.
there are even "ham tastngs" now.. like wine tastings.
yummy stuff worth looking into in depth on your next trip. but i would start at the counter before the table.
just my two cents' worth.
