The new ham is the company’s take on the Jamon Iberico de Bellota hams, which are infused with the flavor of acorns. The Pata Negra pigs destined to become Bellota ham eat 15 to 20 lbs. of acorns per day. But Edwards’ Surryano version comes from heritage breed, pasture-raised hogs that are finished Virginia-style — on peanuts.
“The flavor and texture of our traditional Surryano Hams has always been over the top, and with this project, the additional oils and proteins from the peanuts created something truly special,” said Sam Edwards, president and cure master of the company. “We’ve done a few limited releases of this varietal over the past two years to make sure we had it right, and the end result is an even more intensely flavored ham with a rich, buttery texture that exceeded my expectations.”
The hams have been dry cured and hickory-smoked using recipes and methods dating back to the 1600’s. The hams are aged for 18 months. Edwards will begin shipping the hams to top restaurants and retailers in mid-June.
