The Spanish ham type Serrano Ham
Serrano ham is probably one of the best known and most popular types of white ham in Spain and the rest of the world.
Sierra means “mature in high altitude” in Spanish.
The Serrano ham is a product obtained from white breed pigs: Landrace, Pietrain, Durok and Large white.
These hams are produced from pigs that are intensively fed with high-quality pig feed and grain.
Serrano ham is a certified GTS product (Guaranteed Traditional Specialty, in Spanish ETG). This is a European quality seal that guarantees that the product meets a number of requirements. This ham has been aged for at least 7 months.
Categories within the serrano ham:
- Bodega or Cava; Aged for 9 months.
- Reserva or Añejo: aged for 12 months.
- Gran Reserva: Aged for 15 months.
Another type of white ham is the “Jamón Curado”. The hams under this name are matured for less than 7 months and have no quality indication and no GTS.