Almost all of us associate those streaks of white marble color that some meats have with a quality mark. And it is true that it is. But do you know what it is due to and what does it contribute, in this case, to Iberian Hams? I'll give you everything in this article on the Spanish Ham Blog.
Iberian ham, known in other countries as raw ham, has 3 different types of fat. The peripheral fat that covers the ham, which we remove from the leg and usually discard, although several things can be done with it. Intermuscular fat, the one between the muscles; and the one that interests us the most since it is the one that provides the organoleptic properties so characteristic of a good quality ham leg (sensory attributes related to the appearance and texture of the ham), the intramuscular fat, that is, that which is inside the muscle.
Marbling of the Pata Negra Iberico Ham.
At first glance, the more pure Iberian breed a ham has, the less marbling or fat infiltration will be seen, although these have a greater capacity to infiltrate the muscle than other breeds. In fact, in Duroc Breed pigs, the arrangement of fat cells is more clustered, unlike in Iberian pigs, which is more dispersed, with which, with the naked eye, the marbling is more appreciated in a 100% Duroc or in an Iberico Cruzado, although a 100% Iberico Pata Negra pig has much more intramuscular fat.
In the online Serrano ham store you can find pieces of all kinds, 100% Duroc and pure and crossed Iberian, what you usually see on the labels as 50% or 75% Iberian breed.
Sensory differences according to the fat of the Ham.
The more intramuscular fat a product has, the juicier it will have. And that is also an attribute directly related to the texture, the taste and the perception of its quality.
This infiltration of fat gives the meat a color, shine, smell and above all, a very distinguished flavor, making the slices extra juicy, honeyed, where the fat melts in the mouth.
The less fat infiltrated within the muscle, those sensory qualities will be less present. First of all, you have to know that everything is a matter of taste, and there are people who prefer a leaner meat, without infiltration and opt for Serrano hams.
As we have said, Duroc pigs also have this infiltration characteristic, that is why they are the only ones that can legally be crossed with Iberian pigs.
Buy Marbling Jamón Serrano.
When buying a Serrano Ham, if you like them juicier, with more marbling, look for one that is or is crossed with Duroc. And if Iberian is your thing, there are Iberian Cebo hams that are authentic delicacies. A de Cebo de Campo is going to be an Iberian ham cheaper than one of acorn and has a quality of the highest, since they are pigs that eat wild grass and are raised in the open air, running through the fields.
The choice is yours. More infiltrated fat or more lean meat? Whatever you choose, in Jamón Pasión you will find what you need.