All about jamón serrano

Although we tend to think that Jamón Serrano is a "second class" type of Jamón, this is not the case. In fact, it is the most common in our daily gastronomy, due to its quality at a more economical price. There are top quality Serrano hams and we are going to learn which ones they are. At Enrique Tomás, we have christened this top quality Jamón Serrano as the "Gran Reserva".

Particularities of Jamón Serrano

When we talk about Jamón Serrano, we are referring to the hind leg of a white pig, all those that do not come from the Iberian breed. We can find this type of pig anywhere on the planet. Those that are dedicated to the production of ham are subjected to a suitable diet so that the end result is as delicious as possible. This feed is usually based on fodder and cereals.

Although this type of Jamón can be found all over the world, as we have said, depending on the breed of white pig it comes from and the treatment and curing time it is given, we can identify different flavours, qualities or characteristics that differentiate the Jamón from each region or country.

In Spain we talk about Jamón Serrano, but for example in Italy they talk about "Prosciutto", in Portugal about "Presunto" or in France about "Jambon". And it is clear that each of them has its own characteristics in terms of taste, appearance and quality.

El Spanish Jamón Serrano

Within the regions of Spain we can also find different qualities of Jamón. The majority of the Jamón producing market uses breeds such as "Duroc, Pietrain or Large White" to produce this type of ham, with a curing time of around twelve months.

Why does Enrique Tomás call our Jamón Serrano, Jamón Gran Reserva?

Iberian ham is a product obtained from Iberian pigs and Serrano ham is obtained from white pigs. Both hams are obtained from the hind legs of the animal, but the Iberian ham, unlike the Serrano ham, can only be produced in Spain and Portugal for two reasons; firstly, Iberian pigs are only found in our peninsula and, secondly, only in these countries there are the necessary climatic conditions for the Iberian ham to be produced as it is.

Another difference is the curing time, what we call the "cooking" of the Jamón. This salt curing, which requires a specific time, is usually twelve months for Serrano ham, although Enrique Tomás cures it for eighteen months, and for Iberian ham it is between thirty-six and forty-eight months, depending on the weight of the piece.

In terms of flavour, the Iberian pigs have a genetic peculiarity that no pig on Earth has, they infiltrate the fat into the muscle and this, together with a specific diet and the exercise that the pig can do in the pasture when it is free, gives rise to a very juicy meat full of nuances and aromas. Jamón Serrano can come from various types of white pig breeds, including Landrace, Large white, Pietrain and sometimes Duroc. However, as the latter has the capacity to infiltrate fat into the muscle like the Iberian pig, farmers usually cross it with the Iberian pig for the production of Iberian ham.

Difference between jamón serrano and jamón ibérico

Iberian ham is a product obtained from Iberian pigs and Serrano ham is obtained from white pigs. Both hams are obtained from the hind legs of the animal, but the Iberian ham, unlike the Serrano ham, can only be produced in Spain and Portugal for two reasons; firstly, Iberian pigs are only found in our peninsula and, secondly, only in these countries there are the necessary climatic conditions for the Iberian ham to be produced as it is.

Another difference is the curing time, what we call the "cooking" of the Jamón. This salt curing, which requires a specific time, is usually twelve months for Serrano ham, although Enrique Tomás cures it for eighteen months, and for Iberian ham it is between thirty-six and forty-eight months, depending on the weight of the piece.

In terms of flavour, the Iberian pigs have a genetic peculiarity that no pig on Earth has, they infiltrate the fat into the muscle and this, together with a specific diet and the exercise that the pig can do in the pasture when it is free, gives rise to a very juicy meat full of nuances and aromas. Jamón Serrano can come from various types of white pig breeds, including Landrace, Large white, Pietrain and sometimes Duroc. However, as the latter has the capacity to infiltrate fat into the muscle like the Iberian pig, farmers usually cross it with the Iberian pig for the production of Iberian ham.

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