Jamón: Difference between revisions

'''''Jamón''''' ({{IPA-es|xaˈmon|lang}}; {{plural form}}: ''jamones'') is a kind of [[Ham#Dry-cured|dry-cured ham]] produced in [[Spain]]. It is one of the most globally recognized food items of [[Spanish cuisine]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/essential-spanish-dishes/index.html|title=14 Spanish dishes everyone should try|first=Jon |last=Yeomans|date=2016-10-04|website=[[CNN Travel]]|language=en|access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/an-introduction-to-spanish-food-and-cooking-3083063|title=What to Know About Cooking Methods and Ingredients in Spanish Cuisine|website=The Spruce Eats|language=en|access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref> It is also regularly a component of [[tapas]].<ref>Casas, P. (1985). Introduction. In Tapas, the little dishes of Spain (xv) [Introduction]. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spanish-tomato-bread-jamon-serrano|title=Spanish tomato bread with jamón Serrano|website=BBC Good Food|language=en|access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref>

''Jamón'' is the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] word for '[[ham]]'.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://dle.rae.es/|title=jamón|last=ASALE|first=RAE-|website=«Diccionario de la lengua española» - Edición del Tricentenario|language=es|access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref> As such, other ham products produced or consumed in [[List of countries and territories where Spanish is an official language|Spanish-speaking countries]] may also be called by this name.

As a product, ''jamón'' is similar to [[Portuguese cuisine|Portuguese]] ''[[presunto]]'' and to [[Italian ''cuisine|Italian]] [[prosciutto]]'', but the production differs by a longer curing phase (up to 18 months), giving a dryer texture, deeper color and stronger flavour.

A whole ''jamón'' leg is considerably cheaper by weight than its sliced counterpart because it includes the bone and non-edible fat. Once the external fat layers are removed and the meat is exposed, the product must be consumed as soon as possible since a progressive drying and deteriorating process starts. This is not an issue for [[restaurateur]]s and [[Retail|retailers]], since they go through product much faster than an individual.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ocu.org/alimentacion/alimentos/informe/jamon-guia-de-compra|title=Cómo elegir el mejor jamón o paleta {{!}} OCU|website=www.ocu.org|language=es-ES|access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref> Home users will typically choose sliced product, be it [[Delicatessen|freshly cut from a deli stand]], [[Food packaging|commercially pre-packaged]] or [[Vacuum packing|vacuum preserved]]. ''Jamón'' is safe to consume as long as the leg is kept in a dry and cool environment and out of direct sunlight, but it must be kept refrigerated once cut away from the leg.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guia-jamon.com/conservacion-del-jamon|title=Conservación del jamón|website=Guía Jamón|language=es|access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elcomidista.elpais.com/elcomidista/2016/07/04/articulo/1467616164_661924.html|title=¿Cuánto dura la comida en la nevera?|date=2016-07-12|website=El Comidista|language=es|access-date=2019-10-30}}</ref>

''Jamón'' may also be [[Smoking (foodcooking)|smoked]] in some regions, where it is used mostly for personal consumption. This form of ham is common in the southern areas of [[Castile and León]] as well as in parts of [[Extremadura]]. Such a ''jamón'' has a harder texture and a smoky-salty flavour.

Though widely available in [[Spain]] (even if on the expensive side) and accessible in some countries of the [[European Union]], [[Tariff|import duties]] and [[Import restrictionsProtectionism|trade or food safety restrictions]] applied to foreign meat products<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-u-s-customs-ham-spain-20150616-story.html|title=US Customs tosses out $100 worth of gourmet ham couple brought back from Spain|date=2015-06-17|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-31}}</ref> in international markets may raise prices substantially while creating scarcity, often making ''jamón'' a prohibitively expensive product for other countries to import.

There are two main commercial labels for ''jamón'', based on the [[List of pig breeds|pig breed]] and [[Geographical indications and traditional specialties inProtected thedesignation Europeanof Unionorigin|protected designations]]:

Since ''jamón ibérico'' production and export is limited, [[BuyerCaveat Bewareemptor|buyer should beware]] and not fall victim of [[bait-and-switch]] or [[Olive oil regulation and adulteration#Investigations, incidents, and recalls|quality fraud similar to that of olive oil]], since it has been estimated that a sizable portion of both local market and exports are not actually ''ibérico''. Spain regulation defines trade labeling for all ''ibérico'' products.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vozpopuli.com/actualidad/sociedad/Jamon_iberico-Miguel_Arias_Canete-Fraudes-Jamon-Etiquetado-Guijuelo-Ministerio_de_Agricultura-Los_Pedroches_0_666533395.html|title=Que no te engañen con el jamón: la nueva ley que regula el ibérico se queda 'coja'|last=Núñez|first=Leticia|date=2014-02-02|website=Vozpópuli|language=es-ES|access-date=2019-10-31}}</ref>

Under the [[Common Agricultural Policy]] of the [[European Union]] (EU), certain well-established meat products, including some local ''jamón'' and ''jamón'' producers, are covered by a [[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union|protected designation of origin]] (PDO) or [[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union#Protected geographical indication (PGI)|protected geographical indication]] (PGI):