As one of the top ham varieties in the world, the grading of Libyan ham is very strict. According to Spanish law, only ham made of Iberian pig's legs with 75% pure blood can be called Iberian ham. It plays an important role in Spanish cuisine. Meat comes from Iberian black pig.

Iberian pigs are characterized by their ability to store fat in muscle fibers, which makes their meat have a unique taste. No "bad" cholesterol (low density lipoprotein); It only contains high-density lipoprotein, which can reduce excess cholesterol in organs (heart, arteries, etc.). ) and transported to the liver for excretion. This doesn't mean that the fat of ham won't gain weight.

Iberian ham, according to the different black-haired pigs, is divided into three different grades:

1. Ham made from Iberian black-haired pigs fed with mixed feed.

2. Ham made from Iberian black-haired pigs fed with acorns and mixed feed.

3. The top layer is the Iberian black-haired pig that is completely stocked in the jungle and grows up eating acorns.

02

Serrano ham

Made of common white-hoofed pigs or other mixed pigs, which are more common in markets and restaurants; Iberian ham is a kind of high-grade ham with rich aroma and complex taste, which is made from Iberian black-hoofed pigs with more than 75% pedigree.

They are kept in the virgin forest nearby. Every autumn, the fruits from all over the mountains ripen and fall to the ground. These black-haired pigs feed on acorns, herbs, olives and roots.

Growing up happily in nature, the output is scarce, and the government is very strict in quality control, so even in Spain, the price of Iberian ham is very expensive.

03

pickling process

The delicious and unique flavor of Spanish ham is attributed to its dry curing process. The Spanish ham is only salted, and the pork leg is pickled with sea salt at low temperature, and then sent to the storage cellar for dehydration and air drying until it is mature.

An ordinary ham needs to be cooked for 24 months, sometimes it takes 30 months, 40 months or even longer. This is exactly the saying that "good things belong to those who wait patiently"

04

The history of Spanish ham

Their history of eating ham can be traced back to the Roman Empire, but in today's Spain, almost any restaurant and pub can eat it, and large supermarkets and vegetable markets can also buy whole or vacuum-packed sliced ham. Many Spaniards are quite casual about other foods, but they are very picky about ham. Some people can't even eat ham.

Ham and acorn from different producing areas have different tastes, and they pay attention to the year, so the taste will be different. The most expensive ham in the world, named 2006 Alvaquel Kuslecerf (in 2006, pigs were slaughtered), each weighing seven kilograms, has a genetic certificate to prove its authenticity. The whole price is about $265,438+000, equivalent to about $350 per kilogram!