The best way to choose and enjoy a good Iberian ham

In this article we will answer some of the most common questions our customers have when choosing Iberian ham and enjoying its full flavor.

You can enjoy our entire online catalog of Iberian ham in ibericomio.es

We will answer three basic questions about Iberian ham:

How to choose a good Iberian ham?

At Ibericomio all our hams are shipped directly from the producer’s dryer to your home. This activity is carried out by the master ham maker of each factory. Out of curiosity, we suggest that in any supermarket, if they let you touch the ham, you also try different categories and brands of ham to learn how to choose a good ham. Your friends will be amazed when you explain to them all the curiosities of Iberian ham.

First of all, the best guide for choosing an Iberian ham is the flanges of the Iberian standard.

By following these flanges we are already well on our way to selecting a ham. To learn more about Iberian ham flanges, please read this article

Once we are clear about the category of ham we want to buy according to the bridle, we can refine our selection.

What factors determine the quality of Iberian ham?

An important nuance, hams are not screws. The Iberian pigs are fattened in the Dehesa. Each animal is unique, its behavior in the mountains, its activity, the amount of grass or acorns is different for each animal. It is very difficult for the final product to be homogeneous, which is why we talk about vintages. In addition, in an artisanal curing process there are many variables that will have an influence.

A handcrafted acorn-fed Iberian ham will never be the same as an industrially produced Iberian ham.

We have already said on many occasions that the breed, handling and feeding are decisive in the flavor of the ham.

However, there is one factor that is not always very well considered and that is really important for the quality of the ham:

How much fat is in an Iberian ham?

One of the most decisive factors in differentiating a good quality Iberian ham is the fat, which will influence texture, aroma and flavor. We refer to both covering, intramuscular and intracellular fat. The latter is not visible to the eye but is present in the composition of Iberian ham.

It’s time to answer the million-dollar question:

How much fat is in an Iberian ham?

As always, the answer is not unique. There are many factors that will influence the amount of fat a ham should have. The usual proportion is 28-32% of the gross weight of the cured piece. But this percentage is variable.

The important thing to know is the importance of fat or bacon in the quality and flavor of an Iberian ham.

Why does fat have such an influence on the flavor and texture of a good Iberian ham?

Here the answer is easy and immediate.

Meat or lean as such, is a cured protein. Suppose that fat did not infiltrate muscle and we isolated lean from fat. In that case, we would only perceive very simple flavors, mainly salty. The lean meat is organoleptically very basic.

In some countries, customers ask us for a fat-free Iberian ham. It is possible to obtain a slice of ham without visible fat, but we must be aware that a slice of Iberian ham, no matter how lean it is, will always contain a significant amount of fat.

Depending on the fat content of a fresh ham, it may undergo a longer or shorter curing process. Fat is a barrier to excessive dehydration. For this reason, the shoulders usually have a greater presence of fat, which allows to obtain a greater juiciness of the pieces.

It seems unbelievable, but producing fat-free is cheaper, will require less curing time.

Fats are not all the same. Its fatty acid composition will be a determining factor in the flavors and aromas of a ham. This composition will be determined by the animal’s diet and breed.

The fat, and therefore the quality of the ham, will also be conditioned by the antioxidant content. Iberian pigs raised in freedom in the Dehesa, consuming fresh herbs and natural pastures, will have a higher amount of antioxidants in their meat, which will result in an increase in the final quality of the meat.

Finally, the disposition of the fat in the lean meat will also affect the flavor of the slice of ham we are going to eat. A fat that is distributed inside the lean meat will prevent excessive drying of the meat and will also transfer all the aromatic compounds that the fat contains to the slice of Iberian ham.

Given the importance of fat, let’s learn a little more about it.

The importance of fat or bacon in an Iberian ham

The fluidity of the fat is related to the animal’s diet. The Iberian pig is a monogastric animal. Therefore, the fat in their diet synthesizes them or transfers them directly to their meat, deposits them. Acorns are very rich in monounsaturated fatty acids – oleic acid – known as healthy fats that promote good cholesterol. Acorns, like olives, are rich in oleic acid. In the case of acorns, they contain more than 70% oleic acid.

In addition, the Iberian pig synthesizes more oleic acid through exercise.

We are already at a good starting point: a diet rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, a lifestyle with Iberian pigs raised free-range in the Dehesa and a monogastric animal that synthesizes them in its meat.

To give you an idea, in the white pig we have 45-48% of oleic acid. At the beginning of the Montanera the Iberian pig has 52% of oleic acid, in the second month, 54% and if it is prolonged for 3-4 months it would reach up to 58%. In addition, by increasing the % of monounsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids decrease up to 32%.

Why is fluid fat in Iberian ham a symptom of quality?

Saturated fatty acids at room temperature are more compact. It would fluidize above 30º.

Monounsaturated fatty acids liquefy at room temperature, thus fluidity appears as the temperature increases.

Here we already have a clue: a good ham that comes from pigs fed with a lot of acorns will have fat that flows easily when in contact with our hands. After checking the seal of the standard Iberian ham, we recommend that you lightly run your fingers and press on the fat of the ham. The more liquid it becomes, the more oleic acid the piece will contain.

But there’s more! You want the ham to be the best of all, the best ham to buy. A small detail to consider.

Speaking of feed, we have pigs fed with feed rich in oleic acid that will also provide greater fluidity to the animal’s fat. This type of feed is becoming more and more common because the consumer considers a ham that drips with oil to be a good one to buy.

We have already mentioned that it is not only the acorn’s richness in oleic acid that will determine a high percentage of oleic acid in a good Iberian ham. The breeding of the pig will influence not only by the exercise but also by the consumption of other foods that the Iberian pig will only find if it is raised in freedom in the pasture.

One such food is as simple as grass. The consumption of grass provides tocopherols, vitamin E, antioxidants that remain throughout the curing process and prevent the rancidity of the fat that would become caked. It is these tocopherols that promote greater fluidity. That is why the herb also has this contribution to the fluidity of the fat. Thus, a high tocopherol content will provide more value for a high quality ham. Because the creation of the ham’s aroma occurs at the end of the curing process and will only occur if there is no rancidity. For this reason, a diet that includes grass from the pasture will allow a better generation of the rich aromas of nuts and grass of the really good Iberian ham.

Herein lies the difference. We can have a quality Iberian cebo ham from pigs fed with feed rich in oleic acid but which have not been free-ranging in the Dehesa. This ham will have a low level of antioxidants. An authentic Iberian acorn-fed ham will have that level of tocopherols that favor a less rancid fat.

In short, if you want to buy a good Iberian ham, first check that it has its seal of the Iberian standard, then lightly touch the piece and check its richness in monounsaturated fatty acids. At ibericomio.es you cannot touch the hams. We have touched many hams from many producers and we guarantee that they are all very tasty. Do you dare to try them?

If you have already chosen your Iberian ham, it is time to eat Iberian ham at home.

At what temperature should an Iberian ham be consumed?

We have already learned that the temperature of the ham affects the consistency of the fat – monounsaturated fatty acids at room temperature liquefy.

Therefore, when we eat a slice of ham at room temperature, when it enters our mouth, its temperature rises and when heated, it melts and breaks down, breaking up its flavor in our mouth and allowing us to discover all its nuances and aromas. Thanks to this melted fat in our mouth, it will retain the salty taste of the cured product. Allowing us to enjoy all the other flavors that come from compounds such as amino acids, esters and ketones that have been formed throughout the salting and curing process of the Iberian shoulder or ham.

In supermarkets in eastern countries, if it is very cold, we will see olive oil with “white specks or chunks because it freezes and solidifies at approximately 4º. Palm oil, which is a saturated fat, can be found in blocks at room temperature and its stability at high temperatures makes it very interesting for industrial baking. A bacon from a white pig will always be much more compact than a bacon from an acorn-fed Iberian pig due to its different fatty acid composition.

Temperature also affects our perception of saltiness.

When the slice of ham or Iberian sausage is colder, it will always seem saltier than the same slice at room temperature. This is because the fat melts at a higher temperature, creating a kind of film on our taste buds, which reduces the perception of saltiness.

The perfect slice of Iberian ham

How much bacon should a slice of Iberian ham have?

We have already mentioned that the lean meat contributes little in terms of aroma to the Iberian ham slice. Fat, or bacon as some call it, must always be present in the ham slices we are going to eat. According to expert slicers, the recommendation is that bacon should represent between 25% and 33% of the total Iberian ham.

We always refer to clean grease. It is essential that the ham be cleaned of the outer fat, which has already oxidized and will be dirty. This covering fat would only bring unpleasant flavors and should be discarded.

A small but important detail to consider; size.

How big should the slice of Iberian ham be?

We are afraid that in the world of Iberian ham, size does matter. A slice of ham should be of a suitable size so that we do not have to split it, removing part of the fat. By eating a full slice with the correct proportion of fat, we will achieve the perfect balance of flavors.

Why does the slice of Iberian ham have to be very thinly sliced?

Once again, fat is the reason. For the fat to melt and allow the release of all the flavors and aromas, it needs that little bit of temperature. The time it remains in the mouth is very short. With a very thick slice of Iberian ham or shoulder, we will not be able to raise the temperature in the mouth.

In addition, as we chew, saliva spreads the flavors on our palate. A thin slice facilitates this greater intensity of flavors in the mouth and the development of the aroma that we will perceive through the retronasal passage.

So the slice of Iberian ham should always be thin and better small than not too big.

What to accompany Iberian ham with?

Another factor to consider would be to eat the ham with or without bread. It seems silly but the bread also affects the perception of textures, aromas and flavor that we will have when tasting a good Iberian ham.

A good bread has more influence than we might think. The bread creates a harmony of textures, aromas and flavors with the ham. Thus, it will reinforce the sensation of sweetness and will also cleanse our palate because we chew for much longer and the crumb will absorb part of that veil of fat. The longer the chewing time, the more perceptible the ham’s own aromas will be and the salty taste will always fade a little. As a consequence of the leavening of the bread, the cellar flavor of the ham will be more present. Logically, the amount of bread should be in accordance with the size of the slice we are going to eat. Very important, quality bread is essential.

From a nutritional point of view, the bread with the ham adds up. Essential amino acids provided by ham plus the carbohydrates in bread.