World's Best Ham by PataNegra.dk

For two days at the end of August, the Croatian town of Drniš became a true meeting point for food lovers, traditional producers, and guests from across Croatia and Europe. The 9th International Prosciutto Festival – Drniš 2026 brought one of Dalmatia's most famous culinary traditions into the spotlight, turning the town into a place filled with flavours, conversation and celebration. Held on August 28 and 29 at the Antun Mihanović Sports Hall, the festival attracted around thirty exhibitors. Producers of Croatian prosciutto were joined by guests from abroad, including representatives connected with the famous prosciutto tradition of Parma, Italy. But the event was about much more than tasting cured meat. For the people of Drniš, prosciutto is closely connected to family life, local customs and regional identity. A Friendly Duel Opens the Festival Before the official opening, visitors enjoyed an unusual and entertaining competition. Boris Miletić, the Prefect of Istria County, cha...

Spain has once again put one of its most iconic foods in the spotlight: jamón. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has opened the 2026 edition of the Alimentos de España Awards for Best Hams, a national contest that recognizes quality, tradition, and the skill behind Spanish cured ham. Applications are open until May 7, 2026, giving producers across the country the chance to present their best pieces. The goal is not only to choose a winner but also to promote Spanish ham as a product with a history, identity, and real craft behind it. Two Categories, One Big Tradition The awards are divided into two main groups. One is for Best Serrano Ham or other recognized quality figures, while the other focuses on Best Bellota Ibérico Ham, one of Spain's most famous gourmet products. To take part, producers must be based in Spain, and the company itself must make the ham. They also need to show a steady production record, including at least 1,500 pieces a year over the last three...

Dubrovnik had a distinct flavor in the air this April as it hosted the 12th Croatian Pršut Days on April 24 and 25, 2026. The event brought together pršut producers, food experts, tourism professionals, and curious visitors who wanted to taste one of Croatia's most-loved traditional products. After several years, Croatian Pršut Days returned to Dubrovnik, making the city once again a meeting place for heritage, food, and local pride. The program began at Hotel Lapad, where producers and experts discussed quality, production standards, market challenges, and the future of Croatian pršut. A Tradition With Regional Character Croatian pršut is not just dry-cured ham. It carries the story of the region where it is made. The event highlighted four EU-protected varieties: Krk, Istrian, Drniš,niš and Dalmatian pršut. Each has its own taste, shaped by climate, sea air, local met, hods and years of careful preparation. One of the main moments of the event was the selection of the best pršut...

Iberian ham has always had a little mystery around it. You see it hanging in shops, glowing under warm lights, with that deep red color and shining fat, and it already feels like something special. Then you check the price and, well, it feels even more serious. So the real question is simple: how do you know if a jamón ibérico is actually worth the money? This is where experts often mention a small trick, sometimes called the "cotton test." The name sounds a bit dramatic, but the idea is very simple. It is about touching the fat, especially around the ham's hip area. In a good jamón ibérico de bellota, the fat should not feel hard, dry, or waxy. It should feel soft, smooth, and almost oily. Press it gently, and your finger should sink in slightly, like touching butter left out for a while. That soft fat tells a story. It usually means the pig had a rich diet, often acorns during the montanera season, and that the ham was cured with care. Of course, one touch does not tel...

You buy a beautiful piece of Spanish ham, cut a few thin slices, and then notice something unusual: tiny white dots. Maybe a few crystals are sitting inside the lean part of the meat. At first, it can look strange. Some people think it is salt. Others worry it might be mould, or that the ham has gone bad. The good news is simple: in most cases, those white crystals are not a problem at all. In fact, they are often a good sign. These little white marks are usually tyrosine crystals . Tyrosine is a natural amino acid that appears during the curing and ageing process of ham. It forms when proteins in the meat slowly break down. So, instead of being a warning sign, those small white points often show that the ham has matured properly. And with good jamón, time is everything. What are the white crystals in ham? The white crystals found in cured ham are usually made from tyrosine. This is not an artificial ingredient, nor is it something added by the producer. It is already connected to the...

The row over jamón serrano is no longer just a technical argument buried in paperwork. It has turned into something much bigger: a debate about identity, about food, and about who gets to define authenticity in one of Spain's most recognizable products. At the center of it all are the producers of Jamón de Trevélez, a protected product made in the mountains of Granada. They say Spain's Ministry of Agriculture is still backing a new PGI for "Jamón Serrano", even after a court ruling questioned the way the process was handled. And for the people in Trevélez, that is not some minor administrative issue. They see it as a direct threat to the meaning of quality labels themselves. That is really where the tension starts. Right now, Jamón Serrano is protected in the EU as a Traditional Specialty Guaranteed, which focuses on a traditional method of production. The proposed change would move it to Protected Geographical Indication status. On paper, that may sound like stronge...

Spain has always been proud of its legendary Iberian ham, but lately the debate over which brand truly deserves to be called the world’s best ham has started heating up again. Critics, chefs, and international awards are all chiming in, pushing Spain’s finest jamón back into the global spotlight. Who’s Really on Top? Recently, The Times stirred the pot by naming Cinco Jotas as the world’s best ham, highlighting its silky marbling, buttery bite, and that deep nutty taste that only top-tier acorn-fed hams manage to achieve. But not everyone is convinced. Celebrity chef José Andrés has openly questioned some global rankings, saying a few of the best aren’t perfect, and reminding people that taste is always subjective: what one person loves, another might not. Meanwhile, Señorío de Montanera, an insignificant name from Extremadura, earned high praise from Taste Atlas, which listed it among the top Iberian bellota hams in the world. Their ranking is respected because it blends expert revie...