Spain is renowned for its excellence in rearing and curing some of the finest ham in the world, including the utterly delicious jamón Serrano. But what do you know of this delicacy? What is Serrano ham? Is Serrano ham healthy and how is it cured? Do you know how to preserve Serrano ham, how to carve jamón Serrano and how long you can keep a Serrano ham? How does it compare to jamón Iberico and Proscuitto?
There is a lot to learn about jamón Serrano, so we combined our knowledge with the deep expertise of Ivan San Martin from Martinez Somalo – producer of one of Spain’s finest jamón Serrano, which is stocked by Basco.
What is jamón Serrano?
Jamón Serrano is a type of salt-cured ham that is traditionally from Spain, which was originally dried with dry, cool mountain air. The meat comes from white pigs and first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula during the time of the Phoenicians around 1100 BC.
Deep red with streaks of white fat, the meat has a wonderfully salty and nutty flavour that becomes more savoury and complex as it is aged.
The name Serrano originates from “Sierra” which is Spanish for mountain, so jamón Serrano means “mountain ham”.
Introducing Ivan, our jamón Serrano expert
To bring extra knowledge and expertise to this guide, we consulted at length with Ivan San Martin from leading jamón Serrano producer Martinez Somalo. Ivan supplies Basco with all jamón Serrano which we regard as some of the best in Spain. This family business has been based in La Rioja since 1900, and they are a member of the Consorcio del Jamon Serrano Espanol – the professional association that guarantees authentic Spanish jamón Serrano quality and international distribution.
Jamón Serrano official classification
The hallmark of jamón Serrano is “Guaranteed Traditional Speciality” classification – ETG in Spanish. This identifies jamón that has been made with the traditional ingredients, or following a traditional process for their preparation. Legally, you cannot call it jamón Serrano unless the ham has official ETG certification.
Ivan explains further “Jamón Serrano is classified in three types; Bodega, Reserva and Gran Reserva. All Jamón Serrano stocked by Basco that is made by Martinez Somalo is ETG accredited and either Serrano Reserva or Serrano Gran Reserva grade.”
Jamón Serrano pig breeds and rearing
Jamón Serrano comes from white pigs. In the case of Martinez Somalo jamón Serrano, Ivan clarifies “our breeds of free-range white pigs include Pietrain, Landrace, Large White and Duroc. We allow them to move independently on our farms where we carefully look after their health, giving them plenty of water, high standards of cleanliness and feed them a diet of cereals.”
Curing – how to preserve Serrano ham
Jamón Serrano gets its fabulous flavour not only from the free-range lifestyle and diet of the white pigs, traditional curing methods play an equally important part.
How to preserve Serrano ham produced by Martinez Somalo is a three-step process:
Salting – each ham is buried in containers packed with salt and kept at a steady temperature of approximately 0ºC. The number of days it is salted for is a simple formula – a take the kilogram weight of the pig and add one.
Post-salting – once the ham has completed the salting stage, it is cold-dried for around 6 months. It starts at a low temperature and high humidity. Gradually, the temperature is increased and the and the humidity decreased.
Ageing – after six months, the ham has undergone most of its weight loss. Finally, the ham undergoes a heat-ageing process which can last from 6 to 18 months.
“Serrano ham must be cured with patience in the traditional way. The perfect choice of the raw material, compliance with the drying times, and the correct temperatures at all times make Martínez Somalo Serrano ham such a special product” reveals Ivan.
Jamón Iberico vs jamón Serrano
There are numerous different types of ham in Spain, so let’s start by comparing jamón Iberico vs jamón Serrano and see their differences.
Pig breed – both breeds of pigs can be differentiated by their hooves. Jamón Iberico pigs are black pigs and have black hooves – interestingly, to ensure authenticity, Iberian ham must have a seal with a specific color on the hoof. Jamón Serrano pigs are white pigs and have hooves which are the same colour as the rest of the pig.
Diet – what the pigs eat directly influences the flavour and aroma of the meat. Free range Iberico black pigs such as those that create Arturo Sánchez jamón Iberico (which is also stocked by Basco) enjoy a diet of acorns, grasses and herbs. Jamón Serrano free range white pigs enjoy a diet of cereals.
Meat colour – jamón Serrano is lighter and pinker in colour than jamón Iberico which is redder and shiny due to its marbling of fat and its longer curing time.
Curing – both jamón Serrano and jamón Iberico share a similar curing process, where they differ is the time devoted to the different stages. Depending on the ham, from start to dfinish, Martínez Somalo jamón Serrano takes 10 to 24 months. Jamón Iberico takes at least 24 months, even longer, depending on several factors, including whether it is Iberian free-range or not.
Flavour – the diet of acorns and aromatic herbs combined with good infiltration of fat into muscles makes jamón Iberico juicy, intensely flavoured and uniquely flavoured. Jamón Serrano typically has a milder lighter flavour.
Jamón Serrano vs Prosciutto
Both jamón Serrano and Prosciutto are dry-cured hams but there are numerous differences, some large, some subtle.
Origin – jamón Serrano is from mountain regions of Spain including the Sierra Nevada whereas Prosciutto is from Italy – specifically regions including Parma and Daniele.
Pig breed – both jamón Serrano and Prosciutto are derived from similar breeds of white pigs. These include Landrace, Large White and Duroc.
Diet – white pigs that create jamón Serrano and Prosciutto share a similar diet of cereal grains, however, some Proscuitto also requires whey from the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Meat colour – compared to Prosciutto, jamón Serrano meat is slightly darker and has a firmer, drier texture. Prosciutto is a paler pink with ivory coloured fat and a softer silkier texture.
Curing – Prosciutto is cured for longer than jamón Serrano in a more humid climate with well-ventilated ageing rooms for up to 36 months. Jamón Serrano is dried naturally in dry air and for 10 to 24 months.
Flavour – jamón Serrano is really savoury, slightly nutty and slatier than Prosciutto in flavour. Prosciutto is much milder, sweeter and delicate with a buttery taste.
Is Serrano ham healthy?
Like any food, if it needs to be part of a balanced diet. But is Serrano ham healthy? “Jamón Serrano contains high-quality protein and essential amino acids. It is also rich in micronutrients including zinc, iron, selenium and vitamins B1, B6 and B12. Low in carbs, jamón Serrano has minimal processing as it is naturally cured” said Ivan. It does, however, have high salt content and contains saturated fats.
How to carve jamón Serrano
Jamón Serrano is available sliced in convenient packs but you can also buy whole ham legs. These work out more cost-effective, have a longer shelf life, use less packaging and is fresher, so the ham has a better flavour. Want to know how to carve jamón Serrano. Here’s Ivan’s quick guide.
Tools & environment – you will need a proper ham stand, a sharp jamón knife and wide bladed life plus a cool, dry well-ventilated space to store your ham. Ensure the ham is securely in place on its stand.
Prepare the ham – you will need to use a wider bladed knife to remove the outer fat or rind from the ham. Start from the area closest to the hoof. Make the first cut in the upper part of the leg in the shank area. With the knife at an angle, make a deep cut perpendicular to the leg, just below the hock. A few fingers below this cut, make another wedge-shaped cut to remove the fat and tendons.
Remove the rind – carefully remove the rind and yellow fat from the ham, but only remove the part you plan to cutso as not to dry out the rest of the meat.
Cut slices – use the jamón knife cut thin slices of ham from hoof to the tip of the ham. When you have finished cutting through the “babilla” side, turn the leg over and take slices from the “maza” side. When you can’t cut any more slices of ham, cut small cubes from the most difficult meat to slice for recipes. Save to bone too to make broths.
How long can you keep a Serrano ham?
Because jamón Serrano is cured, it can have a relatively high shelf life.
Sliced Serrano ham has a 6-month shelf life from the date of purchase, if unopened. Once opened keep wrapped and stored in the refrigerator. Eat within one week.
Whole Serrano ham legs that are unopened should be store in a cool, dry place. Hanging actually improves the flavour of the ham if you hang it. You can hang a Serrano ham for up to 12 months before you first start to slice it. A jamón Serrano leg can last up to 6-8 weeks – even longer – if properly stored and cared for. After slicing ham, cover the exposed meat with a piece of the original fat, cover with a breathable cotton or linen cloth then store in a cool dry place, avoiding any direct sunlight.
Jamón Serrano recipe ideas
The traditional way to eat jamón Serrano is in tapas. Try it combined with chorizo, cheese and olives – accompanied of course by a delicious Spanish red wine or a cold Spanish craft beer.
Basco founder Javier De La Hormaza is a Basque country chef and would like to share three of his favourite jamón Serrano recipes. All are easy to prepare and utterly delicious, bringing out the wonderful and unique flavour of jamón Serrano.
Huevos a la Flamenca – this delicious Andalucian baked egg dish combines the flavours of smoked paprika, garlic, tomatoes, onions and roasted red peppers with spicy chorizo and crispy jamón Serrano. Click here for the recipe.
Salmorejo – this wonderfully healthy and tasty cold creamy tomato soup, also known as ardoria or ardorío, originates from Andalucia. Garlic, hard boiled eggs, crusty bread and Serrano ham work so well with tomato. Click here for the recipe.
Serrano Ham, Manchego, Quince, Pickled Guindillas & Nut-Brown Butter– want a quick way to elevate a charcuterie board? Jamón Serrano and Manchego shavings are offset by quince paste and the sharpness of pickled quindilla peppers tempered by nut-brown butter. Click here for the recipe.
