The province of Granada in the south of Spain has been for centuries, and still is, a traditional area for the production of high quality Serrano ham, even awarded by the royal family, in which its maximum exponent, the PGI Trevélez ham, enjoys international fame. In China and Japan, as well as in France and Germany, they are well known and in demand for their quality and the fact that they do not contain any additives.
Serrano ham from the Alpujarra of Granada
The Alpujarra Serrano ham range includes Reserva, Gran Reserva and Duroc hams.
The Alpujarra is a region located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Natural Park, shared by two provinces: Granada (65%) and Almería (35%). Its location, and thanks to the climate in this area, is ideal for the curing of Serrano hams.
Today I am going to talk to you about the hams from Granada, the best known for hundreds of years and that nowadays, even using, as is logical, more advanced technology in the factories, the method of making Serrano ham is still traditional and natural, hanging the hams in natural drying rooms where the humidity and temperature are regulated with the only help of closing and opening the windows.
They are hams with character, robust, like those you can see in rural mountain areas, where families produce them for family consumption. No additives or preservatives are added. It is cured only with sea salt and in the fresh air of the mountains. It is made from white pigs of the Landrace, Large-white and Duroc breeds, the latter giving it its characteristic infiltrated fat and giving the Serrano ham a superior texture and flavour.
Trevélez Ham - Jamon Serrano
Juviles is a locality located at an altitude of 1,300 metres in the upper Alpujarra of Granada, in the very heart of the sierra and the production area of the best Serrano hams in Spain.
Under this brand, you can find both hams and shoulders with the quality seal "jamón de la Alpujarra" and hams from Trevélez, protected by the regulatory board of the PGI Trevélez (Protected Geographical Identification).
the Trevélez Spanish ham range includes three varieties depending on the curing time, which depends on the size of the piece. The blue label is for hams cured for more than 17 months, the red label for hams cured for more than 20 months and the black label for hams cured for more than 23 months.
We also produce Gran Reserva and Duroc shoulders, also 100% natural, with no additives.
Serrano Ham from Sierra de Baza
Baza, a region located in the north-east of the province of Granada, also has a Natural Park, the Sierra de Baza. The summit reaches an altitude of 2,271 metres.
The ham tradition also prevails in this location and also produces 100% natural Serrano hams, only cured with sea salt. They are robust hams, with tight, reddish meat and fantastic aromas and flavours.
The "Señorío de las Cumbres" Serrano Ham is marketed under the labels "Reserva", "Gran Reserva" and "Gran Reserva Duroc", as well as Duroc shoulders, all protected under the quality seal "Sabor de Granada".
You can buy the Spanish Serrano hams that I have presented in this article in whole format with leg, boned or sliced and vacuum packed in the last two formats.
Buy 100% Natural Serrano Jamon
Nowadays, 100% natural food products are very popular, and in relation to Serrano hams, with the added bonus that all of them have a reduced salt content.
At Jamón Pasión, the online Serrano ham Store, we are increasingly committed to additive-free products and we are at your disposal to answer any questions you may have when buying a quality Serrano ham.
It should be noted that all these pieces are produced by small family businesses, in which the love for the product and the careful production process are a very important factor that influences the final result.