Jamón Serrano is ‘cured’ or ‘ mountain-cured’ ham and Andalucia produces some of the very finest. The Iberico, a small brown pig native to the region and thriving on an exclusive diet of acorns from scrub oaks and cork trees, gives its name to the most superb – and most expensive – of the cured hams.
It is also sometimes known as ‘Pata Negra’ because the hams have a black trotter. Iberico ham is always served raw, but other hams are used locally in various popular dishes.
The most famous places in Andalucia for producing ‘jamón serano’ are Jaburgo in the Sierra de Arecena in Huelva province, the villages of Cumbres Mayores and Cortegana and Trevélez in the Alpujarras.
The ham from Trevélez is made from white pig and has been popular since the 18th century. The clean, dry mountain air makes it ideal for the curing process. Other cured hams are from Capileira, Lanjaron and Orgiva.