Dry-Cured Ham 357
More recently, hams have been distributed as
boned pieces, where the bones have been
excised and removed and the piece com-
pressed in molds. Boned hams can be sliced
at the retailer shop or directly by consumers
at home. The commercial distribution, which
is growing very rapidly in the market, con-
sists of slices packaged under vacuum or
modifi ed atmosphere (Toldr á et al. 2004 ).
Quality of the Product
Color
The typical bright red cured color is due to
the formation of nitrosomyoglobin, which is
generated by the reaction of nitric oxide with
myoglobin. Of course, the intensity of color
increases with the concentration of myoglo-
bin, which is larger in muscles with an oxida-
tive pattern (Aristoy and Toldr á 1998 ), and
also tends to be larger in muscles from older
animals (Rosell and Toldr á 1998 ). Those
hams without added nitrate or nitrite present
a pinky - red color, which is assumed to be due
to a Zn protoporphyrin IX complex that con-
stitutes a major chromophore in dry - cured
ham (Moller et al., 2007 ). The polymeriza-
tion of this pigment is suggested to be due
probe to the bones ’ junction and then a rapid
sniffi ng detects the fl avor or any off - fl avor
inside the ham (Parolari 1996 ).
Extended Ripening
In some cases, as in the case of Iberian hams,
hams are submitted to ripening cellars at mild
temperatures for long periods of time, up to
24 months at temperatures 10 – 20 ° C and rela-
tive humidity of 65% to 82% (Est é vez et al.
2007 ). This long ripening time allows the
development of exquisite and intense fl avors
generated through further chemical and enzy-
matic reactions. The proteolysis phenomena
is very intense and large amounts of free
amino acids are generated; in most cases,
tyrosine crystals, which are quite insoluble,
may be observed as white spots on the cut
surface. These crystals, as well as typical
marbling, can be observed in Figure 20.5
where a cut section of dry - cured ham is
shown.
Final Product
Hams may be commercialized in several
ways. The traditional distribution was as an
entire piece (including the bone and foot).
Figure 20.5. Cut section of dry - cured ham. Tyrosine crystals can be observed as a small white spots.