Inside the First Interham Awards, the New “Oscars” of the World's Best Ham

In a landmark celebration of Iberian ham excellence, the XXVI Concurso Caja Rural de Extremadura de Jamón Ibérico DO Dehesa de Extremadura crowned Dehesa de Solana with the prestigious Curación Extrema award. This new distinction showcases the extraordinary craftsmanship behind long-aged Iberian hams and reinforces Spain’s standing as a producer of some of the world’s best ham.

The event, part of the II Feria Agroalimentaria Espiga, brought together producers, chefs, and gastronomy enthusiasts to showcase the best of Extremadura’s cured meats and artisanal products. It was a night of tradition, flavour, and recognition for the patient art of curing ham to perfection.

What is Curación Extrema?

The Curación Extrema award is a new category recognizing hams aged for at least 40 months. These long-cured masterpieces are remarkable for their deep, intense flavours, delicate textures, and rich, complex aromas. By highlighting this category, the organisers celebrate the patience and dedication required to create a product that represents the pinnacle of Iberian ham craft, a genuine contender for the world's best ham.

Caja Rural de Extremadura organises the competition in collaboration with the Denominación de Origen Protegida (D.O.P.) Dehesa de Extremadura, which guarantees the highest quality and authenticity of the products submitted.

Dehesa de Solana Tops the Competition

Among a stellar group of entries, Dehesa de Solana stood out for its exceptional flavour and texture, earning the top prize in the Curación Extrema category. The winning ham was produced by Agropecuarias Cañas y Labrados, a ganadero renowned for his careful breeding and curing methods.

Other notable winners included:

Espiga Oro: Embutidos Morato and ganadero Santiago Pérez
Espiga Plata: Jamón y Salud and ganadera Ana Isabel Aceituno Reboto
Espiga Bronce: Embutidos Mota and ganadero Juan Luis Medina Casquete

These awards celebrate both tradition and innovation, recognising the producers who preserve the rich heritage of Iberian ham while also pushing the boundaries of flavour and quality.

A Gala Full of Culinary Stars

The awards ceremony gathered some of Spain’s most well-known culinary figures, like Pepe Rodríguez from MasterChef, Michelin-starred Henrique Sá Pessoa, and the famous chef Toño Pérez of Atrio. Their presence underscored the cultural value of Iberian ham and the dehesa’s key role in producing it.

Rodríguez highlighted the outstanding quality of the hams, explaining how the long curing process turns each leg into a true delicacy, with subtle layers of flavour and a melt-in-the-mouth texture truly deserving the title of the world’s best ham.

Celebrating Extremadura’s Gastronomy

The event also included workshops on sustainable eating, artisanal products, and live culinary demos, showcasing the region’s renowned gastronomic excellence. It wasn’t just a celebration of ham, but of Extremadura’s rich food culture, where tradition, innovation, and natural resources blend to create world-class delicacies.

Why Curación Extrema Matters

The Curación Extrema award isn’t just a prize; it celebrates the art, patience, and dedication that go into crafting the finest Iberian hams. Aged for several years in some cases, these hams develop rich umami notes, a silky texture, and a flavour profile that can rival the world’s best cured meats. It’s an authentic tribute to the enduring craft of Iberian ham-making and to the producers committed to exceptional quality.

Looking Ahead

The Concurso Caja Rural de Extremadura Premios Espiga remains one of the most prestigious contests for Iberian ham, celebrating tradition and innovation. With the launch of Curación Extrema, a new standard for top-quality hams is set, motivating producers to reach higher levels of excellence and keeping Iberian ham at the forefront of world gastronomy as one of the world’s best ham choices....LEARN MORE

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