Home >> About Majorca >> Jamon is the national delicacy of Spain
HAMON has a history of more than 2000 years! It used to be produced in only five Spanish provinces (Huelba, Salamanca, Segovia, Teruel and Granada), but now the number of producing regions has grown.
There are two main types of Jamon, Jamon Serrano and Jamon Iberico. They differ in the method and duration of cooking, and the biggest difference between them is the breed of pigs and their diet. Externally, they can be distinguished by the color of the hoof: Serrano’s is white and Iberico’s is black. The process of making Jamón Iberico and Jamón Serrano is similar and has the same stages, but Jamón Iberico takes much longer to cure.
Stages of cooking jamon
SOLUTION This is necessary to speed up the dehydration process of the meat. The pickling time depends on the weight of the ham (on average 1 day per 1 kg of meat). Then it is cleaned from salt and left to soak evenly in a special room with regulated humidity and temperature.
DRYING This process lasts from 6 to 36 months and usually starts in winter or early spring to gradually and slowly increase the temperature. The subcutaneous fat is absorbed into the meat and makes it more succulent.
WILDLIFE This is the slowest and most responsible process of meat maturation. The jamón is placed on the lower floors of the room at a temperature of 8-10 degrees and it stays there for 9-12 months. Under the influence of microflora, it is at this stage that the jamon meat acquires its flavor, aroma and texture.
PROBE Using a long, thin needle made from a horse or cow bone, experts make a couple of holes in the jamon to smell the unique flavor of the cured Spanish meat, indicating that the ham is ready for consumption.
As sad as it is to say, before it becomes Jamon Serrano the pig looks like this – pink with white hooves. The pigs for this type of jamon do not have a specific diet. Hamon Iberico, on the other hand, is made from Iberian black pigs with black hooves. These pigs are free-range and eat acorns. The age at which the animal is slaughtered is optimally 24 months, but 18 months is also acceptable.
How to choose jamon
A well-cooked jamon will definitely have small white dots on the cut. This is what tyrosine, an element that is part of many natural proteins, looks like. Tyrosine helps the body get rid of excess fat (you can lose weight by eating meat) and makes the adrenal glands, thyroid gland and pituitary gland work better.
The curing period of the product (optimal – 30-36 months, elite jamon is aged for up to 48 months). The longer the ageing period of the jamon, the denser it is. Speaking of density, you can estimate the age of the product: during those 48 months of aging, the meat loses up to 40% of its weight due to evaporation of moisture. Now you understand how “toothsome” jamon should be.
Between the quality of meat and the amount of money per kg written on the price tag) the correlation in this case is strict and directly proportional.
What to eat jamon with
- As an appetizer, thinly sliced slices of jamon are used with red wine, sherry, beer.
- It is also added as an ingredient to make sandwiches. It goes well with melon, olives, herbs, cheeses, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, beans and cauliflower, zucchini, potatoes and pasta.
- Jamon is often used in salads, soups, hot and stews.
How to slice jamon
To bring out the flavor of the jamon, it must be sliced very thinly. This is done on a special “hamonera” stand, which has a ham stop, a special shelf and screws for fixing the hoof.
Several types of knives are used for slicing jamon: a short one for cutting through the muscle, a wide one for removing the skin and fat, and a long and flexible knife for slicing.
It is important to know that cutting meat is always along the bone and perpendicular to it. The skin is removed first, then the fat in the part where the meat is to be cut. A trim of lard is used to cover the cut of meat to prevent it from getting weathered.
A short knife is used to cut through the leg around the shin and cut off the internal fat. Then a long thin knife is used to cut the meat. At this stage, the knife is moved towards you.
The flavor of jamón differs depending on the thickness of the cut. Translucent slices of jamon are considered ideal.