What's the difference between Prosciutto, Jamon Serrano and Speck?
Jamon Serrano and Prosciutto appear to be pretty much the same thing. Both are dried cured (and pressed) pig legs. Speck appears to be the same thing, but made with different cuts of pork.
Is there actually a functional difference in them? Or is the difference in flavour simple due to regional variations (climate, moulds etc.)
Best Answer
Differences are mainly a question of origin. Speck comes from Tyrol (it actually means "bacon" in german, which is misleading) and is prepared with a specific blend of spices, usually including juniper, Jamon Serrano from Spain (it means "mountain ham" in spanish) and is a dry-cured ham, and prosciutto just means "ham" in italian.
There are plenty of differences in flavor, consistency and aspect, depending on the difference of preparation: ripening, spices and herbs and so on.
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Quick Answer about "What's the difference between Prosciutto, Jamon Serrano and Speck?"
Jamon Serrano and Prosciutto appear to be pretty much the same thing. Both are dried cured (and pressed) pig legs. Speck appears to be the same thing, but made with different cuts of pork.Is speck and prosciutto the same?
A sandwich made with one of these cured meats barely needs condiments: Prosciutto \u2013 Made from the hind leg of the pig, rubbed with salt and spices, and air-dried. Speck \u2013 A pork-product very similar to prosciutto, this meat is smoked as a final step in the curing process.Is speck better than prosciutto?
This unique spice mix gives speck a more intense flavor. Due to a slightly different manufacturing process, speck features a deep, smoky flavor and a darker color. It's also denser and has an elastic texture. Finally, speck tends to be leaner than prosciutto, containing less fat and more meat by weight.Is prosciutto and jamon serrano the same?
Both prosciutto and jamon Serrano come from similar breeds of white pig, but each have a different flavour and texture. Italian prosciutto has a sweet, delicate flavour and a less dry texture than Spanish jamon serrano. which in turn has is of a deeper red colour and is more intense in flavour.Which is better Serrano or prosciutto?
Prosciutto ham and Serrano ham are two kinds of paper-thin sliced ham that both come from the same breed of pig. However, in comparing Serrano Ham vs Prosciutto, they have a different flavor. Prosciutto is a milder, sweeter flavor and Serrano has a more intense flavor.Minecraft wait what meme part 258 (Scary Alex-Endetman)
More answers regarding what's the difference between Prosciutto, Jamon Serrano and Speck?
Answer 2
Disclaimer: This answer doesn't include anything about Speck.
There is a great article by Roberta Schira where the differences between Prosciutto di Parma and Jamón Iberico are explained.
I'll try to summarize the article below, but please check the full article which has many more details...
... they are both raw hams but entirely different. Both belong to the category of top quality cold cuts, both are eaten sliced and both are made from the leg of pork.
The essential difference between these two ham varieties is that Parma raw ham can be enjoyed as an ingredient or accompaniment, while Jamón Iberico is religiously consumed on its own.
Appearance
Prosciutto di Parma has a rounded shape. The ham slice is red with white fat only around the outside edge. When cut, the slice should not look shiny but moist.
Jamón Iberico is coral red in colour with infiltrations of fat and the cut slice is small and rectangular in shape.
Production area
The Italian prosciutto is produced in Parma province in Italy, whereas the Spanish ham comes from the regions of Salamanca, Extremadura and Andalusia in Spain.
Aging process
Prosciutto di Parma is aged for at least 12 months. The ageing process of Iberico ham ranges from 24 to 36 months.
Pig breeds
Only the 100% Italian natural meat of traditional pig breeds of Large White and Landrace are selected, raised on a diet of genuine foodstuffs such as corn, barley and whey, aged at least 9 months and weighing on average 160 kg.
Authentic Iberico ham must be made entirely from the meat of black Iberian pigs, left free to roam in a pasture where they feed off oak acorns, as well as the aromatic herbs growing wild.
Cut
Prosciutto di Parma is machine cut into extremely fine slices. Jamón Iberico is hand carved.
Ingredients
Nothing but salt is used to produce Prosciutto di Parma and it is forbidden to use chemical substances, preservatives or any other additives. Neither is smoking or freezing permitted.
Preservatives are allowed in the production of Iberico ham, even though producers do not all use the same ones.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Heather Jonasson, Pavel Sadilov, Mike van Schoonderwalt, Mike van Schoonderwalt