ABOUT OTHER HAMS

Dry cured hams have been the staple of many civilizations. Prior to the advent of refrigeration this was the primary way to preserve meat, other than packing it in salt. Two prominent examples of dry cured products in Spain are mojama, dry cured tuna, and the emblematic Jamón Serrano (Mountain Ham), AND Jamón Ibérico, free range Cerdos Ibéricos.

Jamón.com presents some of the finest expressions of country hams in Spain. They are a reflection of an age-old art practiced in the Iberian Peninsula stretching back to the time of the cavemen of Altamira.

Before the era of refrigeration in Spain, there were essentially two ways to preserve meat and fish. First, was to pack them in salt. Codfish from the Spanish fishing fleets was a staple of the Spanish diet, especially in Lent, and so salt cod (bacalao) became synonymous with “cod.” The other way to cure fish and meat was to dry cure them – hang them up to dry, usually applying salt for a short period of time at the beginning.

To round out our presentation of historic of hams, we have included representative examples of dry cured ham from other countries, each one reflecting the unique characteristics of the region. For example, Virginia ham is cured at sea level in an extremely humid area, therefore, in the initial period of the cure the use of salt is extensive. Prosciutto di Parma is made from an animal which has feasted on the curd of Parmesan cheese, made in the same area.