Iberian jamón (ham) is, for many foreigners, one of the maximum ambassadors of Spanish cuisine. Its international fame grows year after year, and when asked someone from outside Spain what the most iconic foods in the country, this manjar is almost never out of the list. Now, an article published in the British newspaper The Times, quoted by the Spanish digital newspaper HuffPost, has reinforced this reputation by highlighting the ham five jackets of Jabug as the best jamón in the world.
British look at a Spanish product
Journalist Rachel Speed has moved to Jabug in Huelva, less than 1 hour from the Algarve, to visit the five-jot-close cuers and closely witness the handmade process that goes on up to three years. Later, he also went through Seville, where he tasted the product in some of the city’s restaurants.
In its article, it describes “thousands and thousands of jamones shining in the goats, greased with oil to protect meat during natural and stacked ripening from the floor to the ceiling.”
A work of detail and patience
In the same text, the British reporter underlines the extreme care placed at each stage of production. Daily inspection of the curator masters includes controlling air flow, moisture and temperature, and carefully rotates the parts to ensure uniform maturation.
This attention to detail is, according to Rachel Speed, cited by the same source, the secret of excellence that distinguishes the five jotas.
Liberty animals
The article also emphasizes the importance of the creation of Iberian pigs. These grow for two years in “Created in Deheses, large mounted on jams and penimal oaks of the Iberian Peninsula”, where they feed on acorns and live in freedom.
Each animal has detailed registration of ancestry and growth, data that can be consulted through the barcode present in Jamón’s Black Pala.
Singular professions in the production chain
One of the highlighted curiosities is the existence of the so -called olfateo Jefe, an expert whose function consists of drilling the jamón at four distinct points and evaluating the aroma to confirm that the part is ready for consumption.
Only after this approval does the product go to customers, ensuring maximum quality in each unit, according to the.
A unique experience of flavor
In his final appreciation, Rachel Speed describes the meat of this ham, considered the best in the world, such as “maintained and tasty, with a precious vete and a tender fat that melts on the fingers.” Words that reinforce the idea that five jotas is not just a food, but a symbol of Spanish gastronomic identity.
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