Three categories for jamón serrano to avoid consumer confusion

SPAIN One of Spain's two greatest exports (in our opinion, the other one being the siesta), jamón serrano, has been the subject of negotiation between the various autonomous regions with an interest in the subject, and various jamón producing organizations, known as sector ibérico ('Iberian sector', after the porcine breed used to produce it). The complex negotiations went on for some eight months, supervised by the central government's Ministry of Agriculture. Among the objectives was to protect the purity of the Iberian pig, to watch over production methods and proper labelling, all of which would avoid confusion among consumers.>>>

How do you know which jamón to buy

One of the most expensive jamones
in the world

We choose to use the Spanish word for ham to avoid any possible confusion. Not that there can be much confusion about the taste. For the most part, foreigners use the words jamón serrano to mean what amounts to a large variety of, literally, 'mountain ham'. This is the variety one usually gets in a tapa in a bar. But there are three factors that determine not only the quality, but also the taste and, especially, the price. Finding the right one, or one that is best value for money, is about as easy as winning El Gordo lottery. In this item we will be using some denominations that even the Spaniards are confused about, but since prices can vary from €18 a kilo to €750 (paid in Japan in October), it's probably a good idea to get some knowledge on the subject. But, as we said in another item on this delicious subject (Let's Ham it Up, JimenaPulse, June 2007), it all starts with the pig.>>>