A CUT above the rest
“The best hams should have a shiny dark red-brown colour, speckled with tiny white flecks from eating fatty acorns. They should be sliced into almost transparent, wafer-thin rashers from the leg and eaten immediately...”
Marc Fosh is the first and only British Chef to be awarded a Michelin Star in Spain. MARC FOSH RESTAURANT is located in Palma’s Convent de la Missio where contemporary design blends seamlessly with traditional features and modern art. The restaurant opened to rave reviews and has quickly become Palma’s premiere culinary destination. www.marcfosh.com
Spain is undoubtedly blessed with some top-quality ingredients; it has superb olive oil, anchovies, wonderful cheeses, and some of the best wines in the world. But if I had to choose one single ingredient as the undisputed champion of Spanish gastronomy, it would have to be “Jamón ibérico de bellota”, arguably Spain’s greatest contribution to the world of food.
All hams are not created equal, and it really is important to understand the subtle differences when you enter into the world of Spanish hams. The most basic and therefore the cheapest, is simply called “Jamón Serrano”. The word “Serrano” when translated means sierra or mountain and there are many types of “Jamón Serrano” of variable quality. It is generally made from white pigs—usually Landrace or Duroc breeds, which have white hooves and are typically raised indoors and fed a mixture of grains. The next step up is “Jamón Ibérico”, made from farm-raised, usually crossbred Ibérico pigs that are raised indoors and fed hay. “Jamón Ibérico Cebo de Campo” is the next level above that and is made from crossbred free-range Ibérico pigs that are fed a mixture of acorns and hay giving them a little more flavour.
“Jamón Ibérico de Bellota” is the premier level and the type that has inspired cultlike following throughout the world. It is made from free-range, black-hued and footed Ibérico pigs that feed almost exclusively on acorns. The most highly prized are those from the village of “jabugo” in Huelva, Guijuelo and the provinces of Salamanca and Extremadura.
The “Cerdo Iberico de Bellota” are darkcoloured animals with longer legs and leaner haunches than the domestic pig. They roam free, feeding on acorns in the oak forests of Andalusia and Extremadura. These acorns impart an intense, aromatic flavour and give the finished ham it’s unmistakable rich taste and texture. The art of producing top quality hams is a complex process regulated by strict controls as the legs are first salted and then hang to mature for a period of between 18 months to 3 years. The transformation from Iberian pig to world-renowned
Jamón de Bellota Ibérico takes about five years: two years fattening the pigs, three years curing the meat in the cellar.
The best hams should have a shiny dark red-brown colour, speckled with tiny white flecks from eating fatty acorns.
They should be sliced into almost transparent, wafer-thin rashers from the leg and eaten immediately. A special support, a “Jamonero” is used along with a very sharp knife with a long narrow blade. It should be served at room temperature and needs nothing more than crusty bread to accompany it although you could serve it with some fresh figs when they’re bursting with flavour.
Cured hams are used in Spanish cookery to flavour loads of soups and stews, as well as untold vegetable and egg dishes. If you’re thinking of buying a whole ham look for the metal stamp and the producers guarantee. Price is normally a good judge of quality, and the very top hams can fetch as much as 200 euros a kilo, it may sound a lot, but we really are talking about one of the great gastronomic delights of the world and that kind of quality and dedication doesn’t come cheap.