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[July 14 Edit: The previously reported prices for the chorizo and salchichón are for 2-pound packages, not per pound. That makes these products far more tempting, doesn't it? Thank you NS of SF Gourmet for pointing out my error!]

The day that Spanish food lovers have been anxiously awaiting is finally here! The finest cured pork products produced on this planet are now available in the United States.

All photos are of the chorizo ibérico de bellota produced by Joselito, which is not the supplier of the products being imported into the U.S.*

In yesterday's New York Times, Florence Fabricant reported that Americans can now purchase Spanish ibérico pork products from the on line Spanish food retailer La Tienda. Thanks to a the joint efforts of the founder of La Tienda, Donald Harris, and one of my favorite chefs, José Andrés (of the restaurants Jaleo, Cafe Atlantico, minibar, and several others in Washington, D.C.), we can currently buy chorizo, salchichón (closer to salami), and, my personal favorite, lomo (pork loin cured with pimentón, Spanish paprika) made from the ibérico breed of pig that is native to Spain. Some time in the next 2 years, when the hams have had 9 to 12 22-28 months to cure, the fabled jamón ibérico will also become available (at long last!).

A few years ago, the U.S. government decided to lift its ban on the import of products made from Spain's ibérico pig (free trade - what's that?). However, American-based Spanish food lovers (meaning yours truly) have had to wait until a special slaughterhouse was built upon which the U.S.D.A. would deign to bestow it approval. (I imagine that the number of Spaniards that have suffered horrible jamón-related deaths because their slaughterhouses weren't up to American standards is equal to the number of French casualties attributed to eating unpasteurized Epoisses de Bourgogne. Zero. Don't get me started!).

Each type of embutido (the Spanish equivalent of the French word charcuterie or Italian salumi) is being imported in two versions. While both come from the meat of the ibérico breed of pig, which is also known as pata negra after the pigs' characteristic black hooves, a portion of the new imports is coming from those lucky free-range pigs whose diet is rich in acorns (bellotas) and thus bear the additional modifier de bellota. Interestingly, tests have shown that 50% of the lipid (fat) profile of the jamón ibérico de bellota is monounsaturated, the same healthy type as found in olive oil.

To give you an inkling of how special these ibérico products are, let's look at the world of Spanish ham, jamón. If you're lucky, you've tasted jamón serrano, which is regarded by most, including Italophile Mario Batali, to be better than the Parma hams of Italy (don't fret, Italians, you still have the World Cup). Only 2 producers of jamón serrano are permitted to export to the U.S. Jamón serrano (literally "mountain ham") makes up approximately 90% of Spain's ham production. The remaining 10% comes from the black-hoofed ibérico pigs, whose closest American equivalent would be the pigs we now refer to as "heritage breeds" (Red Wattle, Berkshire, etc.). Of those 10% that are ibérico, only 1 in 10 eat a diet high enough in acorns to be considered ibérico de bellota. These 1% of Spanish hams that bear the moniker jamón ibérico de bellota are universally regarded as the best in the world. Even French super-chef Joël Robuchon chooses to exclusively serve these rarefied hams at the coveted counter seats of his restaurant l'Atelier in Paris.

Now for the bad news. Like white truffles or beluga caviar, this degree of luxury carries a hefty price tag. La Tienda is selling the regular ibérico products for $49.50 per pound for a two pound package of the chorizo and the salchichón (making it just under $25 per pound) and $79.80 per pound for the lomo. If you want the best of the best, tack on another $20 per pound for the versions made from acorn-fed pigs. That means that you'll need to shell out $97 per pound (equivalent to 168€ per kg) for lomo ibérico de bellota. On top of that, you'll need to add on shipping charges.

Are these Spanish embutidos worth the high price? I won't answer that until I've had a chance to taste them. Returning to hams as an example, not all jamónes ibéricos de bellota are created equal. All are excellent, but some are better than others. As I mentioned in my post about my 10 favorite foods, those from Joselito in Guijuelo, specifically the gran reserva, are considered the finest in the world (and naturally this is the jamón that Robuchon and other top chefs serve). Will the embutidos ibéricos imported by La Tienda match these lofty standards? Perhaps not, but hopefully they will come reasonably close.

My one concern is that the U.S.D.A.-sanctioned methods will somehow diminish the unique flavor of ibérico de bellota in the same way that the U.S.D.A.-required pasteurization does for young cheeses like Epoisses. The sausages and hams are being produced by Embutidos y Jamones Fermín in the town La Alberca, which, the optimist in me notes, is only about 30 miles from the town where the Joselito products are produced.

Even a tiny taste of a mid-level lomo or chorizo ibérico de bellota will probably blow your mind and spoil you for life.

I dare you. Take the risk. Spoil yourself.

Act fast. According to the La Tienda website, current supplies are limited.

Alternatively, as Ms. Fabricant notes in her article, you can wait a few weeks for the products to have a chance to reach a high-end gourmet store near you. I'll be closely monitoring to discover which Bay Area stores will be carrying these Spanish national treasures and to see how many American gastronomes will be willing (and able) to pay up to 5 times the price of prosciutto di Parma or jamón serrano.

You can also expect to find these delicacies on the menus of high-end and Spanish-inspired restaurants in the near future. Naturally, the 3 D.C.-area branches of Jaleo, the Spanish restaurant of José Andrés, are the first restaurants to serve the embutidos ibéricos, according to an article in last Sunday's New York Times.

I'll be interested to read about people's reactions to the prices and, in particular, to read about their experience of tasting the products.

It goes without saying that you have my guarantee that I will report any Bay Area embutido ibérico sightings and, in particular, tastings on this website. I request that my local readers please return the favor!
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* Because I do not yet have samples to photograph, I shamelessly lifted the tantalizing photos of chorizo ibérico de bellota from the gorgeous website of Joselito, the premier Spanish ham producer. When I'm next in Spain (next month!), I promise to eat as many of their embutidos and jamones as is humanly possible to make up for my ethical lapse. I also strongly urge you all to buy Joselito products!

Comments

[Guru]

Yes! they are worth it! .... my mouth waters just thinking of "caña de lomo", "jamón de jabugo" .... mmmmmm! Spanish treasures! :)

Nice blog!

[Tana]

We recorded Bourdain's "No Reservations" and watched his episode on E Bulli last night: Ferran Adria took him to get some jambon. Ooooh, baby, was I drooling.

[Marc]

It's great to read about these historic foods. The June 17 episode of Good Food on KCRW radio had an interesting interview with Mr. Harris of La Tienda. The audio can be streamed here, and also downloaded through iTunes and other podcasting programs.

[nopisto]

You're comming to Spain?

Send me an email if you want some imput or meet.

[lobstersquad]

Oh, man. I´m scared. Now you´ll buy all the stuff in the States, and we´ll be left with nothin´.
Just kidding. I´m very glad for you, of course. It´s good to spread the good word of iberico all over.

[Lindy]

I'm afraid I irritated my companions on my one and only trip to Spain, by obsessively plotting various methods for bringing some home with me.
This is good, yet sad news, for the money is just not there for me.

[Joycelyn]

hi, awesome post! real bellota ham is certainly worth every cent of its exotic price tag. what i'm really curious to know is what had to be/was altered in the name of meeting usda standards? the equivalent of hoofless legs of prosciutto san daniele? or pasteurised epoisse like you so acutely pointed out?...i look very much forward to your tasting review!

[Martha]

What marvelous news! I can't wait till you have a taste and can advise us on whether or not to start saving up.

[Ivonne]

To heck with saving! I'll just sell a kidney ... bring on the lomo!

[Brett]

Guru, lomo is one of my faves, too. And Jabugo produces fantastic jamón (esp. Cinco Jotas).

Tana, I've been to the same shop in Barcelona that Bourdain and Adrià sampled their jamón. It's called Jamonísimo and it's truly amazing.

Marc, thanks for the link. Great little show. I'm adding it to my podcasts and will listen to it this weekend.

Nopisto, yes, I'll send you an email soon. It would be fun to meet. I'm just going for a short trip, all in Catalunya.

Lobstersquad, I understand that some Spaniards are concerned. No worries, though. We can only buy the one or two brands that meet our government's agricultural standards. Joselito or Cinco Jotas can't be exported to the U.S. So most of the good stuff will stay in España!

Lindy, yes, I totally sympathize about the price. Now you know what to request for Christmas and birthdays! Also, start saving change. Gives a whole new meaning to "piggy bank."

Joycelyn, give me time. I'll get your answers soon and post again.

Martha, I can't imagine the chorizo and salchichón won't be worth it, especially given my earlier mistake that means that the price is half of what I had thought. But really, it's the lomo that has the potential to be transcendant. Hence the high price tag. I've ordered a chorizo for now and will let you know my opinion.

Ivonne, very funny! (You were joking weren't you?)

[yoony]

hi brett,

thanks for sharing this awesome informations! i probably would have found out months later. i love pork and ham so this didn't take much thinking about. i got the Bellota Iberico Lomo, Iberico Chorizo 'Longaniza' and Iberico Salchichon 'Longaniza'. i'm so excited! thanks for the post!

[michael]

this is the first time i have seen your site, and it's great by the way.
i purchased all three of the bellota products from la tienda in june. i have been hoarding them for a couple of weeks now. yesterday a power outage in palo alto interrupted our staff's chesapeake crab fest. after we weighed our options we decided to open only our bar and pantry...and my embutidos were the star of the show. by 7:30 all of the embtidos were gone but a stroke of good fortune restored our power just a few minutes later. the fermin products are excellent, but as someone mentioned, they are not joselito. the lomo is definately my favorite. after yesterday's success, we have decided to serve the embutidos on a regular basis-inventory permitting
i still have a bit of the joselito ham left, but i probably will not be sharing it with any of our customers

[Ernest]

I sell Cinco Jotas (Jabugo) and Joselito (Guijuelo) in Europe. These products are the most healthy and delicious elements of the Spanish diet. They really worth the price and the (current) risk.

[Oliver Clive]

In my opinion, the purity of the air, the purity of Iberico Hams and the distance from any industrial belt makes Cinto Jotas better than the Joselito Ham.
This is my personal opinion and dont get me wrong, Joselito is still a good ham however Cincos Jota swins my vote.