World's Best and Most Expensive Ham_ Acorn Ham (Jamón Ibérico) _ Free Documentary

Free Documentary

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.

Transcript

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.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended