Jamón Serrano
Made from white-breed pigs and cured in the mountains (sierra). Clean, savoury and approachable — a wonderful crowd-pleaser across a large guest list.
What is Jamón Ibérico?
The story behind the world’s most prized ham — from the Iberian pig to your plate.
The basics
Spain’s most prized ham
Jamón Ibérico is a cured ham made from the Iberian pig (cerdo ibérico), a breed native to the Iberian Peninsula. It's celebrated worldwide for its deep, nutty flavour and a fat that quite literally melts at room temperature.
Unlike mass-produced hams, true Ibérico is the product of generations of tradition — the breed, the land, the diet and a long, patient cure.
The Iberian pig
The Iberian pig roams the dehesa — vast oak woodlands of western Spain. Free to move and forage, the breed develops the intramuscular marbling that gives Ibérico its signature texture and flavour.
Bellota feeding
The finest grade, Bellota, comes from pigs fattened during the montanera season on a diet of acorns (bellotas) and grasses. The acorns are rich in oleic acid — the same healthy fat found in olive oil — which is why top Ibérico is often described as buttery and almost sweet.
The curing process
After salting, the legs are cured slowly in natural cellars where temperature and humidity shift with the seasons. The best Ibérico hams age for two to four years, developing complexity, aroma and that melt-on-the-tongue finish. It's a craft measured in years, not days.
Know your ham
Serrano vs. Ibérico
Jamón Ibérico
From the Iberian breed, often acorn-fed (Bellota) and cured for years. Nuttier, richer and more complex, with fat that melts on the tongue.
In short: Serrano is the classic everyday ham; Ibérico is the prized, special-occasion ham — and both are carved beautifully live at your event.