SERRANO HAM – THE FULL STORY

Serrano ham is the cornerstone of Spanish gastronomy, Serrano hams have been cured in Spain for hundreds of years and continue to represent a true icon of Spanish cuisine. Even before Roman times hams were being salted and preserved although it is the Romans who are mainly responsible for introducing more comprehensive pig farming practices in Spain. Walk into any good tapas bar in Spain and you are likely to see Serrano hams hanging high from the ceilings or proudly displayed on stands throughout the tapas bar or restaurant. To discover where the popularity of Serrano hams has come from we need to look at the climate where Serrano hams are produced, how they are cured and the conditions in which these hams are stored.

There are many Serrano hams on the market today but to buy a quality example you need to look a little closer and its production, how long is the ham cured for?, Where does it come from? What is the grade? All good hams are cured naturally high up in the Spanish mountains and there are many regions that boast high quality hams. When considering a Serrano ham there are various different grades – all of which affect price, the basic Serrano ham will be labeled either ‘Bodega’ or ‘Curado’, this usually means that the ham has been cured for between 12 – 14 months. It is common practice in Spain (depending on the individual curing house) to regard a Serrano ham cured for more than 14 months as a ‘Reserva’ and upwards of 16 months a ‘Gran Reserva’. Curing houses do have different methods of naming their hams, one other name to look out for is ‘Anejo’ which generally means a very old ham with a curing time of between 18 – 24 months.

Serrano ham comes from three main varieties of pig (including some cross breeds), these pigs are the Landrace, Duroc and Large White. The pigs are fed only on compound feed unlike Iberian hams which in some cases can be fattened on acorns. The life of these animals is a relatively free one with less intensive housekeeping and pigs being allowed to roam in substantial paddocks given the large amount of land pig farmers generally have.

Serrano Ham Curing

Curing Serrano ham takes place in what is known as a secadero, sometimes called a curing house or curing cellar. These businesses range from the small family producers through to larger businesses that trade in mass production. Each ham is trimmed, pushed (a process which extracts any excess blood) and is covered and ‘stacked’ in salt, as a general rule for one day per kilo of initial weight. After around 12 - 14 days the hams are then cleaned before being hung. It is worth noting that a Serrano ham will lose up to 40% of its initial weight during the curing process while it dries and cures in the secadero. Although the process is a simple one curing houses to tend to vary in the way they cure their hams, some hang their Serrano hams high up on knotted rope, a process from days gone by while some hang the hams on racking and are ‘turned’ to allow equal distribution of the mountain air.

Curing houses tend be dark places, vast with the occasional open window allowing a light breeze to circulate around the room. Situated high up in the Spanish ‘sierras’ means hot summers and cold winters which, as a result provide perfect conditions for curing Serrano hams. The last stage of the process is called the ‘maduracion’, this takes place during the last 4 – 5 weeks of the hams curing where temperature and humidity are raised to allow the fat to absorb throughout the leg, fat is of course an all important factor in the ham’s flavour.

How long a Serrano is cured will of course influence its flavour, as you would expect a reserva or gran reserva ham will have a more intense flavour – the ham is more ripe having been cured for longer and will have a stronger aroma as well a darker coloration to the meat. Serrano hams of higher grade usually start life from larger pigs, weighing more ensuring that they maintain a degree of moistness after a longer curing. Serrano hams such as these do command a higher price but it worth noting that as with all hams the meat from the inner side of the leg will be firmer than the outer.

What is a ‘V’ cut?

Some Serrano Hams are cut in a ‘V’, this means that the rind on the outer side of the leg has been removed, a process carried out by skilled professionals the end result is a ham that is trimmed but still leaving a good layer of outer fat. The appearance of the cut leaves a ‘v’ like shape which is present a few inches below the hoof. The v-cut is done purely to aid carving your ham, usually done with higher grade Serrano hams and Iberico examples the c-cut saves the carver from cutting the rind or removing it altogether if the ham is being used all at once. The v-cut plays no part in the curing of the ham, nor does it influence flavour or any other of the ham’s characteristics.

Other Chracteristics

As mentioned above, the age and maturity of the Serrano ham you choose will determine the intensity of the flavour and texture of the meat. All Serrano hams however will have one side that is less moist than the other. Your ham will have a good layer of fat on the outside edge which can range anything from approximately a 1 – 3 centimeters, this layer of fat ‘protects’ that side of the ham during curing, the result is a meat which is more tender, easily carved and much more moist than the opposite side. The inner side of the ham will be slighter darker and firmer than the outer, there is no fat on the main part of the ham on this side and being subject to the same processes during curing this side, in the main will be firmer but no less palatable. Another characteristic of some hams are the appearance of white dots or ‘flecks’ within the meat. These white dots are the result of a build up of amino acids during the curing process and are in fact regarded by Spanish experts to be a sign of a very good ham.

Do’s and Don’ts

So your Serrano ham has been delivered, you open the box to find your real piece of Spain ready to tantalise the taste buds – what next? Firstly, a serrano ham should never be kept in the fridge, it is unlikely to fit and if it did all that careful curing in Spain would be compromised by moisture. If you have purchased a ham as a gift for example at Christmas time and need to keep it hidden for a couple of weeks (a question we regularly get asked) find a safe place first and foremost! and make sure that the conditions are cool and dry. Spanish hams hang for over a year so an additional few days or couple of weeks will not affect the ham at all. It is fair to say that in countries like the UK do have higher humidity to that of Spain and it may be the case that no matter what you do a thin layer of mold may form on the outside of the ham – this is perfectly harmless and can be wiped off with a damp cloth, the mold is actually a regrowth of what takes place in the curing house before the ham is cleaned ready for presentation.

A ham stand really is an essential piece of equipment for safe ham carving. Ham stands are specifically designed for the purpose of cradling a full leg ham, securing the leg in place so it remains sturdy allowing the ham knife and ham carver to do their work. The ham knife, also vital will have a very sharp flexible blade, Spanish ham needs to be cut almost transparently (you should be able to distinguish the blade of the knife through the slice) then allowed to breath at room temperature for the best flavour.

Carving does take practice and athough all Spanish hams should have instructions to some degree there is nothing like a hands on approach and nurturing your skills with the ham in front of you. Even experienced ham carvers will never achieve 100% of the meat from the bone therefore it is good to recognise when a ham is ‘spent’. At this stage one can give the Serrano a second wind by using a small boning knife to reach those difficult angles or places around the hip bone, smaller, thicker slices when diced (called tacos in Spain) are ideal for adding flavour in recipes such as chicken dishes or stuffing mushrooms. There is also the opportunity of creating a delicious stock for the next winter broth – popular after the festive season in January, by sawing the bone in half or thirds you can introduce a Spanish influence to soups, stews and even paella safe in the knowledge that nothing has been wasted, a Spanish ham will certainly go the distance!

Don’t carve that curve! Although tempting and very easy to do you will achieve much more from your ham by keeping the carving level. At some point you will hit the hip bone and there is one easy solution to get around this. Using a boning knife or small sharp knife simply cut around the bone vertically, just like carving a circle around the exposed bone. This will make carving infinitely easier and will allow you to obtain succulent meat from both behind and from both sides of the hip bone – keeping the carving level.

Do keep your ham moist, especially if it won’t be used for a couple of days or longer, the best way to do this is simply drizzle some olive oil over the exposed meat which help prevent the meat from drying, a tea towel or the breathable muslin ‘ham sock’ the ham came in should also used to cover the ham and help protect it. There will however be occasions where once the ham has been cut into it will be left for a few days, in this case the exposed meat will turn slightly pale, this can be removed by the normal carving method however the top slice should be discarded, underneath will be ruby red and ready for consumption.

Healthy Option

Serrano ham plays an important role in a healthy balanced diet. Spaniards have been curing and enjoying Serrano ham for many generations, a natural product born out of necessity many years ago when the fridge did not exist. Now, in modern times the Serrano ham is recognised as a healthy provider of vitamins such as B1, B2, phosphorus, iron and proteins. Spanish ham is also easily digestible and contains high levels of acidic and unsaturated fats which assist in regulating cholesterol levels.

Serrano ham makes a daily appearance in all good Spanish tapas bars, usually presented with a small piece of fresh crusty bread and olive oil, tomatoes, almonds and broad beans are also popular accompaniments. Spanish bars will also offer a Serrano ham tostada either on their ‘menu del dia’ or as a ‘racione’ (big tapa), this usually comes in the form of a toasted French stick drizzled with olive oil with tomato frito and ham on top – Delicious!

Boneless Serrano Ham

Serrano hams can weigh anything from 6kg for a small example up to 12kg for a very large ham, with such a large/full ham leg you would expect a product such as this to be available in various cuts and also boneless. Ham pieces are not as common as you might think in Spain as a whole ham is normally purchased and used quick quickly. There are however some curing houses that cut their hams into smaller pieces, full boneless hams weigh in the region of 5 – 6kg and have the bone removed after curing, from here we can work with the different areas of the ham. The three main categories are the ‘Maza’, ‘Babilla’ and the ‘Punta’. The Maza is the largest of the three weighing between 2.5 – 3.5kg and is taken from the bottom of the ham nearest the hoof. The maza tends to be very succulent, moist in the center with little fat. The Babilla is taken from narrower side of the ham near the top of the leg and weighs approximately 1.2 – 1.6kg, a small piece, again with little fat and an ideal sampler for those who wish to taste test Serrano ham before deciding to buy a whole leg. Lastly we have the punta, from the top, the punta has a slightly stronger taste given that when the leg is hung upside down from the hoof the remaining salts left over tend to gather around this area, what the punta does have is a marbling of fat throughout the meat making it a lovely more intense piece of ham.

Unlike Full hams, the boneless ham and ham pieces do need to be kept refrigerated, this is because they will come vacuum packed and once sealed require a lower temperature for storage. There are of course pre packed ham slices ranging from 100g upwards, there is something about such small amounts of ham that have inevitably been machine cut and vacuum packed that takes away from the flavour though. When buying vacuum packed slices make sure they are fresh, meat should be nice and red, not pale and with a nice layer of fat around the outside edge. There is of course no substitute for thinly carved ham slices direct from the leg.

Recipe Suggestions

Serrano ham can be used as in ingredient in many Spanish recipes both hot and cold, the beauty of having a full Serrano ham leg in the house is that you can also take slices however thick the recipe requires. Thick slices can also be diced for dishes such as Granada chicken or chicken and Serrano ham kebabs. Thinner slices are good where wrapping is required, again try chicken or some monkfish tails or hake fillets. Spanish ham can also flavour to cold dishes and tapas, famous pairings consist of Serrano ham and melon, tomatoes or asparagus. For the summer months when a refreshing cold soup is required or a light Mediterranean salad try adding Serrano ham shavings to gazpacho, cucumber and melon soup or arrange some wafer thin slices around your salad. A full list of Serrano ham recipes and Spanish tapas is available on this website.

Of course Serrano ham can be enjoyed simply on its own, the best way to achieve a good plate of ham is to carve the slices as thinly as possible, not too long either as the slices should be small enough to be consumed in one go. Slices should also be left to breath at room temperature – this is particularly applicable to ham pieces which will come from the fridge very cool. Allowing the ham breath or warm up intensifies its flavour and the slices will actually begin to sweat, at this point the ham will be at its best, aromatic, textured and delicious. Remember too that a nice layer of fat will help enhance the flavour, this of course depends on personal taste but in Spain the fat of the ham is almost regarded as important as the meat itself.

Terminology:

• Jamon Serrano – Serrano ham made from white pigs, Serrano ham accounts for over 90% of ham production in Spain.

• Jamon Iberico – Iberico ham made from predominantly black pigs with black hooves (but not always) related to the native wild boar ‘Iberian’ pigs account for less than 10% of ham production in Spain. Common names are ‘pata negra’ or ‘acorn’ ham although it worth noting that not all Iberico pigs that produce ‘Jamon Iberico’ have experienced an acorn diet.

• Secadero – The curing house in which Spanish hams are prepared and cured, these curing houses also produce other Spanish meats such as sausages (inc chorizo) and speciality cured pork loins.

• Jamonero - Ham stand which comes in various designs from the basic to the elaborate, usually made from wood the ham stand is specifically designed to hold Spanish hams in a sturdy position to aid easy and safe ham carving.

• Jamonera - Ham knife with a long slim flexible blade (ranges from 24cm – 39cm), very sharp to help achieve wafer thin slices from the ham.

• Funda – Ham sock usually made from a breathable muslin material. Used in the transportation of hams to help protect the leg, also in used in presentation.

• Etiquetta – Label which is present around the bottom of the leg just down from the hoof. The etiquette will have the suppliers logo and company details as well as CEE stamps etc and possibly a serial number.

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Article researched and written by Gayle M Hartley & Iain Macdonald
© Copyright 2011 Orce Serrano Hams - www.orceserranohams.com