Let’s Talk Ham

Leave the Christmas ham at your Grandma’s house (sorry, Pat). Now think more European. Yes, that ham. For many Americans, when we think of thinly sliced cured ham we think “prosciutto”. That’s just the Italian word for cured ham. In Spain: jamon. France: jambon. The US: country ham.

There’s so many types of ham, and most cultures who eat pork have similar ways of curing it. To keep it simple, we’re focusing on just three styles for this theme (stay tuned!).

Here are some FAQs of ham and why it’s so special (and expensive).

Which Part of the Pig is Ham?

Ham comes from the rear legs of the pig. It is cured with salt and other spices and hung to dry for a certain period of time, depending on the style of ham.

The Flavors?

The difference in taste among cured hams depends on the breed, what the pigs eat, whether or not it was roaming freely, how it’s cured and prepared, and how long the ham is hung. With each type there are different nuances to the fat and the meat. When I think of really good ham, I think of it as being sweet, salty, slightly nutty and earthy (very much like Parmesan cheese) with fat so soft it melts in my mouth.

The Names? Is There a Difference?

Oh yes, and it’s a little convoluted. Basically, this boils down to the breed of the pig, the region where both the pig was raised and where the ham is made, and/or how it’s cured - similar to wine. Europeans are proud of their product and know how to protect it; they’ve created Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). Not everyone can produce Champagne, say, even if they have the same grape variety. It’s the nuances of the environment in addition to the breed that give the ham its specific flavor.

To give a quick run-down:

Mangalitsa is a breed of pig from Hungary with curly white hair (they look like sheep!) and very marbled meat.

Bayonne can be a variety of 8 different breeds as long as it’s produced under strict regulations in a specific area in France. One regulation is it has to be cured with the salt from the Salies-de-Bearn estuary.

Iberico is the breed of pig and has to be pure bred or at least 50% Iberico. For it to be Iberico de Bellota (the highest grade of Spanish ham), they need to be free-range pigs that roam the oak forests in a designated area along the border of Spain and Portugal. The pigs only eat acorns (bellota) during the last few months of their life.

Serrano can be a variety of selected breeds and basically is the umbrella term for cured ham made in Spain that’s not Iberico.

Duroc is a breed of pig from the United States - and fun fact! - is the only pig that is allowed to breed with Ibericos.

What’s the Origin of Cured Ham?

This is tricky as tracking down food origins can be difficult. Some food historians say Roman Marcus Porcius Cato was the first to explain how to cure hams in De Agri Cultura, a “book” about farming in 160 BC which established a foundation for cured hams in Europe. Others have credited General Zong Ze with popularizing cured ham in 1100 AD in what is now present day China. So, yeah…it’s ancient.

Why Does the Best Come from Europe?

Countries in Europe are relatively small, and farmers wouldn’t have acres and acres of land like American farmers do. Pigs can forage for themselves, roam both pastures and woods, and don’t need as much space as cattle do. Before the plow was invented, pigs were set loose in fields to forage - digging up plants, roots, and rocks. The rocks would be removed afterwards, and the field would be “plowed,” fertilized, and ready to plant. Not only were they important to farming land, they’re also food (duh) and they produce a large litter (for more food). The French specifically revered the pig as it was food and fat that would last for the entire winter.

But more importantly, Europeans have a history of producing food with time, care, attention, and - I would say - romance. They’ve been doing it the same way for generations. Why? Because it’s the best. They don’t cut corners for cost or efficiency.

But don’t turn your nose up on country ham coming from the southern states! There are pig farmers producing some high quality country ham that can compete with European ham (stay tuned!).

Why is Ham Expensive?

Yes, good ham is expensive. And it should be! Jamon Iberico de Bellota can be $1400 for one leg. Not only are there a limited number of Iberico pigs produced every year but they also only have two back legs (another duh, but it puts it into perspective). Think of the time it takes each pig to mature, along with the slaughtering, curing, and hanging processes. Afterwards, they get individually inspected, including a sniff check (for Jamon Iberico de Bellota, only 8 people are certified for this). As most of us don’t buy a whole leg, the ham needs to be sliced (by hand, no less) and packaged. For imported ham, it needs to be shipped overseas then inspected again by the USDA before finally arriving at our specialty meat and cheese shops.

That’s a lot of work, and it really makes you appreciate the time, money, labor, and love that goes into a melt-in-your mouth slice of ham.

Why Choose Ham as the Theme?

Because we love it. And we want you to love it.