DiningBuzz! - Fellow foodies -- is a Jamon Iberico worth splurging on for a friend's wedding gift?

Hi friends --

I'm thinking of getting a gift for a friend's wedding, and my idea is to buy a leg of Jamon Iberico. The running theme that this fits into is that he's a lifelong foodie, but bacon lover (cartoons, t-shirts, makes great food with it), and this would be like graduating to the top level of ham product. (I'll also get the couple a more traditional wedding gift).

My question -- do you think the stuff from a place like Latienda.com is worth the money? I personally haven't tasted Jamon Iberico or Bellota, so all I have is other people's rave reviews of it. But at >$700 for a whole leg, it's a steep investment to make without knowing.

Aside from going to Spain, sampling, and trying to smuggle one back, all I've got is your advice. Thanks!

This thread discusses purchasing Jamon's of different types

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/diningbuzz/857980-oh-my-god-jamon-iberico-pata-negra.html

Worth it is a totally subjective thing, and it's a huge jump from bacon to Jamon. They may love it and savor it, or they may just slice it up and eat it all in a week making ham sandwiches. I think it's a huge risk unless you know they love things like that, though it's certainly to be unique.

Personally, I would love one.

Not what you want to hear but ...........

Buying this for someone who hasn't expressed a passion for it seems risky. There's no link at all between bacon and Jamon Iberico - other than pork - and there'd be a storage challenge to boot.

I'd think of something else.

Yeah I wouldn't put it even near the category of "bacon." Plus, if you're going to have an experience with the ibérico, it should happen with all the cutting/stand supplies just for tradition. If your friends already were connoisseurs, that would be another thing.

Suggest you buy them some of the basic Jamon and let them play with that. Just because they are huge bacon lovers does not justify a leg of Iberico de Bellota. Bacon is cooked before eaten -- Iberico de Bellota is just sliced paper thin and left to melt in your mouth.

Huge difference between the two.

This is an entirely inappropriate suggestion :D ...... but if they like ham and bacon etc and are foodies - and assuming they live in a house ..... have you considered buying them a smoker with some starting supplies? Perhaps some books on curing, brining and smoking to go with it?

Thanks all, for the good ideas.

I agree it is a little risky, just because it's such a premium product + price,
even though I know they are aware of Iberico, the reputation, and would probably love it.

Maybe I'll test with a smaller investment of Jamon Serrano and see how it goes! Also, the smoker idea is great.

Home smoking won't only give them the potential for bacon and hams - but also fish, cheese, meats etc etc. It can be quite a consuming thing ... playing with different types of wood and material ..... and is also something that's more permanent as a wedding gift than just a shelf life thing.

Good luck.

Sounds like you've had some experience with this kind of equipment -- any suggestions? Thanks!

Sounds like you've had some experience with this kind of equipment -- any suggestions? Thanks!

Well some suggestions.

I have a smoker but it's a permanent brick built smoker that's basically using the plinth that supports and is under a mediteranean beehive oven. That might even be another suggestion. But if you google bradley ovens these ovens are fairly self-managed and I think would make a great wedding gift for a foodie.

eg

http://www.bradleysmoker.co.uk/images/products/smoker/smoker_exploded.jpg

I guess another suggestion would be the beehive oven. My one looks like this but is the larger model. It's mounted on a brick plinth and is great for pizza and all sorts of other med style dishes. It has a wooden door over the front and reach very high temperatures. It's wedding gift they'd really love and use a lifetime I guess:

http://mrpizzaiolo.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/beehive_oven.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_geE35Bikloo/Sm0KPWuLtVI/AAAAAAAACsw/evmhDUClN7w/s400/DSC05793.JPG

......... with door

http://www.alfrescoimports.com/images/ovendoor.jpg