If any one product could be singled out to represent the essence of Spanish gastronomy, it might well be cured ham, the noblest of pork products. Anyone coming to Spain for the first time will immediately be impressed by the omnipresence of ham, not only in practically all food stores but also in the subconscious of Spaniards, where it takes on an almost mythical nature. In the opinion of many, Spain tastes of ham. Serrano ham is made in every region of Spain, and Spain is the world's second producer of cured ham. The tradition is to hang hams in cold mountain air to cure them. Spain produces an extensive catalogue of charcuterie delicacies. There is not a single region or district in Spain without its own, ancestral recipes and sausage-making traditions. Geography, history and tradition combine in Spain to produce an extensive catalogue of these delicacies which, alongside Ibérico pork, are some of the most characteristic foods in Spain.
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Iberian Ham is undoubtedly Spain's leading gourmet product and is one of the main contributions made by Spanish culinary culture to the world's gastronomic heritage. Spanish Jamón Ibérico, also called "pata negra", is a type of cured ham and is prized both for its smooth texture and rich savory taste. A good ibérico ham has regular flecks of intramuscular fat. Because of the pig's diet of acorns, much of the ham's is oleic acid, wich is very healthy. Anyone coming to Spain for the first time will immediately be impressed by the omnipresence of ham, not only in practically all food stores and catering establishments but also in the subconscious of Spaniards, where it takes on an almost mythical nature. In the opinion of many, Spain tastes of ham.
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Spanish Sausages. Charcuterie here refers to the sausage-like products in which different mixtures of minced meat, usually pork, are encased in a cylindrical skin then cured or cooked so that they can be kept for a long time. Geography, history and tradition combine in Spain to produce an extensive catalogue of these delicacies which, alongside Ibérico pork, are some of the most characteristic foods in the Spanish larder. A great variety of products are made from the succulent, aromatic meat of Ibérico hams, shoulders, and a range of cured charcuterie products, using recipes that are often hundreds of years old. The lomo, or loin sausage, is the most highly-appreciated. The meat is first seasoned with salt, pimentón (a Spanish type of paprika), oregano, garlic and other spices then is left to hang in drying chambers for three or four months. Iberico chorizo is also flavored with pimentón but is made of minced lean and fatty meat. Minced Iberico meat is also used to make salchichón which is seasoned, not with pimentón, but with garlic and pepper.
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