A primer on the most famous air-dried hams
Air-dried ham legs (bone-in ham) are not only known and popular in their respective countries of origin, but also delight foodies internationally. Due to their origin and the use of different pig breeds, production and curing methods, they differ in terms of taste, texture, and aroma. – By Stephanie Prenzler
Meat is Ronny Paulusch’s greatest passion – and has been for over 25 years. The certified meat sommelier specializes in, among other things, meat aging and refinement, and trains gastronomy and retail professionals on the subject.
www.fleischsommelier.info
Thinly sliced pieces of air-dried ham leg are a delicacy and serve as a delicious appetizer to start any barbecue in a refined way. The most well-known examples of air-dried ham legs, or bone-in ham, are certainly Parma ham from Italy and Serrano ham from Spain. However, the latter does not always come from Spain, as lecturer and certified meat sommelier Ronny Paulusch explains: "Almost any ham can call itself 'Serrano ham' because 'Serrano' is not a protected term of origin. In the EU, there are geographical indications that protect certain products, such as 'Prosciutto di Parma' or 'Jambon de Bayonne'. They regulate that only products produced in a specific region and according to certain traditional methods may bear these protected designations. In contrast, 'Serrano' simply means 'from the mountains' – and traditionally refers to the Spanish practice of air-drying ham in the cooler mountain regions. Since the term 'Serrano' is not a protected geographical indication, manufacturers outside of Spain who use similar air-drying methods can also call their ham by that name. This means that the origin of the ham is not regulated and the term is often used for marketing purposes. The lack of protection makes it difficult to guarantee to consumers that they are receiving a product with an authentic Spanish background and traditional production."
Thus, it has become common practice in recent years to ship raw Serrano legs from Spain to China, only to refine them there and subsequently market them locally as high-priced Serrano ham.
The air-dried Westphalian bone-in ham, which has been registered in the European register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications since 2013, is considered the German answer to Parma, Serrano, and Co. However, it has not yet achieved any real significance beyond Germany or even internationally, which is why we will not go into it in more detail in this overview. But what makes internationally successful air-dried hams so special? They are all air-dried according to traditional methods and are not smoked afterwards, with rare exceptions. Through air-drying, a ham loses approximately 33 percent of its fresh weight, which contributes to the characteristic texture and consistency. The fact that the hams are predominantly not smoked has mainly to do with their geographical origin and the associated climatic conditions.
Here are the specific differences in detail:
Serrano
Internationally, all types of Spanish ham are generally called "Serrano ham." In Spain, it is also offered under the names "Jamón Serrano," "country ham," as well as "cured ham" – and these terms mainly refer to ham from white domestic pigs that are not from Iberian breeds or any other specific breed. Serrano ham has a fine, slightly salty taste and a balanced aroma. It is lean, barely marbled, and generally matures between 8 and 14 months.
Quality seal: Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG)
Association: Consorcio del Jamón Serrano Español
Ibérico
Ibérico ham (Jamón Ibérico) is produced on the Iberian Peninsula and comes from at least 50% black Ibérico pigs (classification: mother 100% Ibérico, father Duroc). The Pata Negra is made from 100% Ibérico. The feeding and husbandry of the pigs can be identified by the terms "Cebo" (grain feed, indoor housing, 2 m²/animal), "Cebo de Campo" (grain and wild plants, min. 60 days free-range/field housing, 100 m²/animal), and "Bellota" (acorns and wild plants, exclusively in the wild, 8,000 m²/animal). The hams mature for at least 24 months, the Pata Negra for 20 months. Fat content, taste, and texture vary depending on the genetics, feeding, and farming method.
Quality seal: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO),
Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
Association: Jamones Ibéricos de España Asociación
Interprofesional del Cerdo Ibérico (ASICI)
Parma
Parma ham may only be produced in the province of Parma, but the pigs, of the "Large White", "Landrace" and "Duroc" breeds, may also come from the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont, Molise, Umbria, Tuscany, Marche, Abruzzo and Lazio. The pigs are fed with whey from Parmigiano-Reggiano production, which gives the meat a special flavor. They are slaughtered at nine months with a slaughter weight of 160 kg. The ham is cured in salt for 100 days, and the maturation period is 12 to 30 months. Parma ham has a slightly sweet taste, a delicate consistency, and fine fat marbling.
Quality Seal: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
Association: Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma
San Daniele
The selection of pigs is almost identical to that for Parma ham, but the feeding with whey from Parmesan production is omitted. The pigs come from the regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, Abruzzo, Marche and Umbria; the ham is produced exclusively in San Daniele in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Although it is cured in salt for 100 days like Parma ham, the salt is changed every week. Furthermore, after 80 days, the ham is sealed with a mixture of flour, lard, salt and pepper. This results in a milder overall character compared to Parma ham.
Quality Seal: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
Association: Consorzio del Prosciutto di San Daniele
Bayonne
For this ham, only Basque Kintoa pigs from the Adour basin in southwestern France are used, which have been fed with grain for at least nine months. For PGI ham (Protected Geographical Indication), only salt from Salies-de-Béarn is used. Traditionally, Bayonne ham is sealed with a mixture of lard and flour, which is subsequently rubbed with Espelette pepper. The maturation period is at least 7 months; for ham with the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), it is 12 to 18 months, and with the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), it is 20 months.
Quality Seal: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO),
Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), IGP, DOC
Association: Consortium du Jambon de Bayonne
Vulcano
A ham from the Styrian Vulkanland; no specific pig breeds are used, but the animals are raised in the Vulkanland in species-appropriate conditions with extra lying and movement areas as well as outdoor access. The feed comes primarily from regional cultivation. In the first 5 months, the Vulcano ham matures at temperatures from 0 to 8 °C, and the remaining time at up to 24 °C. The maturation period is between 8 (boneless) and 27 months; selected pieces mature for up to 36 months.
Quality Seal: none
Association: none
Kraški Pršut
Kraški Pršut originates from the Karst region and is not made from any specific pig breed. During air-drying, it benefits from the Bora winds and matures for at least 12 months. During this time, the ham is coated several times with a mixture of lard, salt, pepper and flour. It has a slightly higher salt content than other air-dried bone-in hams and features a firmer structure.
Quality Seal: Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
Association: GIZ Kraški Pršut
