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Spanish ham is formidable, but is it free range? Here is all you need to know about free-range ham.

Iberico ham is one of the most exclusive dishes in Spanish gastronomy, thanks to the infinite number of recipes that can be prepared with a small portion of this product. Usually in the United States, Iberian ham is offered at important dinners or wherever you want to show off to your family, friends or collaborators, so we have created an exclusive blog with the best recipes with Iberian ham.

Rice, quinoa, apple and Jamón salad

The requirements of a healthy dish as it provides us with a set of essential nutrients for our body. In addition, the right combination of ingredients will make the taste of the recipe extraordinary.

Ingredients

80 g wild rice

80 g Quinoa

6 Cherry tomatoes

2 apple

6 slices of jamón ibérico 

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Sesame seeds

First of all, cook the wild rice and quinoa. Keep in mind that they require a longer cooking time than normal rice. They are seeds that have a harder time absorbing water. Cook between 35 and 45 minutes, depending on the hardness of the water and the intensity of the fire used.

When ready, let it cool for a few minutes. Cut the apple into cubes. Choose the size to your liking. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add them. If you want to add a touch of sesame seeds, now it is the time. Finally add the jamón slices on top and that's it: easy, healthy, complete and delicious!

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Zucchini with Spanish Jamón/ham and mushrooms

Ideal to prepare it as part of lunch or dinner, or even as a recipe to take to work, its flavor will remain intact and delicious the next day. In just 20 minutes you will have it ready!

Ingredients

14 oz Zucchini

7 oz Mushrooms

4 garlic cloves

1.40 oz Jamón Ibérico

56 British mature cheese

Black pepper and salt to taste

Olive oil

Wash the zucchini and cut them into thin slices with the help of a fruit and vegetable peeler. Cut the garlic into small pieces and remove the seed. Then, cut the mushrooms into slices and put them all together in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil to brown them. When they are ready, add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir the whole mixture over high heat for about 3-4 minutes, before the zucchini begins to release the water. When it is ready, place it in the dish where you are going to serve it and add the shavings of Iberian ham and the mature cheese on top, you will see that the cheese melts a little bit and it is delicious. Enjoy!

Buy the perfect Iberico Ham for this recipe

Mushroom, goat cheese and Jamón ibérico salad

Salads are always a hit and, in addition, they are an ideal dish to take to work or eat anywhere or anytime. A simple recipe to prepare and healthy, in which you can give free rein to your creativity and combine the ingredients you like the most. In this case, as we are in autumn, we are going to propose you to prepare a seasonal salad. We are talking about the salad of mushrooms, goat cheese and Jamón ibérico.

Ingredients

530 g Assorted salad

28 g Jamón de bellota Ibérico Premium

2 Eggs

5 Mushrooms 

2 Slices of goat cheese

A handful of walnuts

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Cheese in Spain is serious business; it’s as good as it gets! Learn more about the country’s cheese repertoire.

Get ready to enjoy the best-tasting ham ever! Learn more about this fantastic product!

Spain has a vibrant cuisine and rich food traditions, every town in the Iberian country seems to have its own traditional dishes and specialties. Interestingly, in a country with such diversity, a food delicacy rises as an ambassador of Spain: Iberico ham.

Iberian ham is a type of Spanish ham, and it is known in Spanish as jamon Iberico. This is one of the most decadent cured meats in Europe, and it is popular with connoisseurs worldwide; let’s find out why. Read on and learn more about Spanish Iberian ham. If you want to try the delicacy, don’t browse for ‘Spanish ham near me; ’ we are suppliers!

Not All Ham Is Created Equal

Every culture worldwide has some cured meat. So, why is Spanish ham unique? The secret is in the country itself and its climate.

Spain is an arid, hilly country, and it is in the highlands where the conditions are right to air-dry ham legs as people have done for centuries. The tradition might go back to Ancient Rome!

A Spanish ham leg is on another level for its historical significance, the quality of the local pigs and the talent of the artisan Spanish ham makers. Iberico ham from Spain is utterly unique.

The Secret Behind Iberian Ham

Making Iberian ham is no easy feat — it’s a lengthy, labor-intensive process, and that’s part of the jamon Iberico ham’s success. For starters, producers can use only meat from selected types of pigs to make Iberico ham — ideally, free-roaming Iberico pigs.

After the pigs are processed, their legs are salt-cured with sea salt one day for every kilo of meat; they are washed and hung to dry.

Hams can spend between 3-9 months hanging before being sent to a cellar, where they can age for up to four years! Only 10% of all ham made in Spain is authentic Iberico ham.

Types of Iberian Ham

Although maturation is critical in determining the type of ham, the most significant difference between expensive Iberico jamon and affordable one has to do with what the pigs eat.

The finest Iberico Ham legs are labeled bellota and are made with ham fed exclusively with acorns. They label ham from pigs that feed on acorns and other feedstuffs as Cebo de Campo, while those that only consume fodder are labeled as Cebo Iberico. The Iberian ham price can vary, but the most expensive varieties are certainly ten times tastier than the least costly hams.

Treat Yourself to Authentic Iberian Ham

Now that you know more about why connoisseurs love Iberico ham, it’s time to treat yourself to the delicacy. Order an Iberico ham leg and call friends for a lovely dinner party. And if you need Iberico ham recipes or ideas about what Iberico ham to buy, explore our site. We’re here to help.

Spanish Iberian ham is larger than life and up there with the most exciting foods worldwide. The best part? Spanish ham is available to everyone, so why not try it? Iberico ham will change the way you see Spanish food forever.

Let's talk about Spanish chorizo and why it is considered the best in the world. Spanish chorizo is one of the best products derived from pork, considered number 1 for its extraordinary quality and a wide variety of sausages. Chorizo is made from the meat of this animal, the pig, using lean meat, pork fat, paprika, salt and other different spices depending on the area and the type of chorizo.

Both the meat and the fat or bacon, once minced, are mixed with paprika, salt and different spices and stuffed into the intestine, although in some types another type of artificial casing is used to stuff it. Subsequently, it is subjected to different procedures for its preservation, which also give rise to different types of chorizo.

Thus, although a similar process is followed in the elaboration of chorizo, there are numerous variants that are used to give a unique touch to each type of chorizo, which is why before choosing the chorizo of your preference, you should know some variants.

White chorizo or Iberian chorizo?
In our previous blogs we have told you a little about the Iberian pig and all its advantages over other pigs - if you still don't know about it I invite you to visit our Blogs section - so it is not surprising that the best chorizo is the one from the Iberian pig, but let's learn more.
Serrano chorizo comes from different types by geographical areas, such as chorizo from Leon, chorizo from Asturias, chorizo from Pamplona with its delicious chistorra from Navarra and other geographical areas. These Spanish chorizos can be found in the form of chorizo de sarta and chorizo de herradura, as is the case of chorizo de revilla.

On the other hand, Iberian chorizo is usually found in the form of chorizo cular or chorizo vela. The main geographical areas with Denomination of Origin where Iberian chorizos are produced are: Guijuelo, Jabugo, Los Pedroches and Extremadura. Depending on the breed of pig, we can find chorizo ibérico de cebo, chorizo ibérico de cebo de campo, chorizo ibérico de bellota and chorizo de pata negra.

Another aspect that will determine the price and quality is the amount of fat added to the Spanish chorizo. It should be taken into account that the more fat added to the chorizo, the lower its selling price, but also its flavor and quality.

Sweet chorizo or spicy chorizo?
The difference between these chorizos lies in the paprika used in the preparation, for example, the sweet chorizo is made with sweet or spicy paprika, while the spicy chorizo is made with sweet and sour or hot paprika, to which ground cayenne is added to increase its spiciness.

Chorizo according to the product's finishing process
There are three categories of chorizo according to the finishing process: fresh chorizo, cured chorizo and smoked chorizo.
Fresh Chorizo is roasted or grilled and after being stuffed, it is simply subjected to an "oreo" process that produces a very soft drying. This Spanish chorizo is made to be eaten cooked, fried, barbecued or added to other stews, as a complement and to add its flavor. This fried chorizo is delicious. The slaughtering of the pig, or matanza del cochino, which is done in some places, results in a chorizo de pueblo, a delicious homemade chorizo.

Cured Chorizo or Chorizo Seco, undergoes a curing process by air-drying for a few months. It is usually consumed raw, without previous cooking, cut in slices, in appetizers, sandwiches, etc. Due to the way it is cured, it can be kept for long periods of time in dry environments and is one of the most appreciated ways of preparing chorizo.

Finally, there is the Smoked Chorizo, or Smoke Cured Chorizo, which consists of subjecting the chorizo, after stuffing, to a curing process with smoke. This type of curing is mainly used in areas where the humidity does not allow air-drying, since this humidity would spoil the chorizo. It also allows long periods of conservation of the finished product.

Curious fact
If you do not eat meat or are in the process of becoming a vegan, we recommend the Vegan Chorizo known as Calabizo.
If you are watching your figure and trying to exclude meat, fats or certain foods from pork from your diet, we recommend turkey chorizo, its flavor and texture is totally different, but it is an incredible option for your diet.

With Christmas just around the corner, we start thinking about how to dress our Christmas tables to make them the best of the night, from its presentation, the memories evoked by the food and the exquisite taste of each bite. And what is the best product to make your Christmas dinner a feast? We have the answer and without a doubt it is a good Iberico ham, this exquisite, perfect and majestic Iberico ham will undoubtedly make your Christmas dinner the topic of conversation for the rest of the year.

But... How can I make majestic dinners with Iberico ham?, well, for the last few years we have been advising our customers on the best Christmas recipes, but this year we want to do something completely different, we want you to be the one to offer the dinner and be in charge of the whole banquet with the help of our Iberico products, the best in the USA! Here are some ideas that will help you delight your loved ones with Iberico Ham.

Salad of Iberico ham, plancheado goat cheese, dates and onion confit

Ingredients (2 portions):
- 1 handful of lettuce
- 4 quality dates
- 1 slice of goat cheese (large)
- 3 slices of tomato, finely chopped
- 50 grs. of thinly sliced Iberico ham.
- Balsamic vinegar
- Apple vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 50 grs. onion confit
- Salt
- Chives

Preparation (15 minutes):
We will need a plating mold, I particularly make the salad in a separate dish and then at serving time I pass it to the serving dish.
Chop the lettuce and put it as a base, then the tomato, and add on top the dressing I have prepared, 3 parts oil, 1 part apple cider vinegar, salt, emulsify and add.
Meanwhile we griddle the cheese, it is very important that the pan or griddle is very hot, we can put the cheese a few minutes in the freezer, only that it is a little browned, this should be done at the time of serving, so that it is warm.
We also sauté in the pan the four chopped dates with a little oil, leaving a piece to put at the end.
Once the cheese is ready, put it on top of the mold, add the dates except a piece of one of them, crown with the onion confit, if I have not had time to make it, they sell it in any supermarket, put the date on top.
Once the salad is on a different plate, we remove the plating ring, and seconds before taking to the table we will have an emulsion of balsamic and oil that we will add with a spoon on top, which will give a good presentation and touch, we finish with a bit of chives.

Zucchini cream with crispy Iberico Ham

For this recipe you will need the ham sliced. In our store you will find sachets of 100% Iberico Bellota Ham of 60gr or 120gr sliced by knife.
The preparation is very simple, you just have to prepare the zucchini cream and put the ham slices in the oven at 180ºC for 15 minutes. When it's time to serve it, break some of the slices into small pieces and leave some whole, you'll be surprised!

Iberico Ham Bites with Arugula and Pine Nuts

One of the greatest pleasures in life is to enjoy the slices of Iberico ham sliced thinly and with total delicacy, accompanied by other ingredients that give it a more delicious and nutritious flavor, so is this dish that will make your dinner entrees one of the best of the whole night.

Ingredients:
- 200 grams of arugula.
- 150 grams of Iberico ham.
- Pine nuts.
- 100 grams of Parmesan cheese slices.
- Modena vinegar.
- Virgin olive oil.
- Soy sauce.
- Black pepper and salt.

Preparation:
We take a frying pan without oil and heat it. Once hot, add the pine nuts, toast them and set them aside to cool.
To make the dressing, take a bowl and add: 2 tablespoons of Modena vinegar, 1 tablespoon of soy and 6 tablespoons of virgin olive oil. We recommend mixing well to emulsify.
In a separate bowl, place the arugula and add part of the vinaigrette we have just made.
We will take a slice of Iberico ham, and on it we will put a little pile of dressed arugula and on top, a few slices of Parmesan. Then just roll it up in such a way that everything is inside the slice of Iberian ham. Repeat this action several times until all the morsels are ready.
Place all the morsels in a serving dish and add a little of the remaining vinaigrette and pine nuts on top.
Zucchini cream with crispy Iberico Ham
For this recipe you will need the ham sliced. In our store you will find sachets of 100% Iberico Bellota Ham of 60gr or 120gr sliced by knife.
The preparation is very simple, you just have to prepare the zucchini cream and put the ham slices in the oven at 180ºC for 15 minutes. When it's time to serve it, break some of the slices into small pieces and leave some whole, you'll be surprised!

If you liked our recipes, do not forget to leave us your comments and enjoy all the products we have available in our store.

Jamón ibérico, Spain’s iconic ham, is one of the great world foods. At its best, it comes as translucent ruby-purple slivers, so thinly sliced you can see through it to the inscription on the knife.

The thin edge of creamy fat melts on the tongue, mingling with the complex, nutty flavour of the pork: a perfect bite of rich, luscious umami. Spain produces more than 40 million hams a year but while there are some perfectly acceptable jamón serrano, made from white pigs, the ibérico is the real stuff.

Below we show you the best brands, which you find exclusively in our Barceloneta market store. 

FERMIN

Proud to be the first Iberico brand to arrive in the US.

We produce and import the largest number of Ibérico dry cured products in the market. For the past 60 years, Fermin has been producing the highest quality of Iberico in La Sierra de Francia, more than 1.000 meters in elevation in the heart of a National Park declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

CINCO JOTAS LUXURY

Cinco Jotas has been carrying out this process since 1879, 141 years, in search of excellence in taste. It arose from the idea of Juan Rafael Sánchez Romero, to open the first slaughterhouse of pure Iberian Jabugo pig (when they say pure indicates that there is no crossbreeding in the genetics of the animals.

COVAP

At COVAP "They are farmers". With all that this means: they have their own herd of 100% Iberian Breed pigs, registered in the herd book.

Their authenticity, free-range breeding in our pastures (for approximately two years, enjoying 10,000 square meters per animal) and their feed, makes each of their Iberian products a unique piece.

In the United States, the holiday meal is all about bringing people together and giving thanks for all that has been gained throughout the year, for love and for overcoming all the challenges of the past together, and one of the best ways to do this is by offering a dinner with the best taste of Spain. From appetizers to side dishes to desserts, be sure to include some of our recipes in your Thanksgiving dinner!

Spanish pumpkin soup
In cold weather in Spain there is no better dinner than a cozy cup or bowl of pureed vegetable soup, this being one of the best Spanish Thanksgiving recipes. This cream of pumpkin soup is the ultimate comfort food and one of the best appetizers for your dinner. That's all, let's get started with our recipe, it's simple and practical for your home.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the salt and onion and sauté for 5 minutes, lowering the heat if it starts to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the spices - smoked paprika, paprika, cumin and cayenne - and sauté for 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken stock and stir the soup well. Then add the sherry, apple, pumpkin and roasted red peppers. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the squash is very soft and falling apart. While the soup is cooking, sauté the pancetta slices in a skillet until golden brown and crispy. Set aside. Puree the soup until smooth, either with a hand blender or in batches in a countertop blender. Add the cream and heat the soup until it begins to bubble. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Serve the soup with the crispy bacon and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates With Goat Cheese
Bacon-wrapped dates are delightful—but have you ever had one that was stuffed with goat cheese? Trust us, once you’ve tried it, you’ll never turn back. The combination of sweet, salty, and creamy is satisfying yet simple.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice a small slot into the side of each date and stuff the inside with goat cheese. Wrap each date with half a slice of iberico ham and poke a toothpick through. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes. Flip dates over and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes. Serve warm.

An exquisite sangria in the best Spanish style.
The best thing about sangria is that it is very easy to prepare, you can customize it with the best spices and turn it into an unforgettable experience, also, as a curious fact it is important to note that being a unique drink, in Spain it is not usually ordered in a bar or restaurant, on the contrary, most Spaniards drink it at home with their friends and family for special occasions.
Our American-style sangria recipe includes fruit (apple, pear, pear, orange and grapes), red wine (you can find some of our options in the Wines section) and a Kas Limón soft drink (also available in our store). Now, with all the ingredients ready, the first thing to do is to wash and cut the fruit into small pieces, removing the seeds and skin when necessary. Use a wide-mouthed pitcher with a capacity of more than a liter or a large bowl. Add the sugar and orange and crush with the help of a pestle and mortar. Then add the wine and stir well with a wooden spoon, trying to dissolve all the sugar. Then add the orange juice, lemon juice, brandy and the rest of the chopped fruit. The brandy is optional and you can substitute it with Licor 43 or Cointreau.

As you know, Iberian ham is a cured ham, which means that it undergoes an artisan process to offer the exquisite flavor of the product, which is one of the reasons why it is much more expensive than traditional ham. The question is, is it worth choosing Iberian ham because of its high cost? Well, here are some of the other reasons why Iberian ham costs what it does.

The production of Iberian ham is an art form.

The Iberian ham comes from a small black pig, which grows in pastures where it is fed freely on acorns in an extensive livestock, allowing them to grow free of artificial products that damage or alter the original flavor of the ham, which makes it an organic ham and an ambassador of Spanish food, its flavor is exquisite and you can enjoy each cut of ham as an experience on your palate. Delicious!

The taste of Iberian ham is a delight!

Without a doubt, the flavor of Iberian ham is incomparable to that of traditional ham, not only because its presentation is more beautiful and fine, but also because the whole process to obtain this ham is an art. There is no doubt that the best things in life require that you invest a little more than usual, the same goes for food, I think that both you and I would not eat a food that is in poor condition or would not attend a restaurant that has a bad rating for using low quality products in their food, am I right?

At the end of the day, the most important thing at a dinner with friends, a meeting with your bosses at work or a special evening, is that the whole presentation of the dish is spectacular and Iberian ham does provide a sense of luxury. Gourmet ham is an art, the producers of this Iberian ham must love what they do, because from the breeding of the pigs to the curing and the last piece of ham, it requires dedication, effort and love.

The whole Iberian ham experience from the comfort of your home.

Getting an Iberian ham to take home was once almost impossible, but now it is available from online stores dedicated to the delicacy or Spanish food products, for example, Barceloneta Market.

Everyone involved in the Iberico trade is committed to the quality of the product and the idea of providing the best Spanish flavors, so you know that bringing the Spanish flavor to the United States is a tedious process and requires certificates and proof that it is a pig raised in the Spanish pastures.

A treat now and then is not a bad thing.

Yes, as you may already know, Iberian ham is more expensive than ham.

Splurge a little, it deserves it.

Yes, Iberian ham is more expensive than most hams, but it also tastes a hundred times better. We are talking about an artisanal product with centuries of tradition, and that is priceless.

Like other gourmet products, such as champagne or caviar, Iberian ham is a delight to commemorate special occasions. Cutting a leg of ham is a special occasion in itself. So, splurge a little and treat yourself. You deserve it, and your taste buds will thank you too. Share Iberian ham with your loved ones and make it part of your life.

You bought the best Iberico ham in Spain and are wondering what delicious recipes there are for tasting my ham, well, here are 3 of the best ham recipes for a spectacular dinner.

Among the best Iberian products, we recommend the pata negra, ideal for Thanksgiving dinner or for a business banquet, it is one of the best flavors you can offer during a dinner, not only for its good taste, but also for the elegance of the presentation on the plate, remember, the thinner the slice, the better.

These are some of our best ideas for your dinner with Iberian ham:

Exquisite breakfasts with eggs and Iberico ham.

That's right, the best time of the day to enjoy your ham is any time of the day, but there is nothing better than starting the day with some exquisite eggs accompanied by small pieces of Iberian ham.

The ideal breakfast is the classic tortilla de patatas, which contains thin slices of fried potatoes with Spanish olive oil, scrambled eggs with cheese and a few pieces of Iberico ham, cook all these ingredients together and enjoy a Spanish-style breakfast.

Artichokes, roasted tomato and Iberico ham.

A unique dish that packs tons of flavor and makes it a crowd pleaser is the ham with artichokes and tomato that you can prepare at home. Ideally, start by cutting pear tomatoes in half and add salt and pepper, place them on a baking sheet and roast over low heat for approximately 3 hours at 140°c. After they are roasted, in a bowl gently mix the roasted tomatoes, artichokes, olives and parsley with a little olive oil, and on a plate place a couple of slices of Iberico ham, add the mixture from the bowl on top of the ham slices. You can serve with crusty bread.

Iberico Ham Empanadas

Empanadas de jamón ibérico are an excellent starter for any dinner, they are a puff pastry bite that can be filled with any ingredient, including Iberian ham. You can buy the empanada sheets, prepare the dough to your liking or buy the dough that comes completely ready for a more practical preparation, fill them with your favorite ingredients, don't forget the ham if you want to surprise your guests, and finally fry them until they are crispy. What a delight!!!

Don't think we forgot about business dinners, here are our best ideas.

One of the most stressful moments at work is the dinner, since everything has to be perfect and make a great impression on bosses, employees and guests, we are sure that there is nothing like Iberian ham for these occasions.

In case you didn't know, Iberico ham has different levels of quality, so if you want to offer the best corporate dinner, opt for Ibérico de Bellota, made from pigs fed in the best pastures in Spain. On the other hand, pata negra is also an excellent delicacy, its flavor is unmatched and it is so exquisite that everyone will want to repeat the experience.

So far our ideas to provide a dream dinner, if you have any other spectacular recipe, do not forget to leave us your comment and share with our viewers your best recipes.