Prosciutto de Parma, Jamon Serrano, Jamon Ibèrico
This is a test for all prosciutto aficionados. Each one was examined, sniffed, tasted, savoured and described. Participate in the Tasting by including your opinion on which you think is which, and why.
Why? Just for fun, to test your tasting memory, and possibly win a copy of Michael Pollan’s In Defence of Food: a book every eater should definitely read.
I love shopping at The Italian Centre Shop, and found that they had Jamon Ibèrico there last week, so had to buy some, and had to buy the Serrano to compare it to, and then had to buy the Prosciutto di Parma to compare them to. How else would I know what I really liked. And, how else would I know if the Jamon Ibèrico was worth the $150 dollar a kilo price tag (cured for 2 years), according to my palate? I bought 200g of each and decided this would be the perfect choice for my January Tasting.
Heretofore, each of the above samples will be described as positioned above from left to right: Sample A, Sample B, and Sample C. Close up views of each sample in the same order, follow.
This month, the fortunate invitees to the Tasting, and “Official Tasters” were myself, my husband, Vanja, and our dear friend V, who has been known to have a very discerning palate in many circles. Well, all of us do!
So, back to the first photo. Sample A (far left) has an orange colour compared to the other two; it was shinier, and appeared to “stand” on the plate with more resistance. Sample B (middle) was the darkest flesh, and all three testers agreed it was the most appealing to the eye. Sample C was the pinkest and most delicate in colour; it was also least resistant to the gravity on the plate, at puddled into it.
And, back to the three close up photos. Sample A had a very unappealing smell to V. I didn’t care for the smell of any of them, but Sample B was most “meaty” in scent. Sample A was a bit off-putting, and Sample C was almost too mild to capture without burying my nose into it. Vanja, my husband, chose not to do any close up whiffing. Sample A was definitely the driest and a bit waxy. All three of us agreed to that. It’s texture had the most resistance and body. Sample B was was more varied. The mid section of each slice had more substance and give, but the ends of each slice were buttery tender. Sample C was butter tender throughout. Sample B was drier than Sample C, but not as dry as Sample A. Sample C, though we know it was cured, did not have any “dried” quality whatsoever.
Our friend, V:Â Â Â Â He didn’t like Sample A at all. He said the taste was tainted to him. The mouth feel of Sample A, to me, was “greasier” than the other two, but not in an off putting way. It was also shinier. He went back and forth from Sample B to C several times before he could really find his way through the tasting. He found that Sample B had more appealing flavour, but in such a subtle way, that it was almost difficult to discern. He felt the fat brought the sample to the highest standard, but preferred the texture of Sample A. I was so surprised that he found B and C to be similar in flavour. To both Vanja and I, Samples A and B were more similar. He was correct in identifying one of these samples.
My husband, Vanja: Â Â He was definite in his opinions, and quick with his findings: Sample A was robust, most flavourful, and had the best balance of fat and meat for his palate. He has always preferred this sample. I did this taste test with him before, and he chose the same one, unknown to him. He felt sample C was not flavourful, and that the texture was buttery, but the subtle flavour did not excite him. He was correct in identifying all three of these samples.
Valerie:Â Â Â I had selected Sample A as my favourite on the previous tasting with my husband. This time, I could not select a favourite. I could not discern anymore than the subtlest difference between Sample A and Sample B in flavour. Sample B was a less dry, more varied in texture, and had me salivating a little more than Sample A. That umami taste seemed to come from the mellow fat in Sample B. Sample C had by far the most delicate pink colour, was by far the most buttery tender, and also the subtlest of flavours. Each offering something really special, but Sample A and B were my taste favourites, and Sample C, my texture favourite. Sample B was the most appealing sample with the rich depth of colour that found each tester reaching for it, first.
The short version:
Sample A is saltiest, driest, most dense with a waxy feel (thanks Andy, for that word!).
Sample B is most flavourful, most appealing to the eye, and has the tastiest fat (but only subtley so)
Sample C is the least salty, most tender (butter tender), and most subtle in flavour
Now it is your turn.
Which do you think is which? Prosciutto di Parma, Jamon Serrano, or Jamon Ibèrico….
Sample A is the closest, and C is the furthest. Now, use your taste memory, and your research skills to participate in the process. Which do you think is which?
I will follow up with naming the winner, and with labeling each of the samples in the comment section of this article next Sunday, exactly one week from today! I am really looking forward to some participation from my readers, and I hope that tastings like this will initiate some heartfelt responses, memories, and personal stories.
We shall see!
Valerie,
Excellent article. I have been buying Iberian ham for a while now, it seems drier and more intense than the other two — luckily you don’t need whole lot of it ’cause it is pricey. All three rock though, wouldn’t it be great if all decisions in life had similar outcomes?
…and, what an appropriate article for me to find linked to my site!! I’ll be sure to return the favor (favour?) when I get home later…
–Andy
Oh my your site is gorgeous! What a masterpiece in itself, let alone the cooking! Wow 🙂
Boy, oh, Boy, Valerie – this little tasting has been read by so many people, but no one is participating in the contest. Do you think it is because they cannot actually TASTE the tasting?
(hehehehehohohohehahahaha)
I am not a clever little Canadian for nothing!
WOW: (words of wisdom) when doing a tasting contest, supply the food!ROLOL
(rolling over laughing out loud)
Love you, Valerie 😉
Beavie XO
I was lucky enough to try Iberian Acorn Ham sent from Spain. It just melted in your mouth…and the flavour…..
Well! Congratulations to…. drum roll please!!!!…. NO ONE! But that’s OK. I will give the book away again next weekend. Let’s see if I can change the requirements to just a comment to be in a draw. I made this too hard. Someone had to participate in guessing which was which. No one did.
So – here are the results!
Sample A: Jamon Serrano
Sample B: Jamon Iberico
Sample C: Prosciutto di Parma
The di Parma was the butter soft pink one, the Iberico the most visually appealling, and the Serrano the most dense one with the orange hue.
Vanja prefers the Serrano. Our friend V found that one off putting, and preferred the Iberico, but not at the vastly different price point. I found the Iberico to be the best, but really had to go back and forth a lot. For the price point of three times the other two, I will not buy it again. But, it was really fun!
I am guessing you live in the USA, If you cant tell the difference between the Jamon and Prosciutto in the photos you probably bought recebo jamon. It is a decent Jamon, but far inferior to the 5J jamon that we enjoy in Spain, unfortunately these hams are not FDA approved so they are impossible to buy in the USA. With Jamon it all depends of what they eat, if they eat only acorns (bellota jamon) etc. and how long they are cured, if you had tried the bellota jamon, the photos would be very different, since it is notably darker than any of the photos you have. If you are ever in Spain, try real Jamon, you will never want to buy anything else, and it is definitely not as pricey as the ones imported here, but it is better quality.
Maria!
Love your passion and knowledge! I know which is which; this was to be a visual “tasting” for my readers. As I am A Canadian Foodie, I hail from Canada and we get many of our incredible jamons here! Lucky us!
I completely agree with your assessment — I love Jamon Iberico, but it costs the same amount for a 1/4 pound as the Jamon Serrano for a pound (24.99 1/4 lb vs 24.99 for 1 lb), for only a small incremental improvement in taste. I’d rather get more ‘jam’ for my money.
Most people I serve the fine Spanish ‘jams’ do not even differentiate between prosciutto di Parma, but to me they have a much “stiffer” and “waxier” texture that I prefer…
–Andy
Exactly, exactly! I cannot tell you how excited I am to find you! I feel so understood! …and that is SO much cheaper than therapy! 🙂
Not sure about that, therapy may be cheaper than an Iberian ham session 🙂
Hi Valerie
Would the outcome of the tasting be affected by the quality of the jamon iberico – it comes in about 5 different gradings so I presume a “one star” jamon may not be as good as a “five star (acorn)” one. The cost of “5 acorn” iberico in Perth Western Australia is anything from A$400-1000 per kilogram!!!. Serrano is about half that price…. expensive stuff but etherial in taste and texture.
I am certain it would! I was told this was a grade A Iberico, but maybe not the best possible? Our Serrano is 49 Canadian a kilo, as is our di Parma. This was 150 a kilo and 2 years old… I am now going to double check to see if it is the “5 star acorn” one. On the counter they had a blurb about the acorn flavours in the fat, but I will get back to you. I want to know. I was really trying to taste that difference in the fat that I had read about, and, as I said, it was very subtle. Maybe the reason is it is not the “5 star acorn” one. I just called the store, and was told that this is not the 36 month “5 star Iberico” after a bit of discussion. That one is fed only acorns the last 6 months of its life, and then cured for 36 months. This one “forages” acorns, but eats other woodland food. The acorn fed Iberico would be 300 Canadian dollars a kilo, said Adam for the Italian Centre Shop, and he doesn’t believe he could sell it in this city. I begged for him to bring in one! 🙂
So, now I will be on the search for that one! Where did you taste it, Fiona?
And… you will now find if you do another search – that the Acorn Iberico was found and tasted, too… in March 2010.