Serrano ham

Meaning

1. 1noununcountable

   A Spanish ham that has been salted and air-dried for months, giving a deep savory flavor, and is sliced thinly and eaten without cooking.

   Grammar: Uncountable when talking about the food: some Serrano ham; a Serrano ham is a whole leg.

   Patterns

   • slices of Serrano ham
   • wrapped in Serrano ham

   We ordered a plate of Serrano ham with fresh bread and olives.

   She wrapped dates in thin slices of Serrano ham.

   Serrano ham is saltier than cooked ham.

Common combinations

slices of Serrano ham

Thin slices of Serrano ham covered the plate.

cured Serrano ham

Cured Serrano ham keeps for months.

Serrano ham and cheese

I ordered a Serrano ham and cheese sandwich.

wrapped in Serrano ham

Melon wrapped in Serrano ham makes a good starter.

leg of Serrano ham

A whole leg of Serrano ham hung over the bar.

Synonyms and how they differ

jamón serrano

Jamón serrano is the Spanish name for the same product and appears on menus in Spain.

prosciutto

Prosciutto is the Italian dry-cured ham, which is usually sweeter and less intensely salty.

jamón ibérico

Jamón ibérico comes from a different breed of pig, costs far more and has a richer, nuttier taste.

cured ham

Cured ham is a general term for preserved ham of any country, while Serrano ham is specifically Spanish.

Word family

ham noun

meat from the leg of a pig

cured adjective

preserved with salt or smoke

serrano adjective

Spanish for from the mountains

charcuterie noun

cured meats such as ham or salami

Commonly confused: Serrano ham or prosciutto?

Practice

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