Jamón and Beyond! 11 Spanish Cured Meats We're Kind of Obsessed With - An Insider's Spain Travel Blog & Spain Food Blog! An Insider's Spain Travel Blog & Spain Food Blog! You are here: Home / Food / Jamón and Beyond! 11 Spanish Cured Meats We’re Kind of Obsessed With Jamón and Beyond! 11 Spanish Cured Meats We’re Kind of Obsessed With July 5, 2015 Amy Bingham 13 Comments An expert ham slicer at work in Madrid’s Mercado San Miguel. Ham legs hanging from restaurant rafters. Sausage links lining the walls behind bar counters. Countertops clustered with precisely sliced hind quarters. At traditional Spanish bars and restaurants there’s no doubt that cured meats reign supreme. Whether it’s the heavenly jamón iberico de bellota or the spicy punch of chorizo, it is unthinkable to spend time in Spain without sampling Spanish cured meats. And while ham and chorizo tend to get all the glory (and for good reason), there are dozens of other cured delights to tickle your tastebuds. Each region in Spain has very distinct styles of spicing and curing meats.

Some rely on hot smoky paprika, while others opt for the herby combination of rosemary and garlic. The vast majority of Spain’s cured meats are made from pork, although beef shares a bit of the spotlight in a few of the northern regions. Whichever region you’re in, you’ll be sure to find a bounty of Spanish cured meats to try. Here are eleven of our favorites! 1. Jamón Cured Spanish ham is the irrefutable king of Spanish cured meats. But not all hams are created equally. The main difference? The breed of pig. Though Spain is home to many different breeds of pigs , we generally refer to two main types of jamón: jamón serrano and jamón ibérico. The pigs used for jamón serrano, are usually common white hoofed breeds (like Duroc). The pride and joy of Spanish hams are the legs with black hooves, from the Iberian Black Pig breed , native to Spain and Portugal. And the best of the best? Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. Acorn fed Iberian Black Pig. Worth every penny! Delicious Iberian acorn fed ham from Huelva.

The price and quality of jamón varies enormously, from 8€ per kilo to more than 200€. That disparity stems from how the pigs were raised. The highest quality hams are made from pure-bred Iberian pigs who spend their lives feasting on wild acorns beneath the forests of southwestern Spain. 2. Chorizo While the thickness, hardness and spiciness of chorizo varies greatly from region to region, the basics are always the same: semi-fatty pork, a healthy dose of smoked paprika and salt. Spanish chorizo: a perfect snack! Chorizo from León is spicy. Chorizo from Asturias is often seared in local cider. Chorizo from Cantabria often has oregano and thyme. And chorizo from Salamanca is often made from the high-quality Iberian pigs. All are worth a taste! 3. Salchichón Similar to chorizo, salchichón is made from ground or finely sliced pork and slowly cured with salt and often smoke. The difference is in the spices. While chorizo is red from the paprika, salchichón is usually a light pink spotted with black pepper.

Both have salt and often garlic added in as well. 4. Lomo This cured pork tenderloin is left whole and virtually untouched in the curing process. Besides a sprinkling of salt and paprika around the exterior, lomo retains the pure smooth flavors of the pork. These paper thin slices of lomo just melt in your mouth! As like jamón, there are two types of lomo, the regular lomo embuchado and the higher quality lomo embuchado ibérico or caña de lomo ibérico de bellota. The latter is recognizable by the beautiful marbling of the Iberian meat. 5. Sobrassada Who would’ve thought that paprika-spiced spreadable pork could pair so superbly with honey? The Balearic Island of Mallorca has made these odd bedfellows a beloved specialty throughout Spain. Savory Mallorcan sobrassada. Sobrassada is made by finely grinding pork from the black Mallorcan pig breed, stuffing it into a wide strip of intestine and slowly curing it with a bit of salt, local Mallorcan paprika and other spices.

The result is a spreadable spiced sort of pork paté that is often spread over toasted bread and drizzled with honey. The sobrassada from Mallorca is so popular that the island sells more than 2.3 million kilos of it per year! 6. Morcilla Spanish blood sausage, or morcilla, is a very different beast depending on which part of Spain you find yourself. The most popular morcilla comes from the town of Burgos where the pork blood is mixed with rice, red pepper, salt and onion and put into casings. Medallions of morcilla de Burgos are then pan fried to create a crispy edge and creamy interior. Burgos style morcilla. Yum! In León, on the other hand, morcilla is even stronger. The coagulated blood is stewed with onions and other spices and served in a pot or on a dish. Morcilla de León is typically spread onto bread. 7. Cecina Cecina is beef’s answer to Spanish ham. Most common in León, cecina is made by curing a cow’s hind quarter for upwards of 7 months.

The result is a deep burgundy cured meat that is cut in thin strips and served with a light drizzle of olive oil. The flavor is deep and rich and heartier than its pork counterpart. In León you can also find cecina de caballo/potro (cured horse), so make sure to specify! Smoky cecina de León. 8. Botifarra This typically white sausage is popular in the northeastern province of Catalonia. It is often served boiled, grilled or lightly cured and sliced. While botifarra comes in many different styles, the most widely recognized version is the white botifarra (botifarra blanca). In contrast to most other Spanish cured meats, white botifarra gets its pale color because it does not contain any blood. Delicious cured botifarra sausage. 9. Chistorra Chistorra are like mini-chorizos. These little paprika-spiced sausages are most commonly found fried atop sunny-side up eggs and a bed of fried potatoes in a dish called huevos rotos. A heaping plate of Spanish chistorra. 10. Fuet You can spot fuet by the thin layer of white mold that surrounds its casing.

This hard sausage from Catalonia has a characteristically strong pork flavor with black pepper and garlic. Delicious fuet. 11. Botillo Botillo, with its odd, lumpy, red shape, may look weird but it tastes amazing. Its said that all the little pieces of pork that the butcher doesn’t know what to do with, he stuffs them into a thick sack of intestine with a heap of paprika, salt and garlic to make botillo. Botillo (photo by Javier Lastras on Flickr CC) That unusual sack of meat is then boiled and sliced open to reveal a cornucopia of ribs, tail and other spiced goodies. Botillo comes from the Bierzo region of Castilla y Leon province. Tempted yet? What is your favorite cured meat from Spain? Recipes using Spanish cured meats About Spanish Jamon Iberico - The Finest Ham in the World About Jamón Ibérico The Finest Ham in the World The story of Jamón Ibérico ham is steeped in mystery and romance.

The ancient oak pastures of Spain, the noble black Ibérico pig, the mountain air which caresses each ham as it magically is transformed into one of the world's most exquisite foods - all play a part in this uniquely Spanish phenomenon. Without each ingredient the recipe is disturbed. Greatness can only be achieved with patience, skill and adherence to traditional methods. The Pig The origin of the Ibérico pig goes back millennia, even to the time of the cavemen who decorated the caves of Spain with their art. These are the original swine of Spain, tamed over the centuries. Only in the last couple of hundred years have the pink pigs of our imagination invaded their territory. The Ibérico hog is big, with slender legs and a very long snout. Ibérico pigs are black, with very little hair. They have black hooves as well, which is the source of the phrase “pata negra” which describes the black hoof that remains on the ham throughout the curing process and distinguishes it from a Serrano ham. They are also much fatter animals with veins of fat running through the muscle of the pig.

This, along with the large amount of fat layering each ham, allows the Ibérico hams to be cured much longer, resulting in a much more complex, intense flavor, with a note of sweetness that is unparalleled. Here we must make a very important point – not all Ibérico pigs win the Jamón Ibérico lottery and live free in the Spanish countryside. Most Jamón Ibérico is made from Ibérico pigs who live normal pig lives eating corn and other feed. It is still an excellent ham, benefiting from the noble lineage of the Ibérico pig. But for the ultimate ham, you must add 'bellota', or acorns. As an indication of the difference, Jamón Ibérico de Bellota can cost twice as much as a normal Ibérico ham. So note well the difference between the two main types of Ibérico ham: there is Jamón Ibérico , and then there is Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, or acorn fed. If they are lucky enough to be destined for Bellota status, the Ibérico pigs finish their lives on the dehesa (more on this later), in small family clans, until their day of “sacrifice” arrives.

The favorite pastime of Ibérico hogs is rooting around the pastures in the dehesa, foraging for acorns as well as herbs and grasses. All this running around feasting, especially during the acorn season, does more than make for a well rounded, happy pig. It makes for exquisitely marbled raw material, packed with natural antioxidants – a key ingredient for extended curing of the ham. The Dehesa and the Acorn Which brings us to the humble acorn, known as the 'bellota'. Many centuries ago, the rulers of western Spain decreed that each town and village should maintain pastures studded with oak trees, called the dehesa, for the long term stability of the region. This forest/pasture continues to serve many purposes. The holm and cork oaks provided firewood for the people, shade for the plants and livestock, cork products, and acorns (bellota) during fall and winter. During the spring and summer cattle and sheep graze the fields. During the fall and winter, when the acorns are falling from the trees, the pigs are released to fatten up. This ancient human-maintained ecosystem survives intact to this day.

An aside: with the construction boom in modern Spain there has been pressure on the owners of the dehesa to convert it into real estate for homes and apartments. The renaissance of the Ibérico ham, which began less than thirty years ago, is a major ingredient in preserving this jewel of Spain for future generations. Ibérico pigs love acorns. They really love acorns. Each pig can eat ten kilos of acorns a day. When the pigs destined to be Bellota hams are released onto the dehesa at the age of about 10 months they weigh in at about 200 pounds each. The once svelte young pigs become gleeful plump pigs, gaining up to 2 pounds of fat each day. After 3 to 4 months of the period known as the ‘montanera’ each pig roughly doubles its weight. In the winter, once they have reached a certain weight, their time has arrived for the ‘sacrifice’ (Both male and female pigs participate in the montanera.

All are neutered and spayed; the males to protect the quality of their meat, and the females to protect them from the attentions of wild boars from the mountains.) The Curing Process The 'matanza', or sacrifice, has traditionally been a family affair. A pig would be slaughtered and the whole family would gather to preserve the meat for the rest of the year. Chorizo, salchichón and morcilla sausages would be made on the spot. Choice cuts would be set aside to be eaten fresh. And the fatty legs would be packed in sea salt and hung to dry in the cool winter air. This process still continues in some towns as it has for thousands of years. Over the last century, family factories have begun curing these hams in large quantities using the same methods. The hams are left to absorb the salt for a few weeks. Then they are hung in factories that still have open windows to allow the mountain air to circulate around the hams. Ibérico hams usually about two years, Jamón Ibérico de Bellota hams for longer periods.

This extraordinarily long curing process is possible because of the huge amount of fat on each ham and, in the case of the Bellota hams, the antioxidant quality of their diets. Over the curing period they loose nearly half their weight as the fat drips away. An incredible transformation occurs as the winter moves to spring and summer. The salted ham starts to sweat. Because of the salt, bacteria cannot take hold, but massive chemical changes occur. The meat becomes dryer, and cools off as the second winter commences. The special aspect of Ibérico is that it can go through this cycle two or three times. The result is a build up of complex, volatile molecules in the ham that transform it from a piece of pork into an orchestra of flavors. With the Bellota hams, the most miraculous transformation is of the fats. Through this period of heating and cooling, salting and drying, the fats are broken down. Because of the antioxidants in the acorns and the unique curing process, the saturated fats are changed into healthy mono-unsaturated fats high in oleic acid. The only fat higher in oleic acid is olive oil. The Ham The ultimate result is long, thin leg of ham with a deep golden hue to its fat.

The meat is dark red, marbled with veins of fat. We had an incredible experience in the city of Caceres. There Pedro Lancho, the owner of Encinar de Cabazón, served us a feast fit for a king. The highlight was when the professional waiter at his favorite restaurant brought out plates of his Gran Reserva Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. It was served in paper thin slices on a plate that was warmed to about 80 degrees. At that temperature the fat literally melted onto the plate. On first bite, the flavor of the ham was incredible. Sweet, nutty, and not too salty. Then the complexity of ham flavors increased. An essential part of the flavor and mouth-feel was the way the fat melted away, releasing flavors that told the story of the noble Ibérico swine, of the dehesa forest pasture, of the years of careful curing, and of the countryside of Spain itself. Jamón Iberico and Jamón Serrano are two famous Spanish hams Spanish Hams Jamón Iberico and Jamón Serrano are two famous Spanish hams (jamón means ham in Spanish).

Iberico ham (Jamón Iberico), also called “pata negra”, is a type of cured ham produced only in Spain. It is at least 75% black Iberian pig, also called the cerdo negro (black pig). According to Spain’s Denominación de Origen rules on food products jamón ibérico may be made from cross-bred pigs as long as they are at least 75% ibérico. The pigs are allowed to roam in the pasture and oak groves to feed naturally on grass, herbs, acorns, and roots, until the slaughtering time approaches. At that point the diet may be strictly limited to acorns for the best quality jamón ibérico, or may be a mix of acorns and commercial feed for lesser qualities. Meat from those pigs exhibits a large amount of marbling which guarantees ham of the highest quality. Not surprisingly, Iberico hams are the most expensive hams in the world. Pigs are slaughtered at the age 8-9 months, having the weight of 150-170 kg (330-374 lbs.).

Salt is added at 4-7% in relation to the weight of a ham. Serrano Ham (Jamón Serrano) is made from the “Landrace” breed of white pig and are not to be confused with the much more expensive and entirely different Jamón ibérico. The manufacturing process remains similar to Iberico Ham, the main difference lies in the type of pork used. Manufacturing process for Spanish Hams 1. Salting. Traditional production method uses only salt without adding nitrates, although often purified sea salt is mixed with common rock salt. Sea salt contains many minerals and can create different reactions with meat proteins and fats. The salt is added at 4-7% in relation to the weight of a ham. Using less salt may not prevent the growth of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria and will lower the final quality of the ham. Such an amount of salt immediately draws out some moisture from meat cells and this lowers the water activity of the meat. As a result a safety hurdle is created and the meat becomes bacteriologically stable in time.

In order to prevent conditions for bacteria to grow, the salting process takes place at 40° F (4° C), 85-95% humidity. A rule of thumb calls for 2 days for each 1 kg of meat, for example the 8 kg (17.6 lbs) ham will be salted for 16 days. After the salting stage hams are thoroughly brushed off to remove excess salt. 2. Equalization. Equalization, sometimes called post-salting takes place at 37-42° F (3-6° C), 85-95% humidity and continues for about 40 days. Equalization is the time after the excess cure has been removed from the product, at the end of the cure contact period until the product is placed in the drying room and the drying period begins. 3. Drying/Ripening. This is the longest stage and lasts 10-12 months. During this stage due to complex reactions between enzymes, meat proteins and fats, the ham develops its characteristic flavor and aroma. With time the ham loses moisture, but the salt remains inside increasing its proportional content.

As the ham becomes more stable in time the temperatures are increased which increases the speed of internal reactions and decreases maturation time. The ripening continues in a few cycles: the temperature starts at 53-57° F (12-14° C), 60-80% humidity, and increases up to 75-93° (24-34° C), 70-90% humidity. The ripening takes about 5 months for Serrano Ham and 10 months for Iberico Ham. The high humidity creates better conditions for mold to develop which often happens. After ripening is completed, a thin layer of meat or fat is cut off from the surface of the ham with mold on it. 4. Storing. Then the hams are stored at around 53° F (12° C), 75% humidity for up to a year. For the highest quality Iberico hams, the entire process may take up to 2 years.

Buy the Finest Jamon Serrano & Iberico / Spanish Ham Online By Region Jamón - Spanish Ham Jamón is the trademark of Spanish cuisine, featuring prominently in virtually every restaurant and family kitchen. As home to two types of world famous cured hams, Spain honors its Jamón as both a cultural icon and everyday indulgence. The curing process is regarded as a sacred art, with many producers honoring traditions that go back thousands of years. At La Tienda, we provide you the best in the two distinctive types of Spanish ham: Jamón Serrano and Jamón Ibérico. Introduction to Spanish Ham - Serrano and Ibérico Introduction to Spanish Ham - Serrano and Ibérico Jamon Serrano and Jamon Iberico Denis Doyle/Stringer/Getty Images By Lisa & Tony Sierra Background and History Spanish ham is greatly prized as a gourmet food both in Spain and around the world. It is eaten regularly in most Spanish households. In fact, not only is Spain the largest producer of air-dried-cured ham, Spaniards are the number one consumers in the world! Every Spaniard eats about 5 kilograms of cured ham per year. That is double what the Italians eat.

There are various types of cured ham in Spain, ranging in price from economical to very expensive. Grocery stores , sausage shops and supermarkets all sell various types of ham and many will not be of a Denomination of Origin. That does not mean it does not great tasting, but it simply did not pass the strict quality control standards. Ham is historically important food, dried and cured with salt for centuries. The people of the Iberian Peninsula ate pork and ham in their diet, even in the Roman era. However, when the Moors conquered the Peninsula, because of their religious beliefs, eating pork was prohibited. continue reading below our video How to Turn Leftover Summer Produce into Jam After the Christians regained control and forced the Muslims and Jews to either convert or go into exile, pork regained its popularity. Types of Cured Spanish Ham There are basically two different types of cured hams in Spain, jamón serrano or “mountain ham,” and jamón ibérico or “Iberian ham.” Jamón Serrano - There are almost 2,000 producers of Serrano ham in Spain. Eighteen of these producers formed the Consorcio de Jamón Serrano Español in 1990.

The name Jamón Serrano is now controlled by the European Union since the year 2000 and it protects the processing of this product, although it does not apply to a specific region. Look for the label that has an "S" in the shape of a ham, and says SERRANO ESPAÑOL if you want to buy Jamón Serrano from the consortium. The mountain or Serrano ham is made from several different breeds of white pigs, such as Duroc, Landrace or Large White. They are fed mainly cereals and cured from 7 to 16 months. Jamón Ibérico – This ham is made only from the Iberian pig. The breeding of the Iberian pig is restricted to an area in Southwestern Spain and Southeastern Portugal. Although fed some cereals, these pigs also roam countryside and feed on acorns. The curing process lasts from 14 to 36 months. Denominations of Origin and Quality Control Ham is such a treasured food that not only are there several Denominations of Origin, but there is even a chain of Museos de Jamón or “Ham Museums” around Spain!

The Denomination of Origin of Teruel (in Aragon) was the first granted by Spain’s Department of Agriculture in 1984. Since then, other Denominations of Origin for ham have been granted. As with all Denominations of Origin, there is strict control of the quality of the product. For example, in order to carry the name jamón de Teruel, the regulations of the Denomination of Origin of Teruel cover every stage of the process, including the following: The pigs must be of a certain breed, be fed only cereals and grains of the local region, be of a certain weight when slaughtered, and spend 14 months curing in Teruel. While curing, they must pass a number of quality control checks, as well. Besides Teruel, other areas are well-known for their excellent ham: Trevelez (a small village in the Sierra Nevada) which is located in the highest peak in Spain Girona province in the region of Cataluña Soria province in the region of Castilla-Leon Where can you buy Spanish Ham in the USA? Until recently, the importation of Spanish ham was not permitted by the US Department of Agriculture.

However, there are currently Spanish companies producing hams in strictly controlled, USDA approved facilities. The price for a whole 20 lb ham can run from $180-$300. Small packages of imported sliced ham can also be purchased for around $8.00. If all that sounds a bit outside of your budget, don’t despair! Another alternative is Domestic Serrano-style hams that are air-cured for 11 months and lightly salted. You can find whole hams (13-18 lbs) like these at La Española Meats for around $12-13USD per pound. For more information on where to buy Spanish food, read the FAQ, Where can I buy Spanish food? , which includes readers responses from around the world. Spanish Word for ham | ham in Spanish Spanish Word for ham Now you know how to say ham in Spanish. :-) Translated sentences containing 'ham' We have eaten bread with ham and cheese. Nosotros hemos comido pan con jamón y queso. Do you have eggs scrambled with ham and cheese? ¿Tienen huevos revueltos con jamón y queso? A steak must be a steak and a ham must be a ham.

Un bistec debe ser un bistec y un jamón debe ser un jamón. For example, we could say that Parma ham can be compared with Parma ham, but not with Viareggio sausage. Para ser más explícitos, podríamos decir que se puede comparar el jamón de Parma con el jamón de Parma, pero no se puede comparar el jamón de Parma con la mortadela de Viareggio. One final remark about glued ham. Una observación final sobre el jamón pegado. That means no quarrelling over Parma ham and Swedish models. Esto significa que no hay que pelearse sobre el jamón de Parma y los modelos suecos. Mr Graefe zu Baringdorf mentioned the example of Parma ham, that that should originate in that region. El señor Graefe zu Baringdorf ha mencionado el ejemplo del jamón de Parma, que debería provenir de esa región. The ham, the salami in the sandwich which the United States of America wants to fix? ¿El jamón, el salami del bocadillo que los Estados Unidos de América quieren preparar?

A piece of meat glued together with thrombin should never be allowed to go on sale as ham. No se debe permitir la venta de una pieza de carne pegada con trombina como jamón. This also applies to cheese, as well as honey, ham, and arts and crafts. Esta observación es válida para nuestros quesos, pero también para nuestra miel, nuestros jamones o incluso para la artesanía artística. Standards have been raised, and the question of the radio ham has also been given attention. Se han mejorado las normas y se ha prestado atención también a la cuestión de los radioaficionados. 'We can smell Italian food,' they said, 'we can smell Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Parma ham and steaming spaghetti. Olemos el perfume de los platos italianos, el perfume del parmesamo, el perfume de jamón de Parma, de los espaguetis calientes.

I wish they would serve Parma ham, spaghetti with pesto from Genoa, polenta from Veneto and sweet-smelling tomatoes from Naples!" Yo quisiera que en el avión nos sirvieran jamón de Parma, spaghetti al pesto de Génova, polenta de Véneto, tomates perfumados de Nápoles". Now, of course, recent publicity has highlighted the problem with chicken, but this deception is not confined to chicken - adulteration of other meats, particularly ham, is commonplace. Ahora, por supuesto, la reciente publicidad ha llamado la atención sobre el problema del pollo, pero este fraude no se limita al pollo: la adulteración de otras carnes, sobre todo el jamón, es habitual. We will also secure the protection of European geographical indications, such as Parma ham, Rioja or Tokay. También garantizaremos la protección de las indicaciones geográficas europeas, como el jamón de Parma, Rioja o Tokay. Burgundy wine, Parma ham, certain Spanish meats - they have meaning far beyond the borders of each of our countries, far beyond the borders of Europe.

El vino de Borgoña, el jamón de Parma, determinadas carnes españolas tienen un significado que va más allá de las fronteras de cada uno de nuestros países, más allá de las fronteras de Europa. Imported meat is being sold as domestic produce, rotten meat is often on sale and then there is the case of the fake ham. La carne importada se está vendiendo como producto interior, con frecuencia se pone a la venta carne podrida y luego también está el caso del jamón falso. (DE) Mr President, the current debate about so-called glued ham shows that some manufacturers do not deal honestly with consumers. (DE) Señor Presidente, el debate actual sobre el llamado jamón pegado muestra que algunos fabricantes no se preocupan honestamente de los consumidores. Although not in itself a health hazard, parading individual pieces of glued together meat as a single piece of ham does constitute consumer fraud. Aunque por sí misma no es un peligro para la salud, mostrar distintas piezas de carne pegada como una sola pieza de jamón sí constituye un fraude al consumidor.

Imitation cheese, pressed ham products, vanilla yoghurt that contains no vanilla whatsoever - these are just a few examples. El queso de imitación, los productos de jamón prensado o el yogur de vainilla que no contiene vainilla son sólo algunos ejemplos. A food additive, a piece of meat that has been stuck together, must not be sold as ham on the deli counter. Un aditivo alimentario, una pieza de carnes que han sido unidas no debe venderse como si fuera jamón en la charcutería. Austrian wine, French wine, Parma ham: the same logic has to be applied on the world market as on the regional market. Vino austriaco, vino francés, jamón de Parma, en estos casos hay que emplear en el mercado mundial la misma lógica que en el mercado regional. Jamon.com - About Jamon Serrano Spanish Dry-Cured Ham About Jamón Serrano Jamón Serrano With a Quality Guarantee Jamón Serrano is produced and served in every Spanish province.

Although some regions have a longer tradition of producing Jamón Serrano than others, the production of Serrano ham is not limited to a certain geographic area. The production of jamón has become ingrained in the customs and traditions of all Spanish regions. There may be small production variations or subtle contrasts, depending upon the area and the manufacturer. But it is all Jamón Serrano. A bit of history Since antiquity Spaniards have produced dry-cured hams. The first written references date back to the Roman Empire. From the very beginning, production of this type of ham has been uncomplicated - taking what nature provides in order to preserve and enrich pork: nothing more complex than sea salt, the correct environmental conditions and time. Historically speaking, fresh ham was cured in mountainous areas with moderate climates that are warm and dry in the summer and cold in the winter. Mountain, or “sierra” (serrano), air favored gradual aging of the meat. This was aided by a preliminary application of sea salt. Ham processing started during the first weeks of November, at the start of the winter. For centuries families sacrificed and butchered the pigs that they had bred and fattened domestically.

This ritual is called the “matanza”; an occasion for a celebration in which all family members participated. Note that the Spanish word for "to slaughter" is sacificar – “to sacrifice” – reflecting quite a different concept of respect for the animal than the English word slaughter suggests. The hams were initially covered in sea salt to begin the curing process. After several days, the hams were washed and then hung in curing sheds with sufficient ventilation. There the hams receive the mountain air, whose qualities vary as the seasons change. After about a year this process yielded dry cured Serrano hams that were sufficiently cured for consumption, without any kind of additive or additional handling. What has changed nowadays? Today, Serrano ham is produced by artificially replicating the traditional methods with modern technology that systematically ensures high hygiene and quality. The goal is to offer the same ham as always by following traditions that have been handed down through the centuries, but achieving a higher standard of quality, uniformity and safety. For this reason it is no longer common to see Serrano hams cured by mountain air in natural curing sheds.

There still remain production plants and curing sheds in areas close to the Spanish mountains, but there are also controlled curing sheds located any almost any part of Spain, because technology allows climate conditions to be reproduced in any location. When one encloses curing sheds or installs semi-natural ventilation systems the result is a condition for more stable and safe production. It is no longer necessary to be at the mercy of unforeseen climate changes or the whims of Mother Nature. The Serrano ham production process includes four phases: Salting The fresh ham is covered with sea salt, which remains on the ham approximately 20 hours to two days per kilo of ham. In a curing area with a high degree of humidity, the pure salt stabilizes the product at a low temperature. Rest or Post-salting The salt slowly and progressively diffuses internally, gradually drawing much of the original moisture from the ham. Dry Curing The fresh meat transforms into ham as the outside temperature increases, and the degree of humidity decreases. Refinement by Aging In this final phase, the curing process is completed, and the ham slowly shores up its sensory properties before being marketed. The European Union protects the process of Serrano ham production thanks to the certification T.S.G., Traditional Specialty Guaranteed.

This protects the authentic taste of Serrano ham and insures to the consumers that it refers to a historical, authentic and genuine product. How do you recognize a high quality Spanish Serrano ham? The only way to recognize it is to verify that it bears the label of the Consorcio del Jamón Serrano Español with an individual control number. The “S” in the shape of a ham branded as a seal on the skin of the ham is the guaranty that the Serrano ham has passed the rigorous standards of the Consorcio. In 1990 the Consorcio del Jamón Serrano Español was established to bring together Spain’s principal producers/exporters of Serrano ham. They all have the same objective: to guarantee the quality of Spanish Serrano ham and to offer a high quality product for export. What is it that a ham must have in order to earn the quality seal of the Consorcio del Jamón Serrano Español? Inspectors of the Consorcio ensure that the private standards of the Association are properly applied. These established standards consider various points, thereby characterizing the ham as follows: T.S.G.

Serrano ham certification Average 12 months air dry cured (minimum 252 days) Minimum fat cover of 1 cm. Must have a 34% decrease from its fresh weight Each piece must pass individual sensory inspection It must be produced by firms that pass the quality audits that are periodically performed by the Consorcio The Consorcio authorizes various presentations of the final product which may be whole with the hoof, whole without the hoof, boneless or sliced. If the hams pass all the controls, the seal of the Consorcio is branded on the skin, and a numbered control label is attached. It cannot be mistaken: an intense purple-red color, shiny fat and a unique flavor! The group monitors final minimum weights (6.3 kg. or 6.1 kg.); the absence of inappropriate aromas or flavors; the proper texture; and the appropriate levels of salt and dryness. Throughout the various processing phases of deboning, slicing and packaging, the Consorcio ensures that all established standards of hygiene, temperature and humidity conditions are respected. Spanish Chorizo, the tradition, history, ingredients.

- Jamonarium How to make traditional chorizo The main ingredientes are pork meat and pork bacon, paprika, garlic and salt. But there are as many recipes as different chorizos. The species used can be very divers. It is not one species that gives the flavor to the chorizo but the mixture of each of the flavors of garlic, pepper, cumin, bay leaf, thyme , onion, paprika, oregano ... Some have a little more of this or a little less of that, it's difficult to know.. The possible recipes can be very varied. The development of the chorizo has always been pretty homemade and each family had its own recipe. So, let's explain the four bases of the process. The traditional process of preparing the chorizo is very simple and consists of several phases: - Chop meat and bacon. - Mixing it with all the species. - Rest for 24 hours. - Make the sausage with natural pork gut - Curing process: tied and exposed to air in the natural environment, choosing suitable sites based on their characteristics of temperature and humidity. The traditional way has always in rooms with fireand smoke in order to protect it from insects.

- The period of maturation is a process of drying and acquisition of texture, while the natural flavors develop. The chorizos are cured for around 50 days in a cool dry place. Sometimes the sausages are usually smoked over oak wood and then we let them dry on a cool place. Types of chorizos in Spain There are many types of chorizos depending on the meat and the spices used in its production. Also depends on the curing area, onthe way they are tied or their size or their weight, etc.. Types of chorizo by pork meat - Chorizo Iberico Bellota : made with Iberian Pork Ham, or the pigs get Bellota Iberian ham . - Chorizo Iberico : made with meat from Iberian pigs. There are different types such as chorizo candle. - Chorizo traditional home : made with pork and white horseshoe shaped normally or tied. Types of sausage as the meat used - Wild Boar Sausage: characteristic odor and dark red. This is a high quality product, made from selected meat of wild boar, lean pork, Iberian bacon, salt, garlic, parsley and spices.

- Sausage of horse Horse meat has high nutritional value and low fat. It is the highest in iron content and the most sweet and tender than others. Effective in combating iron deficiency anemia. - Sausage Beef: Made with beef, usually mixed with meat and / or bacon. - Deer Sausage: The sausage made from meat from the deer, has a refined taste. Deer meat is tender, natural and clean, smooth taste and distinctive, with a fine texture. With little fat, low calorie, low-cholesterol, has the advantage of being extremely healthy without thereby reducing its flavor. With a good dose of iron and protein, has been called the red meat of the new millennium. Types of sausage as processing areas in Spain - Chorizo de Leon : Sausage made with pork, smoked and cured cold and icy, dark-red color characteristic spicy flavor and aroma usually peculiar system of healing. The style is more characteristic horseshoe or "run" with the ends tied and bound together by a thread so that they can hang on the poles where it makes the smoking process and draining into the air.

It, along with the jerky, one of the more traditional sausages Leon and cuisine, while the best known and demanded by the people who visit the province. - Chorizo Galician: Galician chorizo is made using lean pork, bacon, paprika and pepper, garlic and salt. Its curing process goes through a smoked and dried and later stored in fat or oil. It comes in strings-style sausage and can be eaten raw, cooked, fried and roasted. It is essential accompaniment to many dishes such as pork shoulder with turnip greens. There are different varieties such as the "ceboleiro" to which we add onion and other seasonings. In the region of Celanova (Ourense) is a sausage made of pumpkin in place of the onion. They are excellent for inclusion in stews and even in fabadas are easier to digest. - Chorizo Extremadura: In Extremadura, there is much lar Iberian chorizo, Iberian pigs because of Extremadura, but also find homemade chorizo sausage and some typical sausage-like Extremadura, as patatera Extremadura.

The patatera is a sausage typical of northern Extremadura, in particular a sausage-although its appearance and flavor reminiscent of a sausage, which is in the form of a horseshoe and whose production is used the baked potato (50%), along with lean (10%) and fat (40%) of Iberian pig. The reddish color is due to the paprika from La Vera is added and can be sweet or spicy. When you can eat fresh bread smeared as if it were sobrasada or is oread to thick slices. - Chorizo de Navarre: Possibly the Chorizo de Pamplona was the first industrialized meat product, since the first Spanish meat industry was the Navarre. It looks as sailing, embedded in fat gut, with a diameter of about 4 cm and a color, cut, red and orange, because of paprika. It is seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic. It consists of pork, beef and bacon to a lesser extent. It is eaten raw. The texture is creamy and soft but intense flavor, rich and without heartburn. Probably the most famous sausage is the Pamplonica Navarra, Pamplona chorizo authentic.

It is made with selected pork to give the product its characteristic chopped razor sharp cutting. Slow aging in natural drying gives it its distinctive flavor and aroma. - Chorizo from La Rioja: Chorizo Riojano, string-shaped or horseshoe, with a diameter of 30-40 mm, is one of the most typical food of La Rioja, land with great tradition in the production of sausages. This sausage is firm and compact, has a balanced and intense flavor dominates the paprika and garlic notes, a palatable texture, and flavor intense, persistent and sometimes spicy. The chorizo Riojano now has a Protected Geographical Indication. - Chorizo from Salamanca: The chorizo cular ibérico de bellota is typical from Castilla y León, specially from Salamanca, famous for its Spanish traditional cuisine. Chorizo from Segovia : In Segovia, chorizo sausage is the best known of Cantimpalos. This product is sausage, cured meat made from fresh pork fat to which is added salt and pepper as basic ingredients and you can also add garlic and oregano, subjected to a drying-ripening.

- Chorizo from Cantabria : In Cantabria, one of the most popular sausage is to Potes. The ingredients used in their manufacture are lean pork, bacon, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, oregano and thyme. Stresses in the healing process in the natural environment and oak wood-smoked for 25 days, giving it a distinctive and rich flavor. It comes in a horseshoe shape (string), tied with a continuous string of one unit to another. Its use can be raw, fried or boiled. Chorizo from Canarias : The chorizo and black pudding sausages are more popular in the Canaries. The chorizo sausage canary is a typical paperback Islands. Among the best known are the chorizo sausage Teror palm and sausage Chacon. The sausage is characterized by Teror paperback, easy to spread. Although the most famous sausage Teror is colored red (paprika), there are also white Teror sausage (no pepper).

Types of Chorizos depending on its shape - Chorizo de herradura o sarta : Chorizo sausage whose size is between 34-4 0 mm in one piece, and tied with string at both ends, so that it can hang, giving a horseshoe - Atados o ristra: Chorizo sausage whose size is between 36-50 mm, which is bound or stapled forming a string consisting of several chorizos - Chorizo Vela : The sausage is sailing straight as cular but narrower gauge (about 30-40 mm) and length 40 cm approximately. They say that his name might come because the long narrow shape, resembles that of a candle or candle. - Chorizo Cular : Chorizo sausage in pork casing of a size over 38 mm, irregular cylindrical shape, determined by the morphology of the gut. Natural casing. Variety of sausage made exclusively Iberian ham from Iberian pigs.

Types of chorizos by curation time - Smoked : It is the sausage in their healing process has gone through the smoking process over oak wood or oak and the subsequent draining cold air and curing Types of chorizos by spices - Chorizos dulces : El pimentón que se le añade es dulce. - Chorizos picantes : El picante es debido al pimentón picante que se añade. The chorizo in Europe and America In Europe, apart from Spain and Portugal, there are some places where sausages are also made, especially Hungary, which makes a variety of sausages with paprika base and also Germany, where they have the Paprikawurst "paprika sausage." Chorizo Húngaro. Chorizo de Gyula The Gyula sausage named after its namesake city. It is a mildly spicy sausage, prepared with pork and beef and bacon (fat). This mixture is injected into the small intestine of pigs previously cleaned and begins to smoke. The origins of this product date back to the early nineteenth century.

The sausage of Gyula (Gyulai kolbász) remains popular to this day, this is largely due to its delicate flavor that dominate the aromas of red pepper in Hungary, pepper, garlic and caraway that complete with the effect of traditional smoke. Chorizo alemán The German sausage is a precise combination of beef, pork, bacon and spices, stuffed into natural casing for a traditional German product taste great. The ingredients of German sausage are: Beef, pork, bacon, salt, spices: paprika, garlic, black pepper. Latin America has its own sausages, descendants of Spanish chorizo. Even here there is the European custom of regulation of all, every country has managed to give a distinctive touch to your chorizo, with special marinades and, mostly, more like sausage of Germanic origin, because they are not dried or smoked at all cases. In the north, Mexico has a long tradition choricera, and many of its preparations, especially tortillas, chorizo Toluqueño include, Toluca, the paradise of the Mexican sausage. In popular parlance, the word is interchangeable with Chorizo sausage, although the latter refers to a sausage a little longer.

Colombians often accompany their arepas with chorizo, mainly in Antioquia, and is also enjoyed in the departments of Cundinamarca, Tolima, Boyaca, Caldas and Santander, but as sausage. In Venezuela there is a smoked sausage that is mainly used to flavor stews and soups, but there is also the variable soft. Chileans and Mexicans have their sausage and sausage. Peru has a local variety rather orange color, known as "sausage Huacho" very tasty and eaten fried and crumbled bread. But undoubtedly the most famous sausages in this part of the world are the "sausage grillers," South American specialty. El chorizo parrillero Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are the birthplace of barbecue sausage. They look like the Iberians, with the exception of not always be cured or smoked. Also known as Creole sausage and though descended from Spanish chorizo, have been influenced by intense Germanic immigration to Argentina, especially after the First World War, coinciding with the rise of "choripán". Choripán: This is a grilled sausage pieces of bread Between Two. Bread is Generally Prepared in French and Creole sausage grilled.

It is the traditional dish DURING the football games and family barbecues. If we speak of a Creole pork sausage mashed, We Talk About a sausage on the part of Participating pork bacon bucking a knife by four mashed pork meat ground, spiced and seasoned with red pepper, nutmeg, oregano, garlic, fennel seeds and wine. Prepared Malthus, broil or grill pan Usually, But You Can Also expect to eat it dry as salami. Also may be mixed meat at a rate of one part of pork bacon pork and beef two two. Cooking chorizo: Recipes The chorizo is a major player in Spanish cuisine, either in sandwiches, on the lids, casseroles and stews in, stir fry, and in countless other delicious dishes. The most classic and simple to eat sausage is in the form of tapas. Some presentations in the form of caps: - Cut into rounds with a little bread. - lion Chorizo fried with olive oil. - Skewer sausage Iberian acorn with a stuffed olive and bread. - Given rustic sausage stick.

Here we present some typical recipes using sausage as a main ingredient or flavor the stew: Chorizo with cider Ingredients: sausage, cider, oil Preparation: The chorizo we can, or not (to taste), cut into slices. What we have in a clay pot with a little oil and let it slowly browning. If we choose the whole sausage must be made to poke inside. When browned add the cider and leave at least ten minutes. So we guarantee that the peculiar flavor of this drink fills the sausage. Pastoral chickpeas and chorizo Ingredients: Chick peas, bacon, ham, homemade sausage , ham bone, onion, garlic, bay leaf, bread, egg, olive oil, wine vinegar, salt pepper and paprika. Preparation: Cook the chickpeas in water with garlic, bay leaf, ham bone and salt. Chop the onion, bacon. Fry the garlic in a skillet with a little olive oil until browned. Remove and reserve. In the same oil, fry the bacon until browned, add the onion and saute. Add the grabanzos the sauce with a little cooking water. Crush garlic with salt and pepper. Dilute the vinegar and add it to the grabanzos.

When grabanzos are almost at the point, add the chorizo cut into thick slices. Cook 5 minutes and serve accompanied with fried bread and egg sheets. Eggs Extremadura: Ingredients: eggs, potatoes, ham, sausage, tomato, onion, peas, extra virgin olive oil , salt and pepper. Preparation: Cook the potatoes, peel and dice. Peel and chop the tomatoes into cubes. Blanch the peas. Chop the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the diced tomato and cook until the sauce thickens. Incorporate the potatoes and mix. Add the sliced chorizo and ham chips. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Place everything in a baking dish and top breaking eggs. Add peas bake until eggs are firm. Potatoes Rioja: Ingredients: Potatoes, onions, green peppers, roasted red peppers, sausage, chili pepper, paprika, bay leaves, extra virgin olive oil , water and salt. Preparation: Peel and chop the potatoes, chop onions and green peppers, peel and cut into strips and chop the roasted peppers sliced sausage.

We put a clay pot on the fire with olive oil, fry the onion, green pepper, sausage and bay leaves, add the chilli, then add the paprika and cover with water. As it starts to boil add the potatoes, leave 15 minutes, add the roasted pepper and eat it warm. Asturian bean stew: Ingredients: Beans, chorizo Asturian Asturian sausage, ham, bacon, saffron and salt. Preparation: Leave the beans to soak in cold water overnight. We soaked in warm water, cured bacon and ham bone. We add the beans in a pan with the soaking water and cover with the water until a couple of fingers over them and heat it over high heat until it starts to boil. Bring to the boil introduce the bacon, sausage, ham bone and blood sausage (pre pinned to prevent bursting). We removed the foam which usually contains impurities and also a bit desgrasamos broth. When you take 1/2 hour cooking over high heat we add the saffron diluted in a little hot broth from the pan. We lowered the cooking temperature and add salt to taste. We let the beans cook slowly on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon without breaking them.

During these two hours, add cold water twice to "frighten" the beans (boil breaks and helps your perfect cooking). Probamos las fabes para ver si ya están tiernas y rectificamos de sal, apartamos del fuego y dejamos reposar una hora aproximadamente. Retiramos los chorizos, la morcilla, la panceta y los huesos de jamón. We prepare the meat, cut the sausages into slices generously. Chop the bacon and we took the meat from the bone. Booked for the presentation. Scrambled eggs with potatoes and chorizo: Ingredientes : Huevos, patatas, chorizo, aceite de oliva virgen extra y sal. Preparación : Se cortan las patatas en láminas y se fríen pero que queden blanditas, no muy refritas. Se apartan. Se corta en trocitos el chorizo y se refríe en un poco de aceite. Se añaden las patatas y se revuelve un poco todo, se “estrellan” los dos huevos (no batidos, enteros) sobre el chorizo y las patatas.

Añadimos sal al gusto. Se mezcla todo con un tenedor de madera. Spicy chorizo pizza: Ingredientes: Base de pizza, tomate frito, tomate rodajas, chorizo picante , pimentón, mozzarella rallada, orégano, olivas negras. Preparación: Extendemos la masa de pizza, empezamos poniendo el tomate por encima y extenderlo con una cuchara o un cazo, a continuación ponemos el queso y encima las rodajas de chorizo y tomate rodeadas de olivas negras. Para terminarla, espolvoreamos con un poco de pimentón y de orégano. Precalentamos el horno a 180 grados y una vez listo ponemos la pizza de chorizo de 10 a 15 minutos aproximadamente o hasta que esté lista. Sacamos del horno y cortamos en cuñas. Podemos servirla como pizza entera o como tapas, cortándola a cuadraditos.

Bellota chorizo sandwich Ingredientes: Pan, chorizo ibérico de bellota , aceite de oliva virgen extra, sal y tomate maduro. Preparación: Abrimos el pan por la mitad, partimos el tomate por la mitad y lo restregamos en la miga del pan. Añadimos aceite y sal al gusto y colocamos las lonchas de chorizo ibérico encima. Migas with chorizo: Ingredientes : 1 kg de pan de pueblo (de 2-3 días antes), 2 chorizos (dulces o picantes), 1 cabeza de ajos, 1 vaso de aceite de oliva virgen extra, agua templada y sal. Preparación : Se corta el pan en rebanadas muy finas. En una olla grande pones agua templada y le echas 1 puñado y medio de sal. En un recipiente amplio se van colocando láminas de pan y se va humedeciendo con el agua con sal (no empapar, solo humedecer).

Cuando termines con la última capa humedecida se cubre el recipiente con un paño húmedo y se deja reposar al menos 2 horas. En el perol dónde vas a hacer las migas se echa el aceite y cuando está caliente se echan los dientes de ajo sueltos con piel (a los ajos se les da un golpe antes de echarlos al aceite). Mientras se doran los ajos cortas los chorizos en trozos muy pequeños. Sacas los ajos y echas el chorizo troceado. Cuando el chorizo está bien frito se aparta el chorizo del aceite. El aceite lo pasamos por un colador y los volvemos a echar en el perol. A continuación se echa el pan y el secreto está en no dejar de mover con una cuchara de palo. Cuando las migas están casi sueltas se vuelca el ajo y el chorizo y se sigue moviendo. Al final y con el fuego apagado sigues moviendo 10 minutos aproximadamente.

Macarronis with chorizo: Ingredientes : 1 cucharada de cebolla picada, 150 gr. de chorizo de León , 2 cucharadas de harina, 1 litro de leche, 500 gr. de macarrones, 2 cucharadas de mantequilla, 1 cucharada de orégano, 150 gr. de queso mozzarella, 200 gr. de tomate frito. Preparación : Cocemos los macarrones en agua con sal. Mientras se rehoga una cebolla a fuego lento con un poco de aceite de oliva y cortamos el chorizo en taquitos pequeños- Cuando la cebolla este un poco blanda añadimos el chorizo y lo dejamos junto con la cebolla hasta que esté dorada.

Cuando esté lista escurrimos el aceite En otro recipiente, fundimos la mantequilla y ponemos la harina y procedemos a hacer una bechamel espesa, incorporando poco a poco la leche, mientras la hacemos añadimos sal y pimienta negra al gusto a la bechamel. Cuando estén los macarrones los escurrimos bien (no aclarar) y los ponemos en la sartén donde tenemos el chorizo y la cebolla, añadimos el tomate y calentamos todo junto durante unos 2 minutos removiendo de vez en cuando para que mezcle bien. Lo colocamos en una bandeja de horno que no sea demasiado profunda. Cuando estén bien distribuidos añadir por encima la bechamel de manera uniforme y que cubra todos los macarrones, añadir como una bolsa y media del queso por encima, y añadirle una pizca de orégano distribuido por encima.

Poner al grill como a 175 grados en la parte baja del horno, cuando esté el queso dorado se puede sacar. Chorizo with... l chorizo como tapa es ampliamente consumido en España y cada vez más en toda Europa. Los tapeos de este embutido se pueden acompañar con vinos más bien fuertes y de un cuerpo importante para que combine bien con el sabor intenso y potente del chorizo. Algunos vinos que creemos interesantes para acompañar la tapita de chorizo podrían ser vinos de crianza del Somontano , como el Sers Temple 2007, o un Rioja reserva , como el Viña Albina Reserva 2004. En los platos dónde el chorizo forma parte de cocidos, potajes , al ser platos potentes, se recomiendan los vinos fuertes. La excepción sería la fabada , dicen que lo mejor es una sidra bien fresca , o un rosado afrutado. Chorizo de Pamplona is delicious eaten with red wine without aging, taken with a bit of bread.

A good wine to accompany it would be a young First Sers 2011. And finally, it's better than a cold beer to accompany a sausage sandwich? The chorizo in space In his first spaceflight in 1998, astronaut Pedro Duque was in his luggage a sausage from Leon. A sausage never gone so far. We do not know if I ate on that trip in covers or with chickpeas, but not all foods can be said to have traveled into space. My name tastes like chorizo There are many names for Spanish chorizo, most notably that of Cantimpalo (Segovia), white surface, which sometimes leads to ham, the Pamplona (Pamplonica) with finely chopped meat and large intestine, that of Potes (Cantabria), adding pepper and thyme, smoked oak, or Candelario (Salamanca), Iberian pork, such as Guijuelo and Andalusia and Estremadura. The chorizo "Sandwich" The legendary "Sandwich" sausage was the king of the breaks of the schools in the seventies and eighties in Spain, with mortadella with olives and bread with chocolate.

He was also one of the most popular lunch masons and laborers, or any worker who had his lunch time. Over time, it seems that the sausage sandwich has lost favor and what is worse, has given way to industrial bakery for breakfast and snacks for children. No doubt a good sausage sandwich is much more than any bakery industry salidable containing cholesterol-producing saturated fat. A good sausage sandwich with good bread and a little olive oil is the healthiest things you can eat for breakfast. We encourage you to recover the tradition of the "sandwich" of sausage or ham, for your health and pleasure for the body! You are a "chorizo" The origin of sausage popularly called a thief has nothing to do with the rich and tasty sausage we all know. The reason I used that term to describe, in a derogatory way, friends of the alien comes directly from the Romany, the language used by the Roma people and where we can find a whole series of words to refer to everything related to the thieves and the act of stealing: Chori, choraró, choribar, chorar.

Over time, the popularization of these words and their use of colloquial language in the population paya, eventually transforming them into sausage or choricear as we know them today. The world's longest chorizo, Guinness Record Make the world's longest sausage was the challenge of many towns along the years, to get the Guinness record. In January 2010, Puertollano (Ciudad Real) proposed such a challenge and managed to beat the record, which was achieved in 800 and 1018.4 m in length and 750 kilos of meat. In April 2010, Toluca (Mexico), surpassed the record of Puertollano and managed to make a sausage of 1245.42 m. But in March 2011, Santa Rosa de Cabal (Colombia) established the current Guinness record with a 1850m-long sausage. The house Chorizo The house is a type of sausage typical home in Buenos Aires and Rosario in Argentina, which eventually spread to other cities. Is basically a side yard that give the rooms, which are in line and connected.

Due to this arrangement, called chorizo house such as the environments are linked one after another, like sausages on a string. The origin of the sausage house dates back to the Roman house, consisting of a roughly square courtyard in the center was a cistern, where they gave all the interior rooms to the courtyard. A gallery or porch roof provided shade and shelter from the rain at the entrance to the rooms. The Western Chorizo For the history of cinema, the western Italian will always be remembered with the trite nickname Spaghetti Western, but Western exclusively or mostly Hispanic, but many people ignore it, it had its own name: Chorizo Western. Generally, though we claim the end of Western Chorizo, which also fits well with the specificities of the western Spanish: vulgar, extremely fast craft and production. The Western film has not been produced in the U.S. is known internationally as a Spaghetti Western, this designation would not be correct, since this should correspond only with the western Italian, on the other hand the European western most abundant in the history of cinema. Literature and chorizo Writers and poets make mention of the virtues and benefits of sausage in literary texts.

Thus we find references to Cantimpalos sausage in a Spanish fine dining guide entitled 'Inventory and praise of classic cuisine of Spain and its regions', paper of 1929 which speaks of Segovia and sausages, "reaching maximum fame with sausage and Bernuy Cantimpalos. " Even Camilo Jose Cela (Nobel Prize 1989) makes a similar reference when he mentions "Cantimpalos, famous for its sausages." The same author says in 'First trip Andalusian' (1959) who took "a bread, a sausage and wine classic and sturdy, exquisite and planned, Orthodox and as God is in everything, command are: bread, bread , wine, wine, and sausage, lean pork with spices and paprika seasoning. " Duels and losses are a traditional dish from the kitchen of La Mancha, whose main ingredients are scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon streaky pork, all prepared in the pan. This is a high calorie dish, known internationally for his references appear in the book of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.

Today it is very popular in restaurants in the region of Castilla-La Mancha, which is usually served in a clay pot. Chorizos cousins * Botillo: The botillo is another unique sausages from Spain, typical of the region of Bierzo, Leon. To do this, the blind pig stuffed with pieces of about 4 cm that come from plants: mainly ribs and tail, but also tongue, cheeks and spine. Before the meat is seasoned with paprika, garlic, salt and oregano. Then smoked, resulting in one piece globosa having between 0.5 and 1.5 kilos. It is eaten cooked with potatoes, chickpeas and cabbage. * Blood sausage: How much like you have blood sausage, sausage of the same blind gut, but made with lean meat obtained from the trapezius muscle and the head of the Iberian pork loin, marinated with paprika, salt and spices. It is consumed after curing for about ten weeks. Here the palm is carried by Extremadura and Jabugo Guijuelo. * The black pudding: Among the black pudding, whose common basis is blood and lard, there are numerous varieties.

One of the best known is that of Burgos, a product that has little more than two centuries old, because until then the rice was not there an affordable product, which incorporates ingredients that rice swine, by 30 100 of its weight, onion, paprika, black pepper, oregano and salt. The sausage has a diameter of about 6 cm and consumed fried in slices. * Botifarra: In Catalonia, the blood of the pig is destined for the black botifarra containing animal fat and meat. Throughout the Spanish Mediterranean coast there are many types of botifarra: white, with egg, with language, with liver, truffle, onion and pine nuts from pan and others. Are stuffed into guts of different diameters, which reached a peak in the bull and bisbe. * THE SAUSAGE: The sausage, among which that of Vic ( llonganissa ) is a cured sausage into guts of the large intestine, about 7 cm in diameter. Generally contains pork and other animals such as cattle, deer, wild boar or donkey. In Arles (France), made with a mixture of donkey, cow and bacon chopped into small pieces.

The sausages are salt and peppercorns. * Sobrassada: In Balearic sobrasada also manufactures a semi-cured raw sausage its characteristic reddish color normally spreads. Information collected in the knowledge of our team, informative sources sector and general sources such as wikipedia.

Question: In the Spanish language, what sort of meat is jamon ?
Answer: HAM