Jamón (jah-MOH-n) is dried ham from Spain made from Spanish Iberico pigs raised on acorn-rich pastures high above sea level on Spain's southwestern peninsula bordering Portugal in Andalusia near Málaga town where they are cured using traditional methods which takes about one year after they have been shorn . This process results in meat that's milder in taste than that found on American ham but with enough fat that helps absorb extra flavors when cooked well done when cured properly . This gives it its unique smoky flavor which gives it an unmistakable "nutty" taste which is hardwired into jamon . The name jamón (jam-OH-n) derives from jamade , meaning "to cure" or "to dry" in Latin . The Spanish term jamon comes from Latin jamus , meaning "slimy".