Sliced Jamón Ibérico

Jamón Ibérico is the crown jewel of Spanish cuisine. These slices of delectable Spanish ham are packed with complexity: like an aged Manchego cheese or a glass of fine wine, each bite has many layers of flavor. Ibérico ham has very little salt, allowing the levels of taste to take center stage. Serve on a warm plate with good bread and a fine wine.

Ibérico is the name of the famous breed of black pig indigenous to Spain. It is sometimes known as 'pata negra' or 'Jabugo', referring to a famous ham town. There are two levels of quality depending on how the animals are raised. This sliced ham is from Ibérico pigs that lived the normal livestock life, enjoying regular feed. The ultimate quality is called Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, which is made from free range Ibérico pigs that feast on acorns ('bellota') in the fall. It usually costs twice as much as normal Ibérico and is also available.

Ibérico ham is hung to cure for two to three years in the mountain air of La Alberca, a picturesque town in the region of Salamanca. As the seasons change from the cold of winter through spring and summer, 40% of the fat melts away, bathing the ham in flavor. As the second year passes, the ham undergoes complex changes that produce incredible layers of flavor. The result is a tender and delicious ham, deep red in color with a very mild saltiness.

This sliced Ibérico ham comes from Fermín, a family company located in the medieval village of La Alberca, right at the top of a mountain. They cure their jamón in the crisp, clean air that flows through their drying rooms. After ten years of effort, they were the first company to export Ibérico ham to America.