Why is it called Gran Reserva ham?

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Why is it called Gran Reserva hamGran Reserva ham is considered a premium ham that is at the ...? What is its origin and what are its characteristics? How is it made? We have to start from one premise: when we refer to Gran Reserva hamIberian ham (jamón ibérico) is a culinary tradition in Spa... More, we are talking about a food obtained from the salting and air-drying process of the hind legs of the white pigThe pig is a wonderful animal that is part of the famous Med.... At Enrique Tomás we provide answers to these and other questions.

Jamón Gran Reserva/Gran Reserva ham: its origin and characteristics

Its origin

Jamón Gran Reserva can only come from white pigs. Therefore, the first thing to point out is that it should never be confused with Iberian ham, which comes from the Iberian breedThe Iberian pig is a breed of pig originating from the Iberi... More of pig, native to the Iberian Peninsula and whose physical characteristics are very different from those of the white pig.

Its name

Curing Process of the Jamón

It is believed that the name “Jamón Gran Reserva” is related to the place where the hamsHam is one of the star products of the Spanish gastronomy, a... were cured, i.e., in the mountains. The curing processWhen we talk about curing in gastronomy we are talking about... is an artisanal work that requires the experience and care of master jamonero and this work was -and is- carried out in the Spanish mountain ranges where the exact conditions of temperature and humidity that the hams need to be at their best are found.

Its characteristics

• Feed

Their diet is based on feedIberian pig feed should be of high quality and consist of a ... More and cereals. The white pigThe white pig is a breed of pig, which apart from the Iberia... is usually raised in an intensive regime, that is, in farms.

• Breeds

The most common breeds are Duroc, Landrace, Large White or Pitrean.

• Location

They are found all over the world and, consequently, there are cured hams similar to the Gran Reserva type (as for the exeption of elaboration and final taste) in other places, such as Prosciutto in Italy or Presumto in Portugal, for example. Thus, this animal needs neither a specific habitat nor a specific climate as does the Iberian pig, which is raised only in the Iberian Peninsula.

• Curing

In the case of Jamón, in general, it must be at least 12 months, but in the case of our Jamón Gran Reserva, for example, it is 18 months, which makes it an exceptional type of Gran Reserva ham on the palate and with a higher curing period than the norm.

• Weight

The minimum recommended weight for a Jamón Gran Reserva to be marketed is 7 kg.

Differences between Jamón Gran Reserva and Jamón Ibérico

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

Another difference is the curing process. This saltSalt is an essential ingredient in the curing of jamón, as ... More curing, which requires a specific time, is usually twelve months for Gran Reserva 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 flavor, Iberian hams have a genetic peculiarity that no other animal on Earth has, they infiltrate the fatThe bacon of the ham/jamón is the layer of fat that covers ... More 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. Gran Reserva ham 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, breeders usually cross it with the Iberian pig to produce Iberian ham.

Find out more in: “Differences between Jamón Gran Reserva and Jamón Ibérico” or in the following video:

Why is the Jamón Gran Reserva at Enrique Tomás the Jamón Gran Reserva ?

Because it is a jamónThe head of the ham is the front part where the hoof is loca... More selected following very exhaustive qualityThe assessment of the quality of Iberian ham/jamón is based... More controls. In the curing process we maintain enough fat so that the jamón can be cured for 18 months, exceeding the curing time of the rest of the Gran Reserva hams on the market. For Enrique Tomás, the process of care and pampering is the same in all its hams, whether Iberian or non-Iberian, so that the result is a tasty Jamón, of exceptional quality and one of the best on the market.

Resumen

Tipo de servicio

Sliced ham

Nombre del proveedor

ENRIQUE TOMÁS S.L.,

Holanda 27,Badalona,Barcelona-08917,
Telephone No.+34 383 84 85

Área

Sales Dpt.

Descripción

Do you want to know why it is called jamón serrano? Don't worry, at Enrique Tomás we take care of telling you these and other curiosities.

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