A guide to jamn ibrico

Simon Majumdar unravels the complexities of the time-honoured and exacting processes
used to manufacture and label Spanish hams.

The stuff of dreams - good bread with jamn ibrico.

It was not the two perfectly fried eggs or the two slices of toast drizzled with olive oil
tasting of freshly mown grass which made this one of my more memorable breakfasts. It
was the small plate set in front of me by farm owner Felipe Perez Corcho which set my
heart racing. It was filled with wafer thin slices of the ruby red wonder which is jamn
ibrico de bellota, arguably the greatest item of food in the world. I pierced the soft,
golden yolks of the egg with a slice of jamn and allowed it to sit on my tongue as the
yellow ribbon of acorn-rich fat began dissolve into savoury bliss. Few food experiences
have or ever will match it.
I had received an invitation from the good people of Brindisa, one of Britain's finest
importers of Spanish food, to join them on a visit to a new supplier of ibrico ham,
Seorio De Montanera, and could hardly contain my excitement. Jamn ibrico has long
been my favourite food of all, but I knew little about its production methods or the region
in which the legendary ibrico pigs are raised. This was the perfect opportunity to fill that
gap in my knowledge and came with the added bonus of an opportunity to eat my own
bodyweight in ham.
Spain produces an astonishing 40m hams a year, including excellent varieties of the
famous jamn serrano made from the dry-cured legs of the white pig and produced in
regions such as Teruel and Trvelez in eastern Spain. But, it is to the west you have to
look for the finest jamn, to the vast tracts of land known as the Dehesa, an ecosystem of
prairie-like grazing land dotted with encina trees, known as holm oak in English, which
once covered almost 90% of the country but now only remains in the regions of
Salamanca, Extremadura, Andalucia and across the border into Portugal.
It is here that the black Iberian pigs thrive, snuffling on the dusty ground for sweet acorns
(bellota) fallen from the trees. Across in Portugal they are known as "porco de raa
Alentejana", but to everyone in Spain, these fat pigs with slender legs are known simply
as "pata negra" because of their trademark black hooves.

Pata negra, the black Iberian pig.

The production of jamn ibrico is strictly regulated, more so than any other food I had
ever encountered. The Denomination of Origin (DO) covers four regions. To the north,
Salamanca and the town of Guijuelo, home of Joselito, arguably the most famous name in
jamon and certainly the best known to ham lovers in the UK. To the west, the province of
Huelva and particularly the town of Jabugo. To the east there is the less well-known
denomination of Valle de Los Pedroches and finally, bordering on Andalucia, is the dusty
region of Extremadura known also as the home of the conquistadors, Cortez and Pizarro.
Although each region would claim that the hams they produce are the finest, the rules
which govern their production are the same and the end results indistinguishable to all but
the most experienced palate.
It was to the town of Burguillos del Cerro, close to the Portuguese border, where I came
to meet Felipe Perez Corcho. He is one of the founder shareholders of Seorio De
Montanera, a collective of 72 farmers who, since 1992, have produced some of the finest
jamn ibrico de bellota in Spain. As soon as we had deposited our bags in the rambling
farmhouse Felipe led us across the fields to where the pigs were enjoying the bounty of
the oak trees and the wild grass and herbs which also form an important part of their diet.
Iberian piglets are fed on a diet of cereals and acorns until they are nearly 18 months old.
The final three months or so of their lives are spent out in the Dehesa during what's
known as the montanera, a period from October 1 to January 1 when acorns fall from the
oaks. The pigs must feed on enough acorns and reach the DO-specified weight of 160kg
to gain the coveted title jamn ibrico de bellota. The regulations also specify that there
should be no more than two pigs per hectare of land to ensure that each pig can eat the
required amount of between 6 and 7kg of acorns a day.
The acorns from the encina oaks are rich in oleic acid, the same chemical which can be
found in olives. The flavour finds its way into the fat of the animal, so much so that the
locals refer to Iberian pigs as "olives with legs".

Encouraging acorns to fall from the encina oak.

Once the Montanera has run its course the animals are taken to nearby abattoirs for
slaughter (or 'sacrifice' as its referred to in the region) which is done in such a way as to
induce as little stress in the animals as possible. The regulations of the DO include how
the pigs are kept, killed and butchered and are rigorously enforced. Only if the exacting
standards are met will the inspector allow the meat to be tagged with the mark confirming
they have made the grade. If they fail, the hams can still be sold as jamn ibrico but are
not allowed to carry the coveted suffix "de bellota".
The curing and ageing of the hams is no less important than the rearing and butchering of
the animals. The front legs, the paletas, and the rear legs, the jamones, are chilled
overnight to allow them to firm and then covered in Andalucian sea salt for
approximately one day per kilo of weight. They are then washed and hung to dry
allowing the natural flora to form on the surface. This final part of the curing process can
take up to three years, after which they are ready for sale. But not before one final check
from the DO inspectors, who test the hams one more time by inserting a sharpened beef
bone and sniffing to check the quality of the cure.
The results of this five year journey from the Dehesa to the plate are incomparable. The
oleic acid in the acorns on which the pig feeds makes the fat of the jamn ibrico de
bellota one of the truly magical tastes sensations as it dissolves in your mouth. The depth
of flavour in the meat is like no other and the combination lingers like a fine wine.
Jamn ibrico and its related products are truly an experience not to be missed. However,
the range available and its labelling can be confusing, so here is a simple guide.
Jamn
There are four grades of jamn ibrico, categorised primarily by the diet of the pigs. The
curing process remains the same, but the length for which they are aged will differ with
the lower grade hams receiving little more than a year of hanging and the very best up to
four years.
The age difference can be seen in the finished result with the flesh of the younger hams
having a lighter pink colour and those of older hams being a deep, ruby red. The taste too
is very different with the acorn richness of the jamn ibrico de bellota lingering on the
palate like a fine wine.

Jamn ibrico de bellota

From pure Iberico pigs fed on a diet of acorns during the Montanera and granted DO
status. These hams are aged for at least three years before being released and often
labelled 'reserva' and 'gran reserva' to denote their age.
Jamn ibrico de recebo
Fed on a diet of cereals and acorns and aged for at least three years.
Jamn ibrico cebo de campo
Free range, but fed only on a diet of cereals.
Jamn ibrico de cebo
Commercially reared pigs fed on a diet of cereals.
It is also worth sampling these excellent Serrano hams.
Jamn de Trvelez
Produced from white pigs which have been fed on commercial cereals, this is still a very
fine ham, which fans say has a sweetness that comes from the climate in which the pigs
are reared.
Jamn de Teruel
The first jamon in Spain to receive DO status, these mountain hams must be aged for at
least 12 months after curing before being sold.
Embutidos
Worry not, the rest of the pig is not wasted and these other cured products are also well
worth seeking out.
Chorizo de cerdo ibrico
A cured sausage made from chopped pork, pork fat and paprika. There are hundreds of
regional varieties, some containing garlic and herbs.
Lomo de cerdo ibrico
The cured tenderloin of the pig. Seorio De Montanera make a stunning version covered
in lard made from the fat surrounding the pig's kidneys.
Salsichon de cerdo ibrico
Another sausage, cured for at least four months.
Morcon de cerdo ibrico
A larger, less well known sausage cured with herbs and spices.

World's most expensive ham?

What's a fair price for a leg of top quality jamn ibrico, and where can you get hold of
it?

Hammuch? The 'world's most expensive ham' weighs 7kg and costs 1,800.
At first glance it looks like another one of those kerrazey stories about the world's most
expensive cocktail, which turns out to be crammed full of gold leaf and diamonds, or the
similarly bejewelled 22,000 breakfast, but behind the headline, World's most expensive
ham goes on sale, is simply the news that you can now procure a very fine leg of jamn
ibrico from Selfridges for 1,800.
Which, surely, is not news at all. If you're interested in forking out many hundreds of
pounds on good Spanish ham, you can buy a leg of Maldonado ham from the same batch
on the internet for 1,322, or this here pata negra from Redondo Iglesias at 19 per 100g.
Which only goes to show that Selfridges are selling something that's more cheaply
available as "the world's most expensive ham" by bumping up the price.
Aah, but Selfridges' porky offering comes with a DNA certificate in a "hand-made
wooden box wrapped in an apron made by one of Spain's most exclusive tailors".
Gimmicky? Selfridges food hall? Surely not.
So why mention it, you ask. Well, we love jamn here on Word of Mouth and while we
haven't got 1,800, or, indeed, 1,300 spare to buy ourselves a whole leg right now, we
are (ahem) kicking off a Spanish themed week with a guide to jamn ibrico by Simon
Majumdar (look out this week for recipes, more Spanish themed features and hopefully a
live chat with Jos Pizzaro).
So have a read of the piece, come back and share your love of the pig with us - and post
any tips you have on suppliers we don't know about.