When it comes to Spain, many people think of the culinary traditions of this country. And this is not surprising, because the Spaniards are a good judge of delicious food. For example, a bright representative of traditional Spanish cuisine is jamon, which, according to an authentic recipe, has not been tried by many. And yet, jamon - what is it, and is it possible to cook it at home? Let's try to deal with this very interesting question.

Jamon - what kind of meat is it?

Spanish jamon is a real delicacy that is quite expensive. It serves not just as a dish, but in its homeland it is also an interior decoration in many catering establishments.

For its preparation, hind pork legs are used. First, they are subjected to pickling, then drying and drying. But all this must be done only under certain conditions, strictly observing the temperature regime and humidity.

The very name of the dish came from the word jamon, which translates as "ham." Interestingly, a special breed of pig is raised for real jamon.

How do Spanish jamon

To more clearly imagine what kind of meat it is, you need to learn how to make jamon in his homeland. This is a fairly long process, although not requiring a large number of ingredients.

  • For starters, a special kind of pig is raised that is suitable for jamon. There are only two of them: one is elite, and the other is more "democratic."
  • After the carcass is slaughtered, it must be dehydrated. This is done with a large amount of salt, which is completely covered with meat. The process takes a different time, which is calculated on the basis that one kilogram of “wet” carcass will require one day of dehydration.
  • At the end of this process, the carcass is washed and wait until it dries naturally.
  • The resulting meat is sent to a room with a temperature of five degrees for a long time - from 9 to 12 months. During this period, it becomes dried, acquires a certain taste and aroma.
  • Then the meat is tested for quality, its class and the term of further aging are determined.
  • Jamon is suspended and the temperature is gradually raised so that it ripens to the desired state.
  • And the last step is checking with a needle made of cow bone. She makes several holes that allow you to see and feel the degree of readiness.

Home cooking

If you still decide to cook jamon, then this recipe will help you do it as correctly as possible. But be prepared that it will take a lot of time to get such a delicacy.

Required Products:

  • pork ham weighing approximately 4 kilograms;
  • good sea salt - twice as much as the weight of meat.

Cooking process:

  1. Clean the meat well from excess fat, rinse, dry and sprinkle with salt completely, laying it in a deep container. Leave for two weeks.
  2. After this period of time, rinse off the adhering salt, shape the ham and hang it in a ventilated room, where it is possible to regulate the temperature, gradually raising it. This is necessary to evaporate the liquid.
  3. For final drying, the jamon is transferred to a dark room and left for a period of about 12 months. After which it can be consumed.

What to eat with

It turns out that eating jamon can be done in different ways and it is very important to serve it correctly to maximize the taste.

  • Quite often, jamon is cut into thin plates and served as an independent snack. It is especially good when combined with fruit and wine.
  • This jerky is ideal for olives, strawberries, soft cheese, grapes, pears, figs, arugula and asparagus.
  • You can finely chop the bread, grate it with tomatoes, grease with a small amount of olive oil, salt and place sliced ​​jamon on top.
  • One of the most popular snacks is pieces of meat, melon and pineapple laid out together on a plate.
  • Small jamon slices are added to salads, soups, and even omelettes. The best option is a cold gazpacho with jamon.

Mistakes in cooking and how to avoid them

To get a really high-quality product, you must follow the technology of its preparation, without making any mistakes. Let's look at the most popular problems that may arise on the way to getting jamon.

  • Never cut the entire skin from the ham. It is she who protects the meat from severe drying out. Remove only part.
  • Remove excess fat. If there is too much of it, then the ham will not salt out, because the salt simply cannot penetrate to the very bone.
  • Use only sea salt and coarse in size. It draws moisture well. Do not be afraid if white spots appear on the surface, this is normal, this is how salt works.
  • Take care to protect the ham. During cooking, there should be no cuts or punctures of the skin, otherwise this can lead to complete damage to the entire piece.
  • Treat darkened areas with a cotton pad with alcohol, but do not cut them.

It is better to start salting at the end of winter. If you start this in a warmer time, then the meat will dry quickly, darken and salt will not be able to penetrate inside. The result is not a very high-quality product.

Prosciutto and jamon: what is the difference?

It would seem that prosciutto and jamon are almost the same thing. But in fact, these are two completely different types of meat cooked, although they are both jerky.

  • The first difference in the country of origin. Jamon is Spanish meat, while prosciutto is Italian.
  • Meat also varies significantly in taste, because pigs are not raised in the same conditions. In Spain, animals are fed with acorns, and in Italy, mainly corn or fruit.Livestock nutrition directly affects the color of meat and its taste. So, Spanish jamon will be a darker shade.
  • The production technology is also different. Jamon salts indoors and turns dry. This process takes a very long time, sometimes for 48 months, which immediately increases the cost of the final product. Prosciutto is salted out under normal conditions only with the maintenance of moisture and no longer than 14 months. As a result, the meat is tender and juicy, and its price is much lower.

Jamon is really very tasty meat, but its high cost makes it inaccessible to many. If you are not afraid of the long drying time of the ham, then be sure to try to cook such a delicacy yourself, significantly saving money.

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