It goes without saying that beer and wine are great accompaniments to many foods; and above all, those that have a well-defined smell, taste and texture. In the case of Jamón Serrano or Iberico, the association that exists between them since the Middle Ages is indisputable.
In this article I am going to tell you how ham is usually paired, leaving behind old beliefs that today do not make much sense in a world where gastronomy increasingly breaks with the classic rules. Of course, there are a couple of notes that you should take into account as they will give greater prominence to this precious delicacy that we have in Spain.
It is about finding the best combination based on the organoleptic properties of food and drink with the aim of enjoying the harmony that is produced with the five senses.
Spanish Ham & Wine
The first image that comes to mind to accompany a good Serrano Ham is a red wine, right? In fact, almost all the advertising and culinary cultural baggage of our land matches them in a radical way; but the latest trends, and more and more fans of ham and wine, are opting for white wines and even cavas.
The reason? It is not simply a capricious fashion and I will tell you why:
White wine, being less invasive, will not hide the nuances so characteristic of an excellent Jamon Iberico, but rather will accompany it, even highlight its nuances. The red wine, most likely hides, hides, having such a powerful flavor and smell, the subtle organoleptic properties of ham.
Having said all this, I personally don't like white wine; With which, if you are one of mine, you do not have to change your habits and have a red wine. Of course, so that your palate, your throat and your nose are not saturated by the wine, peck a few peaks, a few scolds or bread sticks after taking a sip, so you will clean your mouth to be able to appreciate the next bite of Ham.
Here, a member of the Jamón Passion online store team, who is very sybarite, loves to eat it with Cava or Champagne.
Recommended whites are full-bodied wines, such as Fino or Manzanilla.
Spanish Ham & Beer
Needless to say, the blonde takes us all headlong. It is the drink that supersedes all others when making an aperitif, and to accompany a Serrano or Iberian ham, it is a PERFECT alternative.
The bitterness and acidity of the beer make one of the best tandems to get the best out of the ham. As they are not very persistent and not very invasive, they do not hide at all the taste delights of ham or pork shoulder.
Beers that best match Serrano hams are Lager. Without going into much detail, Lagers are low fermentation beers that ferment cold at low temperatures. To give you an example, all the beers most consumed in Spain are Lager: Cruzcampo, Mahou, Estrella Galicia, Estrella Damm, Estrella Levante, San Miguel, etc.
But I tell you the same as with wine, if you are one of higher fermentation beers or any craft beer, go ahead, in the end it is about looking for your own harmony and pleasure.
When buying a Ham, also bear in mind that a powerful Gran Reserva Serrano Ham or a Cebo Iberico Ham will be less diminished in its flavor power, since they are hams with more "vast" flavors, of greater intensity, for a more invasive drink like a red wine. However, for a 100% Iberian Acorn-fed Ham, where the nuances are much more subtle, a powerful pairing will affect the appreciation of the nuances of the meat.
Well, this has been it for today. I hope you have at least bitten the bug to experiment with different pairings. We have tried everything, and I am sorry for the PRO wine, but they don't take away my beer.
We hope to see you in the store even if it is to ask us anything in our live chat. I also encourage you to visit our Facebook as we do SWEEPSTAKES every month for Hams and Shoulders. (Only available in Spanish for now. Coming soon for U.K)
Put Passion in life! Let yourself be seduced by our products!