You’ve heard the expression pata negra, haven’t you? It means ‘black foot’, though a better translation might be ‘black trotter’. It is used to refer to ‘the very best’ because, supposedly, the black-hoofed ham is the best of all. But beware, it is also expensive – and if the price is ridiculously low, chances are a white trotter has seen a lot of black shoe polish. But in fact, pata negra is really just a reference to a breed of pig with black trotters, not necessarily an ibérico (i.e. Iberian) breed, of which there are plenty of white-hoofed variations.>The best jamón you can buy is a ‘Denominación de Origen’ (DOM, as in wine). Jabugo, Trévelez and Teruel are often considered the best.
There is a 'star' system for jamón, however: J is not nearly as good as JJJJ, which is so far the very best normally available. We have seen a news report that someone was selling the very, very best (presumably off the J scale), for over €3,000 a piece! It was very carefully wrapped and they had plenty of customers.
The difference between jamón serrano, the most common and cheapest, and jamón ibérico is in two main factors: serrano comes from a white pig fed on prepared fodder and is largely enclosed, while the ham is cured for between 7 and 16 months; the ibérico, black, is fed on acorns (see series on cork) and lives pretty much in the wild, while the ham is cured for much longer, depending on its variety, size and the producer’s instinct. There is a professional career known as catador de jamón, meaning an expert taster similar to that for wines.
In terms of taste, serrano is less strong, has more fat and is ‘floppier’. Ibérico is stronger, firmer and the fat ‘flows’ on the meat, which is why it is better for those with high cholesterol problems. In fact, the fat from an ibérico offers a composition similar to that of olive oil, and is rich in vitamins B1 and B6. 100 grams of ibérico only contains 200 calories. Yes, it takes money to keep thin.
People often ask about the white spots on a good ham. This is not salt, but crystalization of aminoacids and considered by experts to determine the quality of the product. In other words, they’re okay and the ham hasn’t gone off!
If you think Prospero knew all this as a matter of course, you can check, as he did, two Spanish websites: www.lopezortega.es and www.jamoniberico.esThere is a 'star' system for jamón, however: J is not nearly as good as JJJJ, which is so far the very best normally available. We have seen a news report that someone was selling the very, very best (presumably off the J scale), for over €3,000 a piece! It was very carefully wrapped and they had plenty of customers.
The difference between jamón serrano, the most common and cheapest, and jamón ibérico is in two main factors: serrano comes from a white pig fed on prepared fodder and is largely enclosed, while the ham is cured for between 7 and 16 months; the ibérico, black, is fed on acorns (see series on cork) and lives pretty much in the wild, while the ham is cured for much longer, depending on its variety, size and the producer’s instinct. There is a professional career known as catador de jamón, meaning an expert taster similar to that for wines.
In terms of taste, serrano is less strong, has more fat and is ‘floppier’. Ibérico is stronger, firmer and the fat ‘flows’ on the meat, which is why it is better for those with high cholesterol problems. In fact, the fat from an ibérico offers a composition similar to that of olive oil, and is rich in vitamins B1 and B6. 100 grams of ibérico only contains 200 calories. Yes, it takes money to keep thin.
People often ask about the white spots on a good ham. This is not salt, but crystalization of aminoacids and considered by experts to determine the quality of the product. In other words, they’re okay and the ham hasn’t gone off!
¡Buen provecho!
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