• Italian
• French
• German
• Belgian
Varieties
Cured ham is one of the most typical products of southwest Europe (especially in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy), although it is now beginning to appear in other continents. Most of the production is concentrated in a very specific area; however, the production process and raw material are so different that the end product has very few similarities.
Worldwide Hams
Presentation
Regardless of the manner wherein the Serrano Ham is presented or marketed, the same is always based on controlled pieces, complying with the food safety and hygiene measures and quality controls established in accordance with the law in force.
Serrano Ham is usually packaged in the following manners:
By pieces:
• With the hoof: it is packaged with the complete bony piece (including the hoof)
• Without the hoof: the piece is packaged without the most distal part of the extremity.
Both packaging may likewise be sub-classified into:
• With V cut: the ham has been bevelled into a “V” shape cutting off the skin that covers the ham.
• With skin or round: during the entire process the complete skin is kept. This type of packaging is the most typical of some mountain areas.
As centre:
The hams are boned once the production process and curing has finalised. In some cases the product is trimmed eliminating all or part of the skin.
As portions or slices:
The ham, once it has been boned goes through a handling process in the production centre; there the specific cuts are made according to the required sizes:
• Half Hams
• Pieces of Ham
• Cubes/Little cubes
• Slices