ham and more
Jamón ibérico
Jamón ibérico is a type of jamón, a cured ham produced only in Spain. It is at least 75% Black Iberian Pig, also called the cerdo negro or black pig, the only breed of pig that naturally seeks and eats mainly acorns: according to Spain's Denominación de Origen rules on food products jamón ibérico may be made from cross-bred pigs as long as they are at least 75% ibérico.
How to consume it?
The pleasure of tasting it is incomparable; it fills the palade with a multitude of intense flavours. Before the opening and the consumption of one of others vacuum-packed products, you should wait 1 hour and let them breath.
The best way to enjoy this unique product is at room temperature, accompanied with an excellent red wine.
You should keep the ham in the fridge at a temperature of between 0º and 5º, so you will keep the ham fresh and juicy.
The Iberian ham in piece should be kept in a cool, dry place at a temperature of between 20 ºC and 25ºC. After cutting, the area from which the meat has been taken away should be coated with the pieces of fat and skin from outside of the ham. This will keep the piece fresh and juicy and it also preserves its aroma and flavour.
For the consumption of the iberian ham you should cut the ham in small, thin and nearly invisible pieces. The best form of presentation of the ham is on plate, preferably white in colour.
You should cut slices from different parts of the ham, so you could obtain variable flavours.
The vacuum-packed ham has an expiration date of approximately 3 months, if you conserve it at a temperature of between 17º and 24º.
The vacuum-packed ham has an expiration date of approximately 6 months, if you conserve it at a temperature of between 0º and 5º.
The vacuum-packed ham has an expiration date of approximately 12 month, if you conserve it at a temperature of under 0º.
All our products have the maximum guarantee of quality and they all were vacuum-wrapped immediately after being cut.
How to cut the ham?
Step 1: Place the ham on the jamonero (specially designed support) with the hoof facing upwards. You have to make sure that the ham is well fixed on the jamonero. For the first cuttings we will use a knife with a short and wide blade. We will make a first cut to mark the future cutting area and secondly we will remove the skin and other fat that covers the top and sides of the ham until the meat is visible. Step 2: After this we have to begin with the skinning of the ham. This consists of withdrawing part of the rind covering the ham, which is formed of natural moulds and exudations that have been produced during the maturing process. Finally when the top surface of the ham is clean and does not contain any more fat, it is time to begin slicing the ham. The fat and skin, that we just have removed, should be preserved, because we will use them for covering the area from which the meat has been cut. This will keep the cut piece fresh and juicy. Step 3: The cuts should always be parallel to each other and leave a flat surface. The slices should be almost transparent They must follow the width of the meat and should not be longer than 6 or 7 centimetres. When the main part is cut (with the hoof facing upwards), slices from the central area should be mixed with those of the upper foreleg. Step 4: When you reach the bone, the ham should be sliced in smaller pieces so as to maintain a flat surface. The knife with the wider blade is better for cutting this part of ham. If you are not going to cut any more, you should cover the slicing area with some fat pieces, in order to preserve the flavour and the aroma the ham. You also could cover the slicing surface with a damp cloth or kitchen paper. Step 5: Once you have finished cutting this part, turn the ham over, placing it on the jamonero with the hoof facing downwards. This part of the ham is called babilla. The slices from this part are generally narrower. Step 6: Like in the second step, first of all we have to remove the skin and the fat that covers the meat. The meat close to the bones that cannot be cut into proper slices but rather into strips and irregular pieces is an excellent complement to many dishes and can even be consumed in small slices. The bones, cut into pieces of 10 to 12 centimetres with a saw, are equally of use in the production of exquisite consommé.
.gif)
