Jamon Iberico - Page 2

This is the one I had in work and wrote about 5 weeks ago 17Lbs $1431.00 from the caves in the mountains aged at least 5 years. Wars were built around these hams, way back when, they are good but not 1400.00 good.

About 10 years ago, I brought a fair-sized piece of wild boar prosciutto back from Tuscany to the U.S. The shop vacuum-sealed it and marked it with a tag in several languages. The customs people looked at it, then passed it. I don't know much about the laws on this stuff, but I do know that there is not nearly the absolute ban on foodstuffs and plants that people often think. There may well be a duty, of course -- I wouldn't know. I certainly wouldn't do it without knowing in advance: if they say you can't have it, you're out a lot of money, to say nothing of the heartache.

Last time my dad came from France to visit us (with tons of chocolate, duck confit, cassoulet, candied chestnuts, calissons, orange confit, REAL Dijon mustard, fleur de sel, herbes de provence, etc, etc... - basically enough to open a grocery store!), when it was time for him to fill up the customs form, the unnamed-airline employee told him:

"You never heard this from me, but I suggest you declare that you have no food at all".

He followed the advice and it worked fine (which doesn't prove anything).

Obviously, a whole ham may be harder to smuggle.

In my experience, there are less chances of getting annoyed with sealed containers (cans, bottles, jars, etc...). I haven't tried sous-vide items, but custom officers probably like them better than, say a fresh cheese in paper wrap!!

Modified List of EU Products Subject to Additional Duties


The 100% tariff on Iberico ham won't be the only increase we'll see :cry:

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

dan

I bought back many foods from Europe many times and when right through customs. The foods were all cooked or processed not raw. I also bring back plants but I have a permit from the Dept of Agriculture I told them I bring back Orchids and Bromiliads., No Problems.:bounce:

In the March issue of Gourmet Magazine, there is a brief picture-story about the Jamon Iberico. Very interesting. Some of distinctive flavor of the meat is because of their diet of mostly acorns.

an older picture of some Iberico bellota and fresh harvested Spanish olive oil taken at work

 

  

 

 

 

The current picture of the side by side tasting of Iberico bellota jamon and Iberico bellota paleta

 

 

Some time has passed since I first got introduced to Iberico products.  Since that time I've had an opportunity not only to try several different Iberico products but also many different types of quality prosciutto and jamon.  Within the Iberico family each and every piece not only ranks at the top for taste and quality, but each also stands quite well on it's own.

 

   I recently had the privilege to buy some Iberico bellota paleta (shoulder).  Again, the paleta had enough similarities to its jamon brethren to sit at the top of its class, yet differed by more than enough to be served happily along side of it as well.  In the first tastes of this side by side comparison I would try to decide which Iberico it was that I enjoyed more.  But in the end I just enjoyed them both until my plate was cleaned.

 

    I currently have enough Iberico bellota jamon and paleta to last me another month or two.  When the time comes to get some more I may have a difficult choice on my hands...

 

   two ham or not two ham: that is the question

  dan 

Edited by gonefishin - 8/13/10 at 8:30pm

Yeah had tons of it in Spain and they now sell it at the counter at my local high end grocier.  Much better than prosciutto IMO.

   breakfast the other day...

 

 

   

 

 

   Poached quail eggs sitting atop some Iberico bellota jamon and paleta topped with fleur de sel and drizzled with a nice Spanish olive oil.

My first taste of jamon Iberico was at L'Atelier in Vegas about 2 years ago. We saw this leg of ham set on the counter and didn't know what it was. We asked our server and he told us about the ham. We, of course, had to add an order. We were in love at first bites. 

 

Since then, it occasionally makes it on the menus of our local restaurants. We even had a chance to try other Iberico parts at a restaurant. Thankfully, it is also available at the local Spanish store, Spanish Table, and occasionally makes it to the deli case of a high end market.

 

When we were in Hong Kong a few weeks ago, there were legs of different grades of Iberico legs hanging at a fancy Supermarket. I so wish that I live next to that place! Even better, we went to a brunch buffet that served jamon Iberico!

   Hi BabyTiger,

 

     A friend of mine just got back from a business trip to Spain.  He was sending me pictures of Iberico jamon that was everywhere, truly a beautiful thing!

 

 

  go jamon!

  dan

Pata negra.  Mmmm.  *salivates*

I remember trying it when I was young on a trip to Europe. Sadly, I don't really remember much about it, except I didn't think it tasted like ham (I was 8). However, I just found out a local grocer carries it for 99.99 a pound. Guess who's stopping by the grocery store on the way home from work!

I just had a daymare of my counter-surfing, fridge-opening Boxer devouring $200 worth of pata negra without so much as a single mastication.  Yikes.

 

 

  Oh no! 

 

 

 

  But really, could you blame any animal for wanting to devour all of it?

 

 

   so sorry...

 

 dan

 

 

 

  some places serve it with the fat trimmed off completely...I just don't get that???

I don't get it either.  Haven't those folks ever heard of Queen??  "Fat bottomed jamon iberico you make the rockin' world go 'round".  Geez.

I saw Mike Voltaggio use this stuff on a salmon dish on his last hurrah at his last restaurant... Stuff sounds quite delicious, though I don't know when I'll ever get a chance to try it.