How to choose a good jamon in Spain. Jamon as a visiting card of gastronomic Spain: from history to the best brands. Harm and contraindications
Jamon Iberico(Jamón Ibérico (Iberian ham) what is it and why is it so famous?
This gastronomic product is most associated with Spain and is rightfully considered its national pride. For the Spaniards, jamon is not just food, it is a necessary attribute and quality indicator of any feast, be it a wedding, christening, corporate party, or an ordinary private party at home or in a restaurant.
It seems incredible to a real Spaniard not to include jamon in an aperitif. wedding celebration, or invite guests home and not serve jamon as an appetizer.
It is very strange to meet a foreigner who, having at least once tasted a real good quality Iberian ham, would not enjoy its taste, or a Spaniard who would not include this ham in the list of products that he misses the most while living away from Spain.
Insofar as jamon is an one of the symbols of Spain, there is a whole culture of its preparation, cutting and serving. Everything matters: the shape of the cut, how the thinly sliced slices of fragrant ham are arranged on a flat plate, what drinks it is accompanied by (usually red wine, similar in quality to the type of jamon). All this, of course, is aimed at flavor enhancement served dish. There are even international competitions jamon cutters that are becoming more and more popular!
To appreciate and truly enjoy the authentic Iberian ham, let's let's figure it out what is it and how is it prepared. Used to make ham back pork leg, which in its raw form is salted and dried for a long time without any heat or heat treatment. Made using the same technology front pork leg called palette or paletilla (paletilla, shoulder blade). It is very easy to distinguish a jamon from a pallet - paletilla more like a crescent and weighs an average 2-3 kg, a jamon, with weight 6-8 kg., looks like a big drop. The period during which the jamon is dried in the cellar depends on the desired quality of the product, the breed of the pig, the size of the ham and can reach 36 months!
Do not be surprised that a product with such a seemingly simple appearance And there are so many varieties of recipes. It is worth going to a specialized store - here you can find an ordinary inexpensive jamon for 8-10 euros per kilogram, and gourmet brands, prices for which can reach 150 euro per kilogram. Of course, prices in good quality restaurants for a similar product will be much higher.
What caused such a difference in prices and quality of the proposed jamon? Let's take a closer look, starting with simple and inexpensive varieties, to give you a complete picture of the main types of real Iberian ham that you can find when traveling in Spain.
Iberico jamon types and areas of origin
Jamon Serrano (Jamon serrano) is a type of ham that is often given a name to give a special glamour. jamón de bodega (jamó ndebodega,wine cellar ham) or, referring to the breed of the pig, they call jamon blanco (jamó nblanco, white ham). This ham, which is prepared from pigs of the "white" race, that is from ordinary pigs that are not Iberian. These animals are raised on conventional farms. no special diet. Characteristic external features of the ham jamó nSerrano is his short and round shape, as well as the absence of veins of fat in a cut of meat, since with this type of pig rearing, all fat is deposited on their sides, and the ham remains as lean as possible.
This type of jamon is used in cooking mainly as a snack. tapas, served in Spanish bars. Standard Price finished product(sliced and boneless) is about 20 euro per kilogram. The Spaniard may know where to find a good quality ham in this category, but there is usually not much difference between a serrano ham from Spain and any other cured ham outside of Spain. For example, there are already farms in China that produce a product of similar taste and quality.
Jamon Iberico de Sebo (jamó nibé ricodecebo), - this ham, which is produced from breeds of pigs obtained by crossing common breed pigs with Iberian. This mixed breed is also farm raised no special diet, but due to the presence of Iberian roots, the quality of the ham improves, which, of course, raises the price of the resulting ham.
Jamon Iberico de Sebo de Campo (jamó nibé ricodecebodecampo), just like jamon de sebo is made from crossbreed pigs, but unlike normal growing conditions on the farm, these animals are at least the last 60 days were free range.
Jamon Iberico de Beyota (jamó nibé ricodebellota, Iberian acorn jamon) is a jamon produced from crossbreed pigs who ate only acorns and herbs. Moreover, the last 2-3 months their lives were fed only acorns in open pasture.
Jamon iberico-puro de beyota (jamó nibé ricopurodebellota, Iberian purebred jamon from acorns) - as well as the previous species, it implies the presence of a special herbal and acorn diet in pigs. For its preparation, only the ham of pigs is used. purebred Iberian breed. This is the product of nai highest quality. The price of the finished product (sliced and boneless) will be at least 100 euros per kilogram.
In addition to the varieties European Union 4 zones of origin are recognized for Iberian ham, which also affect the quality of the finished product. This is
Jamon Iberico D.O. "Jamón de Guijuelo" in the province of Salamanca, autonomous region of Castile and León
- Jamon Ibérico D.O. "Jamón de Huelva", in Andalusia
- Jamon Ibérico D.O.P. "Los Pedroches", in the province of Cordoba (Andalusia)
- Jamon Ibérico D.O. "Dehesa de Extremadura", in the provinces of Caceres and Bajados (Extremadura)
In general, when buying jamon in Spain, the label is unlikely to deceive you in terms of the name of the type of jamon (serrano, de sebo or beyota). It should be noted that the so-called "white marks" and little-known manufacturers quite often try to mislead inexperienced buyers (and not only among tourists!), Adding fake names and photos next to the real name of the variety, to convince you of the high quality of your product. You can find photos of pastures, acorns, Iberian pigs on a product made from animal meat "white" breed farm grown without any special diet. Who will pay attention to the fact that he is holding an ordinary serrano jamon in his hands if he sees black pigs in the photo?
- When buying a whole ham, pay attention the color of the hoof- it should be black, the ankle is as thin as possible, and the entire ham slightly elongated.
The black color of the hoof is not exclusive to Iberian pigs, but the short and large ham is characteristic of pigs raised on a farm, while its elongated shape indicates that the animal grew up in freedom.
- Fat distributed over the entire surface of the ham thin veins.
Fat texture - soft, it melts even from contact with the hand. Most The best way check it out - tilt the plate on which the chopped jamon is laid out. A high-quality jamon has a very thin fat, at room temperature it begins to thaw, and the slices slightly stick to the plate. You can tilt the plate almost perpendicular - the slices of this ham are unlikely to fall.
- Quite often you can see small white dots on ham.
They appear from the crystallization of the protein contained in the product, which is a consequence of the curing process. This is not a drawback - their presence is an example of the quality of jamon and confirmation of compliance with the technology of its preparation.
Recently, more and more often you can hear the word "jamon" from the lips of a modern layman. What is it and what is it eaten with? Jamon is a national Spanish dish, an exquisite delicacy that has gained worldwide fame, primarily due to its bright taste. But few people know that in his homeland, in Spain, he is appreciated not only for this. Jamon is also a dietary product, and its composition is a set of necessary for life support and, which makes it not only tasty, but also useful. Even the Nobel laureate, the famous Spanish doctor Grigorio Marañon, called jamon a medicine for its nutritional value and easily digestible properties.
A bit of history
The history of this dish has more than two thousand years. Naturally, it has acquired legends and traditions. This exquisite delicacy was served to the table of the great emperors, served as an obligatory diet for Roman legionnaires and Spanish soldiers. The recipes that existed in those days have come down to us in complete safety and now. Eating jamon for food, you can rightfully consider that you have been to an imperial dinner party.
Some connoisseurs argue that jamon appeared in those days when they began to be used closely for preparations for the winter and long-term storage of products. Salted meat was often the only salvation for many in times of famine.
Others tell a legend about how a drowning pig was caught in the river. This eccentric could not get out of the water for a long time. The river originated in salt deposits, and the pig, floundering in its waters, was soaked through with salt. Allegedly, it was then that they tasted salted for the first time.
And only in the 18th century did the mass export of dry-cured pork begin in different countries. And he liked it so much that it is still very popular all over the world.
Description and varieties of jamon
In fact, jamon is a dry-cured pork ham. But after all, many peoples have such recipes, why did the Spanish version become world famous? It turns out that the matter is not only in the correct cooking technology. An important role is played by the breed of pigs from which it is made, and the individual environmental conditions for their cultivation. Often the taste of jamon is affected by their nutrition with acorns of Spanish cork oaks. On the pastures where they are fed, there is practically no grass, but there are plenty of acorns. Especially so that the pigs do not spoil the roots of the trees, they pierce the patches, making the digging process almost impossible.
Jamon is usually called the back leg of the pork, while the front is called the paleta or delantero. However, outside of Spain, the common name "jamon" has firmly stuck to them. Dry-cured pork shoulder also has its own name - lomo.
There are two main types of ham:
- serrano (Serrano) - prepared from the meat of a white pig;
- Iberico (Iberico) or Pata Negra (black leg) - black pig meat is used for its preparation.
Iberico is considered the best variety of jamon. The pigs from which it is prepared have a black hoof, hence their name. In turn, in this jamon, two varieties can also be distinguished, which differ in the principles of feeding and diet:
- bellota - pigs fed exclusively on acorns are used for cooking;
- de cebo - pigs for the preparation of this ham are fattened with both acorns and fodder.
Jamon is produced in almost all of Spain, except for the coast. Each province has its own quality standards, which guarantee that natural jamon is produced here and that all traditions and rules are followed when cooking it. Each jamon, like the elite brands of Spanish wines, has a label, the so-called quality mark - Denominacion de Origen. It contains all the main characteristics of the jamon:
- provinces;
- pasture;
- pig number;
- ham weight before salting;
- salting start date;
- deadline for sending to the camera;
- exposure duration.
Several of these quality marks can be distinguished: cecina de León, guijuelo, jamón de Teruel, dehesa de Extremadura, jamón de Huelva, jamón de Trevélez.
Cooking process
The process of preparing an elite high-quality jamon begins with the correct and high-quality fattening of pigs. For this, a special diet is used, thanks to which they gain a certain mass. Pigs are released to pasture during the ripening of acorns - from about mid-October to mid-February. At the same time, it is recommended not to constrain animals - no more than fifteen are allowed per hectare. To get an elite jamon, you need to slaughter such pigs before the end of March.
Butchering a pork carcass is also a kind of art. The ham must have its classic shape. Also, a piece of wool is specially left on it, as evidence that it is made from a black pig of the Iberian breed.
The very first and most important action in its manufacture is salting. To do this, it is well sprinkled with salt to remove the excess. The time allotted for this process depends on many factors: the weight of the ham, the climate, and others. On average, it takes about one day for one kilogram of jamon. After that, the excess salt is washed out, and the meat is sent to rooms with a low temperature and stable humidity for drying.
It is best to start the drying process in winter or early spring, as it is characterized by a slow and gradual increase in temperature. This process lasts from six months to three years, depending on weather conditions, geographical location and lots of delicacy.
After drying, the jamon is moved to the lower floors in special cellars, where it undergoes a ripening process. It is hung up and left for the period necessary for ripening. It is determined for each "leg" separately, depending on its weight and quality. Thanks to the specific microclimate in the cellars, jamon acquires its unique taste and exquisite aroma.
To determine the readiness of the meat, it is pierced in three parts with a thin and long needle. It is by the aroma emanating from the jamon that the completion of the curing process is determined.
Jamonera and cortadors
Jamon is usually eaten cut into thin slices. Cutting it is a whole art, and specially trained people are engaged in it. For the process, a stand of the required length is used, which is called a hamonera. It should be cut only by hand using this stand and a special knife, as mechanical cutting can disrupt the taste of jamon.
Jamoners are mainly made of wood, about 50 cm long and about 20 cm wide. There is a screw on the bracket that serves to secure the “leg”. By loosening it, you can turn the ham for cutting from different sides.
The art of slicing jamon is a very delicate art. And it is carried out by people who have been trained in this. They are called cortadors. Cutting is carried out parallel to the fixed "leg", the left hand of the cortador is always higher than the right. For left-handers, this rule is reproduced exactly the opposite. Be sure to ensure that the ham is firmly fixed on the stand: it does not stagger and does not slide to the sides. Cutting is done with a long sharp knife with a thin blade. It is cut into very thin slices, and the bone remaining after cutting is great for making broth or various soups. There are even special establishments that serve jamon - jamoneria.
Chemical composition and useful properties
In Spain, jamon is considered a dietary product. It is only 160 kcal. it contains about 16 grams, - 31 grams, and only 1 gram.
AT in large numbers the composition of the jamon contains, which contributes to the improvement of work thyroid gland and kidneys. He also takes an active part in the regeneration and restoration of cells, slowing down the aging of the body and prolonging its youth. Regular consumption of this delicacy has a positive effect on the cardiovascular and nervous system improves the condition of the skin and hair.
Jamon fat is almost 70 percent composed of, which is completely absorbed by the body, and also participates in all its metabolic processes.
This acid is famous for cleansing the body and removing harmful substances from it, thanks to which it can help prevent various diseases, such as atherosclerosis and hypertension.
How to properly store and serve the product
The fact that special stands are used for cutting jamon has already been discussed above. But what if there is a lot of meat left on the leg. You can't eat the whole ham at once. Usually, at the end of the meal, the jamon is wrapped in soaked parchment. Store it in the refrigerator at temperatures up to 10 degrees. It is customary to cover the slice, which was previously removed. The shelf life of the cut product should not exceed five months.
Cold jamon is not served. Before serving, the ham is heated to room temperature, so it fully reveals its unique taste and exquisite aroma.
Many, having bought jamon in the store, paid attention to the mold that covered the leg. It appears in the process of curing meat in the basement, and it is she who is an indicator of the quality and naturalness of the product. This mold is of noble origin, and it will not bring harm to the body. To remove it, just wipe the ham with a napkin with olive oil.
Jamon in national cuisine
The most traditional combination in Spanish cuisine is jamon s. Sweet melon will wonderfully shade the salty delicacy, fully revealing its taste. Such a dish will satisfy the taste of even the most sophisticated gourmets. Olives, various herbs and cheeses are also recommended for use with jamon. You can use it with vegetables, especially green beans. It is sometimes consumed with fried potatoes, as well as with Italian pasta.
Various, especially dry red varieties, sherry and go well with this delicacy.
Harm and contraindications
You should not use this dish if you are individually intolerant to pork, people prone to being overweight. With caution, you should use it for atherosclerosis, hypertension and diseases of the digestive tract.
findings
Jamon is an exquisite Spanish delicacy that has won the hearts of gourmets all over the world. Moreover, it is valuable not only for its luxurious taste. Its excellent composition makes it a very useful product, provided of course its moderate use. In Spain, it is generally considered a very dietary product, moreover, it is recommended for use in various age categories. There are even diets based on the use of jamon. Since, due to its high digestibility and great influence on metabolic processes, it will really be useful for losing weight. And the Spanish doctor, Nobel laureate Grigorio Maranion mentioned in his writings that the high-quality composition of jamon turns it into almost a medicine. Of course, you should not abuse this product, especially if there are diseases. digestive system. Hypertension and atherosclerosis can also serve as contraindications to the use of this delicacy. However, a small piece of such a delicacy is unlikely to cause serious harm to the body. Everything is good in moderation. And if you follow this rule, then you can safely use this delicious dish without risk to health.
Section Information
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 write about jamon. In the late nineties, there was a joke that in Russia only the very lazy did 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 to imagine today Spain without jamón, without football, without shrimp, without wine? It will be some other Spain. Yes, these are simple and prosaic joys of life, a celebration of the belly. Well, what is it? It's not all the time to watch the art house of Almodovar and Medem, leaf through the albums of Picasso, Miro and Tapies, and read Luis de Gongora. It is quite possible to think about simple human joys. They also motivate us. Remember how in the movie "Peter 1" the Great Peter before the assault for a long time and beautifully agitated his soldiers to go on the assault for patriotic reasons. Then Menshikov stepped forward and yelled at the top of his voice: “There is wine and women in the fortress, follow me!” Let's go to this gastronomic assault!
Do you love meat, as I love it, and why is the goose not a comrade to the pig
To love meat is not a great sin. But let's not love today blindly and without looking back, let's dive into the subtleties and details of our love for meat, let's indulge in this passion consciously and knowingly. “You can’t embrace the immensity” - the ancients said, so we will limit our topic today and will only talk about pork. Because the meat is game, poultry, red, white, aged, stewed, fried, smoked, it runs, flies, crawls ... You can’t write about everything in one article. Panikovsky, known to you, 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 friend to the pig. The pig has no less fans.
In European culture and life, the role of the pig is very noticeable. Many cultures offend and underestimate the pig: “God will not give out, the pig will not eat”, “the woman had no trouble, so she bought a pig”, “knows a lot like a pig in oranges”, “the pig threatened to eat the moon. Sayings and proverbs are innumerable, and most of them are not very flattering. The Jews even declared the pig an unclean animal. But among the people there is also gratitude for the pig, hence the folklore and literature with the rather cute three little pigs or the naive and sweet Piglet. Let's not forget that the Pig, although the last one, came to visit the Buddha, having received as a gift a year of the eastern calendar with its name, among the 12 distinguished animals. And the year of the Boar or the Pig is considered for people a year of prosperity, peace, tranquility and harvest.
Winston Churchill summed up these disputes when he said: “I love pigs. Dogs look up at us. Cats look down on us. The pigs look at us as equals." So the Spaniards look at the pig quite 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. We are now interested not in the tail and not in the ears, which the Spaniards really know how to cook, but in the legs. Specifically the back leg. Yes, jamon is a leg, exactly the back. The word "hamon" means the back leg. What's wrong with the front, you ask? Nothing, it can also and should be salted, but it is called differently (pallet), not so large and not so tasty. Although everything is an amateur. Well, the introduction is over. Now let's talk about how an ordinary salted pork leg was turned almost into a cult object.
Jamon serrano
Iberian pigs
The main thing is reputation. In the fight for quality
Just imagine, you have a task: to get 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 breeds of pigs. 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. Therefore, connoisseurs prefer black pigs. The French have black breeds, there are 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 hams are made from the Iberian black pig. We'll talk more about this.
Secondly, food. Before it hits our table, a product has a complicated life. Consider, for example, ducks that are force-fed to increase the size of their livers. Or snails that are put on a flour diet to clean their flesh. Sturgeons have to be grown for several decades to get the highest grade caviar. The famous French chicken from Bresse is superior to its relatives because it is groomed and cherished for 18 months (and an ordinary chicken is given 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: in order for the product to become fat and well-fed. The secret to most luxury foods is fat, in a good way. The best breeds of meat usually have a marble texture and a high fat content. 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 to their cows, treat them to beer and massage their sides with it, probably also think about their cows.
Third condition: walks in the fresh air. Let's not forget that the meat we end up eating is muscle, and muscle needs to be trained. Therefore, premium products do not live in incubators on the shelves, but walk through the fields and forests. And it is regulated by law. As for the Iberian pigs, they walk in oak groves. The best ham producers are proud to plant hundreds of hectares with young oaks.
The next condition for obtaining a luxury product is patience in processing. You can't rush and fuss. The best hams are aged for several years. Excess moisture comes out of the meat, but due to the high fat content and complexity (remember our condition for proper nutrition), it does not dry out, but becomes more expressive and better. Taste is concentrated. With meat, a similar story: contrary to popular belief, the so-called fresh meat is not better, but worse than aged. Another question is that it is necessary to withstand with skill, at optimal temperature and humidity. If you do everything right, you will get a Rolls-Royce among jamons.
Hamon. How and where is it made
Well, we are not farmers or producers of jamon, 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 the excess salt and proceed to the drying stage, and then we hang the leg for ripening. All this is accompanied by temperature control, time of each stage. And the goal is for the salt to be evenly distributed, so that the fat is adjacent to the meat, or rather to the muscles, and so that the taste is perfect. In the method we have described, you may not see anything complicated 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 jamon unique is the black Iberian breed, which has long hind legs and special genetics, which implies the marbling of the distribution of meat and fat in spectacular layers. There are no such pigs at your disposal. In addition, they feed on acorns, and one pig eats tens of kilograms a day, and for the season she alone needs hectares of oak groves. They are not available to you either. In addition, only an Iberian pig is suitable, since there are impurities of wild, boar breeds in its blood, it is ready to tirelessly wander and build muscles - 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 like for real ham.
Jamon: from simple and cheap to complex and expensive. Top Brands
So far everything has been clear. We take a black Iberian breed, walk freely in oak groves, do not forget about proper nutrition, especially about acorns, we salt and keep in the right cellars. But then the fog begins: there are no understandable ratings, no contests, no world championship among jamons. Basically, they should be. For example, cheese championships are held regularly, and there are a huge number of olive oil ratings. But no ham.
After conducting 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 jamons do not need contests. But if the jamon is from the big leagues, then for the Spaniards it goes beyond the category of just a product and becomes akin to an object of art. Therefore, we do not observe championships and competitions: who would think of organizing a competition between the Mona Lisa Leonardo de Vinci and Aphrodite Botticelli? Which championship can decide who is better: Kandinsky or Renoir? But the country of Spain should know its heroes, and it will be useful for us.
So, brand number 1: Joselito is preferred by professional chefs. Friends with Jose Gomez and Ferran Adria, and Joel Robuchon and the Arzak family. A few years ago, my wife and I were in Alicante at a gastronomic exhibition and attended a tasting of Joselito hams. There were three jamons different years, that is, they differed in vintages, their age and degree of maturation. Joselito are known for their work on improving the breed of pigs and for their vintages of different years. It was an exciting evening. In addition to the magnificent jamon, it was very informative and funny to watch a large number of beautifully dressed men and well-dressed 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 to the best restaurant in Madrid. Impatience in the eyes, trembling hands, champagne and wine by the river - I want to repeat such an evening!
Brand number 2: Traditionalists prefer the 5J brand. Sanchos Romero Carvajal has gained a reputation over the decades as a ham maker of impeccable quality. He always emphasizes that the farm has 130 years of experience and plants a huge number of young oaks. Fine brands are also Maldonado, Beher, Domesq, El Zancao, Monsalud, Juan Manuel Hernandez.
Iberian pigs
The best ham in the world. 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 car mercedes. But even in this major league there are peaks: the golden caviar of an adult albino sturgeon has an extraordinary taste, Maybach is technically perfect, and jamon from a special spotted breed is the king of jamons. So the best jamons 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: it is extremely difficult to catch a wild and adult albino sturgeon (though they say that the Gruel family in Austria has learned to breed albinos as well), and the breed of spotted pigs has less than 1000 individuals. Even Maybach announced the cessation of work (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 Quite True, or Not True at All About the Ripple 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 grown and fed in natural area acorns. You get a pretty decent ham. And the bad reputation of serrano comes from the fact that mass-produced serrano is factory made, rustic and often too salty.
Pallet, front leg - always bad.
Answer: Also no, those who like drier meat will quite like it. Yes, and cheaper. Feel free to buy or order in a restaurant.
The longer the exposure, the better.
Answer: Not exactly, during aging and ongoing fermentation, the jamon dries up - you need to be able to stop in time. So long exposure is affordable and only for the benefit of the best hams, with good content fat and excellent marble structure.
Jamon should only be eaten in Spain.
Answer: There is a ripe grain in this observation: many have noticed that jamon is not so good outside of Spain. But often this is due to improper preparation of jamon: we usually export jamon in a vacuum. It is necessary to get it out of the vacuum in advance, let it breathe and open up. And we need to get ourselves in 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. A tourist pounces on shrimp and jamon, sparing neither his stomach nor his wallet, and the Spaniard is forced to limit himself and in the mind of an ordinary Spaniard, "mariscos" and jamon are festive food. On the New Year, For example.
The Spaniards love jamon so much that they hang it at home and in restaurants from the ceiling for decoration.
Answer: not really. Spaniards do not often buy a whole jamon home, a leg of a good jamon costs about 500 euros, plus you need to be able to cut, you need to have a cool place to store it. But the Spaniards explain the very tradition of hanging a leg not by a craving for home decorations, but by a historical necessity: during the years of the Great Inquisition and persecution of the Jewish people, the hanging legs of the jamon served as a safe-conduct, in a simple way separation of the houses of Christians and houses of Jews.
Jamon is made all over Spain.
Answer: yes, but the best hams are made only in the conditions of the protected natural complexes Dehesa. There are several such protected areas, the best are in Andalusia and Extremadura: Dehesa de Extremadura, Guijuelo, Teruel, Huelva.
Correct jamon will be cut only by a professional cortador by hand, and all machine-made jamon is a hack. And you can not try to cut yourself, it will not work.
Answer: yes, in Spain they take slicing seriously. But there's more to it common sense than mystics: it is not easy to cut the leg, it is not uniform. And 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 the thinnest petals is not a quick matter. Therefore, in these cases, a separate person should be “on the jamon”, so that people do not wait for hours. Well, it’s better, of course, if it is a cortador who knows how to cut correctly. Otherwise, it's a disaster.
If it comes to someone's mind to compile a list of the most famous delicacies in the world, then the Spanish jamon will almost certainly be in the top ten. Dried Spanish ham of a black Iberian pig, with an intriguing smell, a powerful taste, thin streaks of rapidly melting fat, similar in composition to olive oil His worldwide fame is well deserved. And so I answer the questions of the Spaniards evasively.
— How much jamon is loved in Russia? they ask me a question.
“In fact, many have not heard of him at all,” I answer cautiously, and seeing my interlocutor’s eyes widened in horror, I hasten to add: “Probably this is due to the fact that it is not easy to find good quality jamon for reasonable money here.
How much is one leg worth? - the Spaniard, who has already come to his senses, is interested.
Well, how could he, a Spaniard, know that we practically don’t sell jamon on the “legs”, and if they do, they almost don’t buy it? Among the Spaniards who first try jamon in early childhood, there are many such lovers that they eat it two or three times a week, or even more often. It would seem that each of them knows everything about jamon! But in fact, the situation turns out to be somewhat different: the production of jamon is a technologically complex and expensive process, full of carefully guarded secrets. I was very lucky: at the invitation of the Cinco Jotas brand, I got to a farm where pigs are bred for the best jamón ibérico bellota according to the Spanish classification, and I saw with my own eyes thousands of hams that ripen in the company's cellars.
And since we are talking about classification, it is worth starting with it.
Jamon classification
Strictly speaking, the word jamón is Spanish for simply "ham", so don't be surprised if you see a familiar word on packages of cooked ham. Nevertheless, the word "jamon" all over the world means first of all it - a delicious dry-cured ham, which is cut into the thinnest, translucent slices. As a gastronomic heritage of Spain, jamon is protected by origin and has a strict classification that allows you to clearly separate the varieties of jamon.
Black Iberian pig, from which the real jamón ibérico is made
The two main types of ham are − jamon serrano and jamon iberico.
The first is made from the ham of mixed-fed white pigs and is an inexpensive delicacy for every day. According to the traditional technology, they tried to build rooms where jamon is cured on elevations, which explains the name - serrano translates as "mountain". Other words may appear in the name of the serrano jamon, such as curado, reserve or extra, but since their use is not regulated in any way, their presence (or absence) does not mean anything.
Jamon in the cellars of Cinco Jotas
Jamón ibérico is a more expensive type of ham made from the ham of black Iberian pigs. Keeping and raising such pigs is long and expensive, so the Iberico jamon is valued much higher than the Serrano jamon. In turn, the Iberico jamon is divided into the following varieties:
- jamón iberico de bellota- the best of jamon, which is made exclusively from the hams of free-range Iberian pigs that ate only acorns;
- jamon iberico de recebo- jamon from the meat of free-range Iberian pigs, the diet of which was mixed - acorns and grains;
- jamon iberico de cebo- jamon from the meat of Iberian pigs, which were fed with natural food.
Iberico ham production accounts for less than 10% of the total ham produced in Spain and is sold in gourmet shops, given as gifts and eaten on holidays.
All of the above fully applies to the ham from the front legs of pigs - paleta - but do not even try to call the pallet jamon in the presence of a Spaniard: it has a different taste, texture, and aroma, and in general: paleta is not jamon!
Pigs live in oak groves, where they indulge in gluttony almost around the clock.
Breed
As we have already seen, the breed of the pig is a key factor in the production of quality ham. For jamon serrano, which is made from local breeds of white pigs, inexpensive and unpretentious, the pedigree of animals is not so important.
Jamon Iberico is a completely different matter. Legislation sets a minimum threshold - the breed of pigs from which the Iberian ham is made must contain at least 75% of the genes of the black Iberian pig, but producers of the best ham (including Cinco Jotas) make ham only from purebred pigs. In this case, the pedigree of each animal is kept, no worse than that of breeders of purebred dogs or cats, and by a special tag on jamon you can always find out the parents and the whole history of the family that gave the world such a worthy offspring.
When you get bored, you can sleep
Thus, the production of Iberico ham begins at the stage of animal breeding. The birth itself and the first days of little piglets take place on the territory of the manufacturing company and under the control of its specialists - all this in order to be completely sure of the origin of the product.
Why is the Iberian breed so good? The fact that black Iberian pigs are very special animals. As mentioned above, their cultivation requires more time and attention and is much more expensive than in the case of other breeds of pigs focused on intensive animal husbandry - however, the meat that these semi-wild pigs produce does not at all resemble ordinary pork. The meat of the black Iberian pig is not pink, but a rich, dark red color with a pronounced marbling and a very strong meat taste that does not resemble pork, but rather a steak from the best beef. Salting and curing hams help to reveal these qualities even more, but, believe me, this is also perfectly noticeable in fresh pork dishes.
From the meat of a black Iberian pig, you can make not only jamon, but also ordinary - very tasty - dishes
After the piglets get stronger, they are transferred to farmers who can provide them with a decent and happy life in accordance with the norms prescribed by law. Until the jamon hits the shelves, will pass some years…
A variety of recipes for cooking dried meat, in particular pork hams, can be found in the cuisines of almost all peoples of the world (of course, with the exception of those who do not eat meat at all). But only a few of the products obtained in this way managed to gain worldwide fame. And one of them is ham.
Authentic jamon is not only a special method of salting pork, but also special breeds of pigs, as well as special ways their fattening, the conditions for which have developed in the unique ecosystem of some areas of Spain. On mountain pastures, in groves of cork oaks, there is not much grass, but acorns rich in oleic acids are in abundance. Moreover, the acorns of Spanish cork oaks are much sweeter than Russian ones. And so that the pigs do not spoil the roots of these noble trees, they pierce the patches: thanks to such a “piercing”, digging the earth becomes very difficult.
The best jamon Iberico (Iberico, he is - Pata Negra, "black leg") - they are made from the meat of black pigs of the Iberian breed, which were fattened according to special diets: exclusively acorn - beyota (Bellota) or combining acorns with fodder - resebo (recebo). Black pigs even have black hooves - hence Pata Negra. It is this product that is delivered to the court of the king of Spain. Spaniards export it, unfortunately, reluctantly. They prefer to eat on their own.
Cheaper kind of product - serrano (Serrano)- from the meat of white pigs, fattened mainly forage.
In addition to the actual jamon (ham, hind leg), there is also jamon delantero (Delantero), he is pallet (Paleta), i.e. front leg. A shoulder blade, processed similarly to jamon, is called lomo.
As with high-end wines, “origin” is important for quality hams: they also have a “designation controlled by origin”, in this case - Denominacion de Origen. This is a kind of quality mark, which guarantees that the jamon is produced in a certain province in compliance with local standards. O must be indicated on the tag of the finished jamon: Jamon de Huelva, Jamon de Teruel, Jamon de Trevelez, Cecina de Leon, Dehesa de Extremadura, Guijuelo…
Such a label with marking is on every jamon. And just as the locality, vineyard, vintage year are indicated on the wine label, the ham tag contains information about the province, pasture, and also indicates the number of the pig, the weight of the leg before salting, the start date of the salting process, the timing of laying in chambers, the duration of exposure .
Marks of Excellence
The pig that is to become a high quality ham must have at least 75% Black Iberian blood. They feed her on a special diet, so that by the time of slaughter she is gaining a strictly defined weight. The pig lives on the pasture for the entire "acorn season" - from October 15 to February 15. And he lives very freely: no more than fifteen animals are released per hectare. Pigs that meet all these requirements are slaughtered before March 31, and the remaining pigs will never succeed in becoming superhamon.
Cutting the carcass into hams and other parts, which will then be used for sausage, requires the skill of a sculptor. The ham should acquire the "historical" V-shape. They will certainly leave a piece of wool on it - this is a kind of quality mark, evidence of the authenticity of jamon from a black Iberian pig. Another sign, as we have already said, is a black hoof.
It will take many months for a fresh ham to become jamon. First of all, it must be properly salted. To do this, in the old fashioned way, layers of meat are sprinkled with layers of salt. How long it takes depends on the weight of the leg: it used to take two days for each kilogram, now it takes one, so modern jamon is less salty (this is perhaps the only deviation from ancient traditions). Then the salt is washed off, and after a couple of days, the future hams are transferred to a room with a temperature of 3-6 ° C and high humidity - the meat becomes less and less moist and salts more evenly. In the next chamber, the hams are already drying - the temperature there is gradually increased, and the humidity is lowered.
Finally, the most crucial period comes - ripening. It is at this time that jamon acquires a unique taste and aroma. In special cellars, hamons, like good wines, are waiting in the wings. How much which jamon is destined to ripen depends not only on its weight, but also on the diet: a “mass” product ripens for about six months, high-quality “acorn” specimens for a year and a half (but it happens that more than three years).
It is interesting that two jamons from the meat of one pig, strange as it sounds, can have different density and taste - this depends, among other things, on which side the pig usually lay on. On the side where it lay more often, it is drier.
"At the exit" jamon looks like it's even a pity to eat it. The Spaniards themselves like to hang jamon in their kitchens. And in traditional Spanish jamoneria (it is both a restaurant, a wine room and a grocery store), pork ham is the basis of the menu and an integral part of the interior.
Cortadors and hamoners
Jamon does not remain a decoration for long - they still eat it, because that's what it was prepared for. Eating is preceded by cutting. This is a whole ritual - spectacular and very difficult. Those who master this art are called cortadors. Jamon is cut on a special wooden stand - jamonere. This is a kind of performance: a demonstration of the quality of the jamon and the skill of the cortador. The tool of the cortador is special knives with a long thin blade and a short hard one.
The ham is placed with a hoof up on the hamoner and "opened" it with a knife with a short blade - by moving towards oneself, an incision is made and the skin and fat are removed until the meat appears. Then the jamon is cut with a long knife into thin, almost transparent slices, no longer than 6-7 cm, with a small strip of fat along the edges. Where it is no longer possible to cut a ham thinly, a short knife will again be needed - the remaining meat and bone will be useful for hot dishes, broths and soups.
It is not difficult to store a ham at home (even if it has already been cut): it can be hung from the ceiling in the kitchen, and it will last up to a year and a half (a shoulder blade - up to a year), giving your home a Spanish flavor.
Jamon in national cuisine
In Spain, jamon is not even an object of worship, but something taken for granted. The biggest sales - before all secular and religious holidays - from Christmas to St. Valentine's Day. And in the periods between the holidays, the Spaniards are no less willing to buy pallets and lomo.
Classic ham dish jamon with melon(jamon con melon): playing on the contrasting combination of corned beef and sweet melon. Olives and olives, herbs, cheeses perfectly set off the taste of jamon. It is very good with vegetables - eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, as well as fried potatoes and pasta. Of the drinks, red is served with the ham dry wine, beer (better, of course, Spanish).
Jamon is a gentle creature: its slices literally melt in your mouth. Therefore, if you want to add it to a hot meal, you need to do it at the very last moment - so that the slightly melted fat gives the dish a unique salty taste.