by jamonify

WHY DO HAMS HANG?

Published : 03/30/2020 22:49:24
Categories : Iberico Acorn fed Ham, pure Pata Negra. Rss feed , News Rss feed

WHY DO HAMS HANG?

 

 

Why do hams traditionally hang in Spanish bars?

 

When we enter into a typical Spanish bar, food store or restaurant, tourists are very surprised to see many hams hanging from the ceiling.

 

The main reason hams hang is practical, hanging hams are cured better as humidity reduces and the fat excess drops very slowly. That´s why we see a plastic article at the bottom of each ham called sombrerito or chorrera (little hat) in Spanish that collects the fat dripping. But the question of why the hams hang at everybody’s sight at the bars still rings in our head.

 

The reason has nothing to do with advertising or marketing, which could be as it is a perfect product display, there are some theories about the reason and we have to dig in its historical sense.

 

We have to go back to the Middle Age between X and XIV centuries in Spain. During this time Christians and Jews coexist in the Iberian Peninsula.

 

There were more and more conflicts between Jews and Christians, the Inquisition prosecuted mainly the Jews. As Jews were forbidden to eat pigs’ meat by their religion, Christians began to hang cured pork meat products in visible places to clearly distinguish themselves from Jews and avoid being considered Jews. 

 

 iberico ham

 

In taverns and bars especially in the city of Seville, hams were hung in very evident places so patrons could notice in these places pork was consumed and Jews were not welcome.

 

This habit finally became a tradition that has been followed until our days and has become the best way to cure and preserve a ham.

 

Therefore choose a dark dry place to cure a  good Iberico Acorn Ham like Jamonify, this way humidity and fat excess will disappear as it dries up, getting the best preserved ham, ready to be eaten the moment you wish 

 

Share this content

You must be register

Clic here to register

Add a comment