by Mary Doman

I’ve been in Spain for almost a month now, and I think I’ve eaten more ham in these four weeks than I have in my other 21 years of living. I’m still nowhere near the average 5 kg (11.02 lbs) of ham the average Spaniard eats per year, but my frequent encounters with jámon have finally led me to question the curious little meat that manages to slip itself into my every meal.

There’s no such thing as plain ham in Spain. Every slice has a particular name that hints at a rich history- such as where the pig is from, what the pig ate, and the breed of pig. The big difference in Spanish ham is whether the meat comes from a white pig or a black pig. Apparently, Jámon Iberico (black) soars high above Jámon Serrano (white) in both taste and price.

I can’t write about taste from first-hand experience, because my ham palette is still quite inexperienced. To me, it’s all tasted the same so far, but I can say that sometimes I notice more fat on my meat than other times. And also that no matter what type of ham I eat, little strings of it get stuck between my teeth for hours. But anyways-

Serrano ham is leaner and should taste saltier than Iberian ham. This is because Jámon Serrano has a minimum curing period of 8 months (though higher grades can last over 14 months), whereas Iberian ham cures for a year to two years. Also, the fat of Serrano ham is on the outside of the meat and has a yellowish tint, as opposed to the marbleized fat patterns of Jámon Iberico.

Yes, I am describing the fat. Fat in Spain is something to be put in your mouth, rather than the side of your plate. Although I still maintain my American ways, it’s impossible to eat ham here without a good few bites of white. Mmmm.

When it comes to Jámon Iberico, grade is more distinguished. The most important factor in quality of Iberian ham is the diet of the pig. Unlike American pigs (whose diets are mostly corn and peanuts), Spanish pigs eat cereals and acorns. And the more acorns, the better! The king of all ham in Spain is Jámon Iberico de Bellota (Bellota = acorn). These pigs are free-range, with a steady diet of yummy acorns. Following Bellota, we have a close second in quality with Jámon Iberico de Recebo. These pigs are fed a combination of acorns and cereals, and are compound-fed. And taking third and fourth are Jámon Iberico de Campo and Jámon Serrano.

It’s up to you to decide which kind of ham- Serrano or Iberico- that you want between your baguette. I know that this blog has convinced me, at least, to throw in the extra euro to try Jámon Iberico. If my words, however, haven’t convinced you, maybe this ham connoisseur’s will:

“Iberian hams have generous amounts of marbling fat. They are very flavourful, with intense, persistent aromas, faintly salty – almost sweet – and impart notes of curing, burnt sugar, nuts and the ageing room.”

I know I’ve got to eat a lot more ham before I could muster up such eloquent poesía de jámon. If you’re feeling the same way, take a trip to one of Madrid’s famous ham shops (El Museo del Jámon or El Palacio del Jámon) and start your journey!