Serrano Ham Production

Spanish Cured Ham of Guaranteed Quality

Spain is the world's largest producer of air-dried-cured ham: approximately 38.5 million cured hams and shoulders are produced each year. Spain is also its number one consumer: each Spaniard eats almost 5 kg of cured ham a year, double what the Italians eat. Although named after the landscape of where it was first known to be produced (“serrano”, meaning mountain), Consorcio Serrano ham is produced throughout Spain, with production methods varying from region-to-region and from producer-to-producer.

For more information, download The core of Spanish gastronomy (PDF, 680KB)

How is Ham Cured in Spain?

The procedure for curing ham is a relatively simple process and requires only a few steps:
• Salting
• Resting or post-salting
• Maturing-desiccation
• Aging-refining

Production of the ham is carried out in modern installations called “secaderos” or drying rooms. Each “secaderos” boasts the latest technology to assure a high level of hygiene and quality. The environmental conditions and temperature found in the mountains are reproduced in the drying rooms.

The curing process begins with low temperatures and high humidity eventually leading to an increase in the temperature while decreasing the initial humidity. This allows for the gradual, natural and spontaneous transformation of the product. The ham is cured for each season: winter, spring, summer, and fall.

How to Recognize Consorcio Serrano Hams? »