Jamon Serrano is a Spanish term that translates into “ham from the sierra, or mountains.” It refers to a delicious dry-cured ham that originated in SpainIt is generally sliced thin or diced and served cold.
The Jamon Serrano production process includes salting, resting, and dry curing. During the first step, the fresh ham is covered in sea salt. This salt remains on the ham for approximately 20 hours to two days per kilo of ham. During the resting stage of production, the ham is rinsed, causing the salt to diffuse through the meat, slowly equalizing throughout. This step is followed by dry curing the ham. The meat is hung in a space that portrays each changing season, such as cold, moist air and dry heat. This leads to the melting away of fat and the occurrence of chemical changes, resulting in a perfectly cured ham. Jamon Serrano is more intense, and salt-forward, in contrast to Proscuitto di Parma’s friendlier, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth style.