Jamón de Serón PGI

Cured ham obtained from the haunches of pigs (castrated males and females) from one of the following breeds or cross-breeds: Duroc, Large White, Landrace, Blanco Belga, Pietrain and Chato Murciano, and produced by a natural drying and maturing process.

Tasting notes

Red color and shiny appearance when cut, with fat partially infiltrating the muscle mass, a slightly sweet, not very salty flavor and a medium to intense aroma. The fat is of oily consistency, shiny, yellowish white in color, with a sweet flavor and an intense aroma, and partially infiltrating the muscle mass.


Other notes

"Jamón de Serón" is round in shape, with the hoof still attached, and presented with or without rind; in the latter case the skin is removed by making a "V"-shaped cut.
Traditional ham is large and fatty, produced over a long period of ripening.


Production / Processing method

The production process for "Jamón de Serón" must be carried out within the defined geographical area and consists of the following steps in chronological order:

1.   The haunches are received at the plant.

2.   First bleeding.

3.   Salting.

4.   Washing.

5.   Second bleeding.

6.   Post-salting.

7.   Nautral drying and maturing.

8.   Application of lard and completion.

Because of the large size of the piece and the thickness of the fat, the ham needs long curing periods of over 16 months and even 20 for heavier hams, in order to obtain a product with the required minimum reduction of 35%. This lengthy curing period involves a period of at least 12 months of natural drying and maturing under the environmental conditions that prevail in Serón, to ensure that the ham passes through all seasons of the year with as many temperature and moisture fluctuations as possible. This also guarantees that the processes of fat liquefaction, infiltration and the biochemical processes of intermingling with the lean part of the ham, a fundamental part of developing the typical aroma of "Jamón de Serón", can take place. The ham can also be presented in packaged format, either boned or sliced, provided its quality and traceability are guaranteed.


Geography / Relief and climate

In the Almanzora basin that frames the municipal area of Serón, weather conditions are typically that of desert and steppe landscapes, and it can be regarded as the most arid basin on the entire European continent. Serón is in the Almanzora river basin in the province of Almería, which is on the southern side of the Iberian Levant facade, a sub-desert region in south-eastern Spain. It typically has an aridity index of between 0.2 and 0.5 plus an excess of solar energy, with an average of 3,000 hours of sun per year and very little rainfall, an annual average of less than 400 mm. This arid climate is the result of the location of the area in the south-east of Spain and is caused by the mountains of the East Andalusian Subbaetic System acting as a barrier against the Atlantic storms that bring the rain and that cross the Iberian Peninsula from west to east.

The steppe features of the weather in the Serón area are due to its specific geographical location in the Almanzora river valley, at the head of the valley and arranged on the northern side of the Sierra de los Filabres mountain range, at an altitude of between 800 and 900 meters. The area benefits from a countryside with low mountain Mediterrean vegetation and a specific micro-climate, characterized by dry air with low environmental relative humidity, low average temperatures in winter (4.6-5.5 °C), but without frequent frosts, and cool summers with average temperatures of below 23°C. Lastly, and very important for the natural drying and maturing process of the meat products, light north-westerly winds blow dry air throughout the year and there is a great deal of sunshine.


Regulatory Council

Consejo Regulador de la IGP Jamón de Serón
Plaza Nueva s/n
04890 Serón (Almería)
Andalusia
info@igpseron.es
www.igpseron.es


Sources:


 
Spanish Ministry of Agriculture

Regulatory Council, Jamón de Serón PGI

Serón (Andalusia)

Serón (Andalusia)