Place the blister in a tray or container and cover with warm water (tap water is sufficient). Let stand for 30 – 45 secs until the fat becomes more transparent. |
Remove the case from the water and open the edges with scissors. |
Once the fat is diluted to the correct temperature, the slices can be easily separated without breaking and placed on the plate. |
Jamón Ibérico is a cured meat, meaning it is preserved using salt and time. Curing is one of the oldest preservation methods and has been used for centuries to keep food from spoiling without refrigeration. The process is slow and methodical and requires a lot of care.
After butchering, artisans cover the Jamón in salt for 6-10 days days, rinse them carefully, and place them in a refrigerated space during a 60 to 90-day period.
Surely you have seen “little white dots” when slicing Jamón or buying a slice of Iberian Jamón. What are those dots? Does it mean that my Jamón is bad? Hint: On the contrary, you have before you a real quality delicatessen, and we will tell you why.
During the drying and curing process of ham, which can last between 12 and 36 months, several changes occur in the texture, aroma and flavor. One of these changes is the appearance of small white crystals that can be seen on the surface of the ham or inside the meat.
These crystals are known as tyrosine crystals and are formed when amino acids, especially tyrosine, combine with lactic acid and other acids produced during the ham curing process. Tyrosine is an amino acid present in meat proteins and other foods, and is essential for the growth and development of the human body.
When the concentration of tyrosine in ham meat is high and combined with the aforementioned acids, a chemical reaction occurs that crystallizes the tyrosine, giving rise to the white dots that can be seen in Iberian ham. These crystals are completely natural and do not indicate any type of deterioration or alteration of the product.
In fact, tyrosine crystals are considered to be an indicator of the quality and authenticity of ham from the Iberian peninsula, as they only form in products that have been cured naturally and artisanally over an extended period of time. In addition, it is believed that tyrosine crystals can contribute to the flavor and texture of the ham, as they melt in the mouth and release an intense, salty flavor.
In short, the white specks that can be found in the ham are tyrosine crystals, an amino acid that crystallizes due to the prolonged curing process to which ham is subjected in the South of Spin. These crystals are completely natural, do not indicate any type of deterioration or alteration of the product and are considered an indicator of the ham’s quality and authenticity. In addition, it is believed that tyrosine crystals can contribute to the flavor and texture of the ham.
Very few foods are as delicious and as beneficial to health as Iberian jamón. It is full of nutritional properties, such as proteins, vitamins (B1, B6, B9, B12, E [powerful antioxidant]), minerals (calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorus) and folic acid, and its regular consumption (the recommendation is not to exceed 100 grams per day) provides the following health benefits:
The above reasons lead nutritionists and health experts to advise its regular consumption as part of the diet.
It is true that it contains salt due to the salting process, but on average this does not exceed the sodium content of a traditional diet. Studies have shown that it can lower blood pressure and reduce blood clotting problems.
So don’t worry, its preparation is a natural curing process without additives, colorants or artificial elements.
Morphology:
The first difference in morphology is that the 100% Iberian Jamón is longer than the crossbred.
This lengthening of the piece can be altered by the practice of “alimonado” (a process that is carried out after salting, with which the Jamón is shaped). But in most cases, the 100% Iberian Jamón is longer than the crossbred Jamón.
The cane of the 100% Iberian is usually thinner than that of the crossbred, but it is true that with the genetic crosses that are being achieved nowadays, the canes of the crossbreeds are getting thinner and thinner.
When cutting, we will see how the blade that forms the hip bone in a 100% Iberian is more concave than in a crossbred, in the crossbred it is straighter. This is due to the fact that the 100% Iberian is an animal designed to be able to move around the pasture in freedom and needs its bones to be more flexible.
In the same direction, if we compare the fibula of a 100% Iberian with that of a crossbred, we will see that the fibula of the 100% Iberian is thinner than that of the crossbred. As we said before, the skeleton of a 100% Iberian is more flexible and less coarse
The different studies reveal that the products that come from 100% Iberian pigs have a significantly different composition and that they have quality attributes that are closer to the tastes of consumers.
We could affirm that there are 4 relevant characteristics that differentiate and allow us to distinguish 100% Iberian Jamón from crossbred Jamón.
The colour of the lean meat is much more intense in the 100% Iberian Jamón than in a crossbred Jamón. It is an aspect that can be easily seen at first glance both on the cut surface and on the slices removed. Analysis of the slices reveals that the muscles of 100% Iberian Jamón have a higher percentage of the protein that gives the meat and Jamón their red colour, myoglobin.
At first glance it may appear on many occasions that the muscles of Duroc crossbred Jamón have more abundant fat streaks. However, when the intramuscular fat content is analysed, it is significantly higher in the 100% Iberian Jamón.
This apparent contradiction can be explained by the fact that the fat in 100% Iberian Jamón is more structurally disintegrated and more fluid, so it permeates the lean meat and spreads over the surface of the cut.
It is less visible, although it is in greater proportion.
The fat content, both intermuscular and, above all, subcutaneous, is much higher in 100% Iberian Jamón.
Therefore the slices extracted from these Jamón have more fat, which enhances the palatability (quality of a food to be pleasant to the palate).
To enjoy 100% Iberian Jamón, you have to understand this product. Fat is intrinsic to it.
Among the sensory characteristics of 100% Iberian Jamón, the attributes most appreciated by consumers and which have the greatest influence on quality, the aromas, stand out.
In addition, their fat is more fluid, there is more shine on the surface and they have more sustained juiciness. Their higher intramuscular fat content, which is also very aromatic, powerfully stimulates the secretion of saliva, so that within a few seconds of starting to chew, the mouth is filled with a moist sensation.
In addition, one of the most remarkable points is the intensity and persistence of the aroma that remains after swallowing the Jamón. Both aspects are significantly higher in 100% Iberian Jamón.
