Spanish Serrano ham reserva sliced to order and dispatched direct from Andalucia.
We can remember when local butcher Julian agreed to supply us with what is now the Orce Serrano Ham Reserva. At the time it was named the "150 Reserva" due to only 151 being available (the extra one was for us:) Fortunately now, due to the phenomenal success of the 150 reserva Julian has been curing the reservas for a good few extra months now.
So whats the difference? In a nutshell its all about size and flavour intensity. Reserva hams tend to be larger examples because they have to hang for longer, bigger hams are chosen for the 16 month curing.
Flavour - the important part! A reserva ham hangs for at least 10 - 12 weeks longer than a bodega ham (sometimes also known in Andalucia as "curado" or "campo" ham) With curing comes maturing, a well matured ham will boast an immediate aroma, reserva examples have a slightly stronger aroma, more intense flavour and have a more velvety texture.
Is the difference noticeable? In a word, yes. If you know your Spanish jamon you will recognise a quality well cured example as soon as your knife carves the first slice. All this of course is not to take away from 12 month cured "bodega" hams which, in their own right are superb, milder in flavour and perhaps a little smaller but ultimately a great Spanish ham.
The Orce Reserva ham is now available in slices, pack sizes are 250g and 500g half kilo size. To celebrate the launch of these two new lines we are also giving away free complimentary tapas (almonds whenever possible which are a great pairing!) to accompany each pack of sliced ham.
Need more info on Spanish ham, fancy venturing into the world of Iberico? Drop us a line and and we will be more than happy to help.
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