Alongside a tortilla at breakfast or croquetas and a glass of vermouth before dinner, Ibérico ham is a quintessentially Spanish food. Whether it be freshly sliced from the deli or packaged from the grocery store, it’s one of the ingredients that transcends the regional differences in Spanish cuisine.

“Jamón Serrano” is sometimes used as an umbrella term to describe all the dry-cured jamón produced in Spain but what it specifically denotes is cured ham made from “white” and/or non-Ibérico pigs. Jamón Serrano accounts for most of the cured ham consumed in Spain as it is more readily accessible than its counterpart, Jamón Ibérico. Jamón Ibérico is ham that has been produced using only Iberian-breed pigs. In order to produce Jamón Ibérico, farmers feed their Iberian pigs strict, high-quality diets including acorns and herbs that results in a ham that is far richer in taste and more marbled in appearance than Jamón Serrano.

At Boqueria we source our Jamón Ibérico from third-generation family producer Beher. Family-run suppliers like Beher across the Spanish Peninsula have been working for decades to keep up with growing demand while continuing to produce the highest quality product possible. While both Jamón Serrano and Jamón Ibérico are delicious, there is something special about the nutty flavors of Jamón Ibérico, particularly when paired with glass of dry sherry as they would in Andalucia. The next time you’re at Boqueria, give both types of jamón a try and see what you think of the difference.