Meat – Are areas filled with an oily texture common in jamon serrano

food-safetymeat

I bought a whole jamon serrano right before christmas and have kept in at approx. 20°C and between 55-65% humidity. I have enjoyed every slice of delicious meat and have now started to cut the last part of it; the punta (end piece). However I suddenly uncovered a canal running under the skin which secretes a substance very similar to cooking oil. The smell is heavily bitter, like nuts gone bad.

Since I don't know the details on how a jamon is prepared, I wonder if this is expected, or is it a sign that the area is somehow contaminated?

Best Answer

As I don't have the necessary points to comment I will make one or two assumptions.

Spanish Jamon is a salt cured ham. I suspect, if you got your ham bone-out, then the residue oil is where the meat closest to where the bone was did not cure as well.

Make sure you buy your Jamon ham from a reliable and recognized source (Denominación de Origen). Even if you saved a little on price, with food, it is not the greatest plan.

As I live in the US I only enjoy that delicacy when I travel to Spain. I do not trust any of the US imports.

You just haven't lived until you have tried Jamón de Guijuelo!!!