Spanish Charcuterie Board
Our Spanish charcuterie board is comprised of two excellent cured meats from Spain.
Jamón Serrano
This dry cured ham is produced in the Sierras, or mountain ranges of Spain, from various breeds of white pig like a Duroc, but not the Ibérico breed. Jamón Serrano has TSG (Traditional Specialty Guaranteed) status in the EU and UK ensuring it meets rigid methods of production to ensure its unique quality. Fresh hams are trimmed and covered with salt for two weeks to preserve them. The salt is then washed off and the hams are hung to dry for 6 months, then hung for another 6 to 18 months in cool drying sheds at high elevations, hence, the name “mountain ham”, showcasing a pinkish color.
Jamón Ibérico (The Caviar of Charcuterie)
Jamón Ibérico is the most expensive cured meat in the world because of the extremely high standards that must be met to create such a delicacy--you must try it! Ibérico-bred, black-hoofed pigs are fed a select diet of acorns (bellota) and the grass of the Dehesa countryside in the Extremadura region of Spain, giving this ham its authentic taste and making it the most expensive cured ham produced in the world. Its fatty, marbled texture makes it a delicacy like Kobe beef. The acorn-laden diet of Ibérico pigs results in meat that is high in oleic acid – healthy fat that lowers ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) and raises ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) – lending to it heart healthy characteristics. The dry air of Spain requires less salting to cure, leaving Ibérico ham with less sodium. To ensure each pig has an ample supply of acorns usually 1 acre is devoted to each pig. Ibérico ham is cured from 24 months to 5 years. It melts in your mouth with a non-fibrous texture, aroma of roasted nuts and dry, slightly salted taste with a dark pink-to-purple color.
Tips for all Artisanal Cured Meats
For optimum enjoyment, sliced cured meats should be consumed within 3 days of receipt. Store tightly wrapped in butcher paper if not all consumed at once. Thereafter, cured meats can be a delectable addition to any meal. Simply oven roast or lightly sauté, chop and sprinkle over your favorite salad, soup, pasta, pizza or stew.
* The weight and number of slices may vary based on the specific part of the leg from which they are cut.