World's Best and Most Expensive Ham: Acorn Ham (Jamón Ibérico) | Food Documentary
One of the best and most expensive hams in the world comes from Andalusia in Spain.
Visit the Pig Farmer and the factory where it's produced.
One of the best and most expensive hams in the world comes from Andalusia in Spain.
Visit the Pig Farmer and the factory where it's produced.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00The
00:26new field is full of holm and cork oaks.
00:29There's enough room for everyone.
00:36It's important to Armando that his pigs get enough exercise.
00:40When they run around, the fat is distributed evenly through their muscles.
00:45In spring, they prefer to eat fresh clover.
00:48But from the autumn onwards, the pigs should eat belotas, acorns.
00:53That gives the ham its nutty flavour.
00:57The acorns are still very small.
01:01But we can calculate how many animals they'll feed.
01:05The longer they eat nothing but acorns, the better the quality of the ham.
01:11This year, the quality will be very, very good.
01:18One thing is troubling, Armando, however.
01:20The cork oak crisis.
01:22He can't live off selling ham alone.
01:25Breeding pigs simply takes too long.
01:27That's why he regularly peels the cork bark from the trees and sells it.
01:32All the farmers of this area do that.
01:34But for some time now, it hasn't really been worthwhile anymore.
01:38Fewer and fewer real corks are used for wine bottles.
01:49Many producers are switching to plastic because it's cheaper.
01:53But that's a problem because the entire ecosystem depends on us using the acorns and the bark.
02:01The first pig farmers are giving up and are looking for work elsewhere.
02:07It's better than abandoning their exploitation and going to work other things.
02:14Armando hasn't reached that point yet.
02:19He goes to the ham factory in town as often as he can.
02:24It's one of the oldest in the region.
02:26Armando wants to see how his ham is doing.
02:38He had 80 pata negra pigs slaughtered here around three months ago.
02:42These joints are ready, but Armando's hams still need a lot more time.
02:59They have to dry and ripen for up to three years before they get the factory's seal.
03:04Armando is walking through the factory's sacred halls together with agricultural vet Carmen Blanco.
03:10The ham spends the summer sweating out its fat in the secadero, the drying room.
03:17It already smells delicious.
03:31The secret to making ham is a cold room full of salt, but not any old salt.
03:36It's sea salt.
03:41It contains no additives.
03:44The Costa de la Luz has the best salt fields in the whole of Spain.
03:52The salt refines the ham's flavor and preserves it.
03:59Although it's a risk not to use any additives, it increases the quality.
04:04Well, there's a risk, but there's a quality.
04:08I think natural production is best.
04:12Carmen brought Armando's ham here after the pigs were slaughtered.
04:19The joints spent a good week in the salt.
04:22No, no, no.
04:25We are now getting started.
04:27You know that I feel like there's a pool.
04:28We know.
04:29They're hanging in another one of the factory's cold rooms.
04:32Armando checks whether the salt was absorbed well.
04:35He doesn't want to see any crusts or even mold.
04:37or even mold.
04:44The ham looks good
04:46and I like the way they cut it here.
04:49After it's salted,
04:51the ham stays in this room
04:52for 40 to 60 days.
04:57Usually for three months.
05:02Only then will Armando's ham
05:04be moved to the secadero,
05:05the last stage in the production process.
05:15Armando sells his ham all over Europe,
05:18but he keeps a few joints for the family.
05:30Can I take a little bit of ham?
05:35No, that's it, no.
05:37Daughter Natalia
05:38is allowed to have a go
05:39at carving the ham.
05:42Carving the ham
05:43is a ritual for them.
05:44Natalia
05:45is trying it
05:46for the first time today.
05:47In the beginning,
05:59I must have been just as bad.
06:05It takes a lot of practice.
06:07Served with the jamon de belota
06:11is homemade goat cheese
06:13and a glass of red wine,
06:15a typically Andalusian meal.