As a cured ham enthusiast living in Chicago, I’m always on the hunt for new and exciting varieties to try. And when it comes to rich, complex flavored hams, nothing quite compares to authentic Iberico ham imported from Spain. From its signature marbling to its exquisitely nutty taste, Iberico ham offers an unforgettable culinary experience. But where can you actually find and taste this Spanish delicacy in the Windy City?
In this guide I’ll share the top destinations for savoring legitimate Iberico ham in Chicago. These specialty stores and restaurants allow you to appreciate every nuance of flavor in the authentic jamón ibérico de bellota. Keep reading to start your own Iberico ham adventure in Chicago!
Seek Out Specialty Shops for Purchasing Iberico Ham
One of the best ways to try real-deal Iberico ham is to visit Chicago’s Spanish and gourmet specialty shops. These small businesses pride themselves on importing authentic hams directly from Spain. Here are some of my favorite spots to pick up quality Iberico:
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Gene’s Sausage Shop & Delicatessen – This beloved Chicago institution always has a selection of imported Iberico ham available for purchase You can choose from “jamón ibérico de cebo” (acorn-fed) or “jamón ibérico de bellota” (free-range pigs) Their knowledgeable staff can help you pick the perfect Iberico ham for your taste and budget.
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Friendo Market – This artisan Spanish market in West Town has an impressive showcase piled high with different Iberico ham varieties. Choose from sliced packets or whole legs. Friendo’s also stocks Iberico chorizo and pork loin for a complete Spanish charcuterie experience.
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Pastoral – With multiple locations around Chicago, Pastoral is my go-to for indulgent gourmet foods. Their deli cases feature sealed Iberico ham slices as well as pre-packaged Iberico chorizo and salchichón. Pastoral often hosts in-store tastings, which is the perfect opportunity to try Iberico ham for yourself.
Dine at Restaurants for Iberico Ham Experiences
Chicago’s dining scene has embraced jamón ibérico in recent years. Many Spanish restaurants now offer Iberico ham plates, tasting menus, and charcuterie flights that allow you to sample this fine delicacy. Here are some restaurants where you can experience Iberico ham in Chicago:
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Café Ba-Ba-Reeba! – This fun tapas joint serves up authentic Spanish cuisine, including multiple Iberico ham selections. Opt for the “Iberico ham tasting” to sample Acorn-fed, Recebo and Cebo varieties side-by-side. Their ham carving tableside adds to the experience.
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Bohemian House – At this lively River North restaurant, Iberico ham stars in their Spanish charcuterie boards. Try it solo or paired with other Spanish meats and cheeses. They also use Iberico ham on specialty montaditos sandwiches.
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Bar Ramone – If you want to indulge, Bar Ramone offers a whole grilled Iberico de Bellota ham served with grilled pan de coca flatbread. It’s quite a spectacle watching it being sliced tableside!
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The Publican – This meat-centric restaurant offers an ever-changing selection of imported hams, including the prized Iberico de Bellota. Try it as part of their ham flight to compare different varieties.
What Makes Iberico Ham So Special?
After trying it yourself at a Chicago restaurant or store, you’ll quickly realize what makes Iberico ham so special. Here are just a few reasons why it’s in a league of its own:
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Exclusively from Black Iberian Pigs – This rare Spanish breed produces the most flavorful ham.
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Acorn-Fed Diet – Foraging acorns and herbs impart a complex, nutty flavor.
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Free-Range – Iberico pigs roam oak groves freely, which enhances the ham’s quality.
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Long Curing Time – Hams cure for upwards of 3 years, developing deep, complex aromas.
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Marbled with “Oleo” Fat- This visible fat melts in your mouth while releasing bursting flavors.
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Nutty, Sweet, Savory – The flavor profile is truly like no other ham.
Iberico ham offers a completely unique eating experience thanks to generations of Spanish producers perfecting time-honored traditions. With its melt-in-your-mouth texture and robust, savory flavors, it’s easy to see why Iberico ham is often called the “Wagyu beef of cured hams.”
Serving Suggestions and Uses for Iberico Ham
One of the joys of Iberico ham is discovering all the delicious ways it can be prepared and served. Here are just a few of my favorite uses for this incredible ingredient:
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Enjoy it solo as is. Iberico ham needs no accompaniments to shine thanks to its rich flavor.
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Pair it with crusty bread. The nutty ham is perfectly offset by a crunchy baguette or toast points.
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Create charcuterie boards. Combine thinly sliced Iberico ham with cheeses, olives, nuts and dried fruit for a Spanish-style spread.
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Mix it into salads. Chopped Iberico ham makes a phenomenal addition to any salad, from spinach to pasta.
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Fold it into omelets and egg scrambles. The ham adds a pop of flavor to breakfast dishes.
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Toss it with pasta. Iberico ham transforms simple pasta dishes into a luxurious meal.
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Use it on pizzas. Slivers of Iberico ham make pizza extra decadent.
The options are endless! Iberico ham is one of the most versatile and flavorful ingredients you can use in your cooking.
Embark on an Iberico Ham Tour of Chicago
Maybe your tour starts by picking up some packaged ham at Pastoral to enjoy a tasting at home. Or perhaps you go all out and book the Iberico ham tasting menu at Café Ba-Ba-Reeba. Combine a meal with carving tableside ham with a stop at Gene’s for some sliced ham to take home after.
However you plan your Iberico ham tour of Chicago, you’re sure to fall in love with the singular experience of savoring Spain’s most esteemed delicacy. The complex aroma, silky texture, and robust nutty flavor make jamón ibérico truly unforgettable. Let the Iberico ham adventures begin!
Was it carved by hand?
An exaggerated amount of care and attention goes into raising and curing the iconic Pata Negra. It’s only right to carve the leg with the same delicate care. In Spain, a proper Jamón 100% Ibérico de Bellota is always carved by hand. Artisans dedicate their entire lives to perfecting the art of carving a jamón. At your next Spanish birthday party, you can even hire one of these people to cut up a jamón. These guys and gals take every crevice and corner of the creamy, fat-streaked ruby flesh seriously.
Jamón carvers don’t work for the show, though carving is an artful spectacle to witness. The delicacy of hand carving preserves the silken textures, powerful aromas, and complex flavors. Unfortunately, not all packaged jamón is hand-carved, and is instead machine-sliced. A machine-sliced jamón is first deboned and pressured into a rectangular block. The block is later placed in a low temperature environment to harden and sliced with high-speed blades. If you machine-slice a simple Jam%C3%B3n%Ib%C3%A9rico%20or%20Jam%C3%B3n%Serrano, it won’t have as much of an effect on the final product because the cellular structure isn’t as delicate as a%20100%%20Ib%C3%A9rico%de%20Bellota. But all of that rough handling can change the details and textures of a fine item like a real Pata Negra. If you want to preserve years of careful curing, make sure you buy hand-carved jamón.
There are a few brands out there producing 100% Ibérico de Bellota. Some stores sell jamón that looks like it was “hand-carved,” but it’s actually machine-sliced to look like it was hand-carved. We stand by a true, hand-carved Pata Negra. And we’re the only ones in the U. S. doing it exactly the way it’s been done in Spain for hundreds of generations.
Is it 100% Ibérico de Bellota?
Spain is internationally known for pork, and most importantly the cured pork. There are a few different varieties like Jamón Serrano, the lowest quality Spanish ham, and Jamón Ibérico. But our Jam Ibérico de Bellota is what makes us different from Italy, France, and other culinary powerhouses. Pata Negra is another name for these cured legs that hang from the ceilings of every bar in Spain. They come from pure-bred Iberian pigs that live on the peninsula. Some types of Jamón Ibérico and Serrano come from pigs of mixed breeds, which changes the taste and amount of healthy fats. If the packaging on your sliced jamón doesn’t say 100% ibérico, look elsewhere.
The black-hoofed Iberian pigs spend their days roaming freely in Spanish pastures, eating meadow grasses and acorns in the fall and early winter. The acorns, bellotas, fatten up these all-day-eaters and give the meat an unmatchable nutty character. This is the “de bellota” tagline you’ll see on the best Spanish hams in the world.
You may find packaging with pictures of these iconic acorns. Though the graphics are creative, they don’t ensure that the pigs are truly free-range nor de bellota. At some point in their lives, they might eat acorns, but most likely they’re also getting fat on farm feed. Natural Spanish grasses and a lot of acorns from holm oak trees are what Iberian pigs have eaten for hundreds of years. They don’t get any antibiotics or hormones. These pigs are turned into real jamón, the healthiest and best cured pork that has won over every tourist who has been to the peninsula. Stay true to tradition and quality. Look for 100% Ibérico de Bellota and none other.
How to buy a WHOLE JAMÓN!
FAQ
Can you get Iberico ham in the US?
Is Iberico ham better than prosciutto?
What is the best Iberico ham in the world?
Which is better Iberico and Serrano ham?
Can ibérico ham withstand FDA regulations?
Since its introduction to the U.S. market in 2007, only a few brands have been able to withstand the impossible FDA regulations coupled with already rigid quality standards of sliced Ibérico ham in Spain. Each of us is doing important and difficult work—bringing jamón to North America is an outstanding feat in and of itself.
How much does a ibérico ham weigh?
Love it Free Range, Grass-fed, Purebred Ibérico ham. Includes: Ham Holder & Ham Knife. Approx weight 16 lb! 1-5 Days Free Shipping. Free Range, grass-fed, purebred ibérico shoulder ham. Includes: Ham Holder & Ham Knife.
What is an Ibérico ham leg?
An Ibérico ham leg consists of four distinctive parts: the punta, babilla, maza, and jarrete. Each part has its own unique aroma, flavor, and texture. In southern and western Spain, these parts can be paired with different kinds of Sherry, depending on whether it’s sweeter or drier, fatty or more fibrous.
What is Jamón Ibérico?
Jamón Ibérico is a type of Spanish ham. To the untrained eye and palate, a ham is just a ham, but with so many types on the market, it can be difficult to know which is the best. When it comes to Spanish ham, it is a ham from Spain—usually, one entire pig leg or shoulder, sliced into short, rectangular, paper-thin sheets. Knowledge is power when it comes to choosing this delicacy.