The Iberian ham is undoubtedly the standard of Spanish cuisine. A dish that accompanies the Marca España wherever you go and prized both inside and outside our borders. A product made art and an art that has known to love all palates. In the following lines we will discuss the keys by which the Iberian ham has conquered all those who have tasted it and has become a unique and indispensable food of Spanish homes.
iberian ham
If the “guiris” defined us with 5 words, they would possibly be: Flamenco, siesta, bulls, ham and olé. From the point of view of a Spaniard, this description of our culture is very biased and generic, but the truth is that from outside our borders, this description is more than extended. Spanish cuisine is recognized as one of the best and most varied in the world and all the foods that make Iberian ham is the most desired product. Below we will detail the 5 keys by which we consider that Iberian ham is a unique food in the world.
A food with history: The first references of Iberian ham date from when the Roman Empire occupied the Iberian Peninsula that has lasted more than 2000 years after its first reviews. Without a doubt it is a food with history. The characteristics of the time forced to conserve the meat in salt so that it endured long seasons. With the passage of time, the development and control of production has been improving. Going from being a method of conservation of meat to a way of processing to achieve a desired product. Although Iberian ham, for many countries, does not stop being raw meat, salting and subsequent curing have become a cooking process as common in Spain as roasting or frying.
Selected breed: The Iberian pig is the result of an evolution and crossing of the breed, to obtain an exquisite and refined meat. The taste of the meat varies according to the diet. The most suitable food to obtain the best flavor are acorns and pastures. In addition, it is of great importance that the breeding of the Iberian pig be free.
A Natural Product: Iberian ham is a product without preservatives and dyes, which is obtained through salt curing and subsequent drying. This makes Iberian ham a natural product.
Time, the key to success: good things are made to wait and this is undoubtedly one of the keys for which Iberian ham is unique. The minimum cure is 24 months, and can reach 50 months depending on the purity of the breed and the weight of the ham itself. A process that can not and should not be accelerated. While it is true, there are companies that accelerate the healing of Serrano ham through plates, this fact in Iberian ham is something inconceivable.
The cut: the best way to eat Iberian ham is cut with a knife, a thin slice of 7 centimeters wide and 4 centimeters wide by 1 millimeter thick. When cutting with a knife with those dimensions, the fat melts and caramelizes creating a pleasant and refined taste on the palate.
These characteristics make the Iberian ham a unique food, loved and desired by all and with a tradition that has lasted for millennia. At Gastronomic Spain you can find the best Iberian hams from all regions of Spain, certified and with the optimum cure to enjoy a unique product like few others.
