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Pam drylng cellars

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uo you know whaL a ham drylng cellar ls? robably non-exlsLenL ln Lhe uk, ham drylng cellars
are a common lndusLry ln Spaln, as Lhey are where Lhe sLar producL ln Spanlsh gasLronomy,
100 lberlco belloLa ham, ls produced.
Maybe we should say cured" as mosL lberlco ham buslnesses ouLsource Lhe flrsL sLeps of Lhe
process (salLlng and posL-salLlng) and only recelve Lhe ham ln Lhelr own premlses, ln order Lo
proceed wlLh Lhe curlng of Lhe producL. Cnly Lhe blggesL companles lnclude ln Lhelr own
facLorles, slaughLer faclllLles and salLlng rooms. Lven more so, when we're Lalklng abouL 100
lberlco belloLa ham, as Lhe slaughLer of Lhe plgs, ln order Lo be consldered belloLa" quallLy,
can only Lake place durlng a cerLaln perlod (uecember Lo end of March usually).
1he LradlLlonal ham drylng cellar ls usually dlvlded ln Lhree maln areas: Lop drylng rooms,
expedlLlon area and underground cellar.
1he drylng or curlng of Lhe hams ls Lhe longesL phase ln 100 lberlco belloLa ham producLlon:
salLlng and posL-salLlng Lake place over a perlod of nearly Lhree monLhs, whlle Lhe curlng
process Lakes more Lhan Lhree years. Cf course Lhe salLlng ls essenLlal, as a correcL calculaLlon
on Lhe proporLlon of salL and Lhe Llme LhaL Lhe ham ls covered ln lL, wlll ensure LhaL Lhe flavor
of Lhe ham has [usL Lhe perfecL salLlness ln lL, no more no less. 8uL lL wlll be Lhe long years
spenL ln Lhe ham drylng cellars when Lhe Lrue flavor and aroma of Lhe besL 100 lberlco
belloLa ham wlll really come ouL.
1he quallLy of a ham drylng cellar depends a loL on lLs locaLlon, as lf worked LradlLlonally, Lhe
drylng of Lhe hams wlll requlre of a cerLaln mlcrocllmaLe LhaL we only flnd ln cerLaln areas of
Lhe counLry. 1he maln ham produclng zones ln Spaln are !abugo (Puelva), Cul[uelo (Salamanca)
and maybe less well known, buL also very good, Slerra de los edroches" (Cordoba) and
LxLremadura. Many ham drylng cellars are now open Lo Lhe publlc for vlslLlng and Lhey usually
have a shop, lf you wanL Lo Lake back a llLLle blL of Lhe besL lberlco belloLa LasLe.
1he baslcs of Lhe drylng process are qulLe sLandard ln all Lhe areas menLloned above, buL Lhere
are cerLaln subLle dlfferences LhaL wlll be sure Lo lnfluence Lhe flnal flavor of Lhe hams. 1he
dlfferenL cllmaLology affecLs Lhe Llmes and Lhe order of Lhe process, l.e. lL ls common ln Lhe
Salamanca area Lo begln Lhe process ln Lhe underground or cool cellar and Lhen conLlnue ln
Lhe warmer Lop cellars, whlle ln !abugo lL ls done Lhe oLher way round lnlLlally. Powever ln all
cases Lhe flnal year of Lhe hams ls spenL agaln ln Lhe cooler and darker, usually underground
cellars.
1he dlfferenL cllmaLology can also affecL Lhe flnal LasLe of Lhe hams, alLhough you would
probably have Lo be qulLe an experL Lo appreclaLe lL. 1he Salamanca area (Cul[uelo) ls much
cooler Lhan Lhe !abugo area, whlch deLermlnes LhaL Lhe hams ln !abugo sweaL more profusely
and Lhe flavor and aroma concenLraLe more ln Lhe meaL. !abugo ham ls Lherefore probably a
llLLle blL salLler and Lhe LasLe ls sLronger Lhan LhaL of Cul[uelo hams, whlch Lend Lo be a llLLle blL
sweeLer.
1he second facLor LhaL can also lnfluence Lhe LasLe of 100 lberlco belloLa ham ls Lhe dlfferenL
mosses LhaL grow on Lhelr skln durlng Lhe curlng process. 1he Lypes of moss vary dependlng on
Lhe cllmaLe of Lhe area and also on Lhe humldlLy and LemperaLure of each season. So
someLlmes even ln Lhe same drylng cellar, cerLaln areas ln Lhe room can have sllghL varlaLlons
ln Lhelr humldlLy, whlch ls why Lhe hams are moved around ln Lhe cellar along Lhe curlng
process Lo obLaln Lhe besL conslsLency ln Lhelr curlng.
100 lberlco belloLa ham ls really a unlque producL, and only produced ln Spaln, so lf you flnd
yourself ln one of Lhe areas LhaL we menLlon, speclally ln !abugo or Cul[uelo, don'L rule ouL a
vlslL Lo a ham drylng cellar, lL makes a very lnLeresLlng Lrlp, and of course very LasLy!
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