Where to Buy Jamón in Barcelona: the Lozano Brothers' Pantry
Our journey into Spanish culture and the stories of its artisans continues. Last time we travelled to the Cal Pujolet cheese factory in Montserrat, where we discovered the legacy of hereditary cheesemakers. Now we're back on the road to meet another dynamic duo - twin brothers who have captivated fans of Spain's most famous delicacy and most sought-after souvenir: jamón!
Juan Carlos Lozano and Vicent García Lozano have been in the ham business for 36 years, and their regular (!) clientele now numbers over a thousand. One in five of them has been coming to the Despensa García Lozano delicatessen for 20 years. And this loyalty is easy to understand when you meet them for the first time. The Lozano brothers are southerners, Andalusians, which means that they are naturally more open, hospitable and generous than Catalans. It's almost impossible to leave them empty-handed or with an empty stomach. They spread their passion and energy to everyone who crosses the threshold of their shop. And they make you instantly fall in love with jamón as part of their culture.
We are 50 years old and have been in business since we were 14! Our father and elder brother were the first in our family to sell dried pork hams. We helped our father and at the same time gained experience working for another large company. By the time we were 17, we were already experienced specialists.
Juan Carlos says they opened their first shop 24 years ago. Despensa García Lozano - they named the shop after their father and mother.
When my father's business closed, we set out to revive it. And at the age of 27 we did, and Dad was proud of us. Slowly the business started to grow, we expanded. We've been working here for 10 years now. Now we are planning to open a new place where you can sit down, order a glass of wine and enjoy gastronomic delights.
There are 6 people working in the shop, 5 of whom are relatives. Juan Carlos explains that it is important for Spaniards to keep the business within the family as much as possible, helping their own and not relying on hired labour. He says it is this philosophy that has kept him from moping or getting sick all these years.
When you've put your heart and soul into something, it's hard to pass on even a drop of responsibility to someone else. We have to keep everything under control and we are here even if we have a fever! The only time we are off is for surgery! From the 22nd to the 24th of December, we literally don't sleep at all. The time before Christmas is a marathon for us. During these days we are on a special "diet": we eat a lot of sweets and drink coffee all the time. Customers come to choose and buy a whole ham for the holidays. And then we slice it during the night so they can pick it up in the morning. When you have hundreds of customers, it's impossible to prepare all the orders during working hours.
During our interview, we found Vicent "Junior" effortlessly attending to customers. He's at ease behind the counter, chatting cheerfully, telling jokes and skilfully slicing a piece of meat for an elderly gentleman to try, while offering his wife a sample of the new cheese. Their faces light up with contentment and they chime in, "Muy bien! Muy bien!" Juan Carlos proudly watches his successor at work.
My son started working in the shop 6 years ago when he was 17. He saw in me the same passion I once saw in my father. Now he loves ham too and knows all about it! His dream is to grow our business and make sure we have a decent retirement.
We wonder how they have managed to keep their customers over the years. The twins say it's down to a pedantic approach: they personally choose the goods they offer their customers.
There are two ways of selecting jamón. The simplest and most common is to have the meat rigorously analysed in a laboratory to ensure that all the indicators are within the normal range. However, we prefer the second option - the natural one. I always visit the producers in person. I have to see the animals, observe their diet and living conditions. What counts for me is to touch and taste the finished jamón (laughs). The taste of the jamón reveals something that no analysis can! With this instrument, I can distinguish all the nuances and judge the quality. A ham may look great and meet high standards, but its smell can tell you if the animal has had health problems.
We ask for advice for the amateur: how to distinguish good jamón from second-rate jamón. And we get the first rule: look at the colour of the seal on the ham. A black seal means that it is 100% Iberian ham (made from the pure blood of Iberian pigs), red - 50% and 75% means that the ham is made from mixed breed pigs.
Producers are careful to maintain the pedigree of the "nickels", the quality and size of their pastures and their diet. 100% Iberico is almost always fed on acorns with the addition of fruit, roots and mushrooms; 50% and 75% Iberico means that the animals have been fed on acorns at some stage, but the diet is based on fodder, cereals and legumes. However, it is important to realise that 100% is not always better than 50% and 75%. Sometimes, even under the same conditions, meat from mixed pigs can be better than "pure" pigs. Genetics, activity, health and nutrition all influence the result.
Another important aspect is branding and labelling. The label not only indicates the date of salting, but also the length of time it has taken from salting to the final product. As a general rule, the longer the curing process, the drier, denser and more flavourful the meat.
The brothers emphasise the importance of marketing today. Prices for ham are often higher in city centres. In addition, large commercial chains work under multi-year contracts with brands. As a result, the quality of the products supplied can vary, and a black seal can give the false impression that the quality of the ham is consistently high. This is not necessarily the case.
Juan Carlos begins his masterclass by cutting the marble meat into thin slices and turning the knife to demonstrate his jewellery work. If the slice were any thicker, it would fall off the knife immediately.
The average Spaniard eats ham once a week. We can't live without it. The peak season is before Christmas. It is a tradition here to buy a big jamón that costs 200-300 euros for the whole family. After the crisis, of course, people's priorities have changed. There are fewer producers, but the demand is the same. So during the holidays, locals still buy huge jamón, but of lower quality.
We recall stories of acquaintances bringing jamón from Spain as gifts for themselves and their friends. Our narrator convinces us that it's not a very wise idea to bring jamón as a souvenir.
First of all, it's very important to master the art of slicing ham. It's painstaking work and the slices should be almost translucent. Even a slightly thicker slice can completely change the taste! Strangely enough, in other shops the cost of slicing ham is 50 euros, but here it's free. Another important point to understand is that from an 8 kg leg you can get about 3-4 kg of edible meat. The rest goes to waste, which is simply unprofitable. Finally, jamón should be stored and cut in a room with a certain temperature. These are ideal conditions, but in a flat the meat dries out quickly. And if you keep it in the fridge, it quickly loses its flavour and aroma. Jamón is not just a food, for us it's a tradition, a ritual, a religion! You can experience it all here in Spain.
While we enjoyed the pleasant conversation, the memory of the incredible jamón never left us, leaving a nice creamy taste in our mouths. We also enjoyed tasting the cheeses from the brothers' shop. Among them, the goat's cheese from Camarles (Perfecto) stood out - the one with the green and yellow label in the first photo. Its makers kindly gave it to us, categorically refusing to accept payment. This is what Andalusian generosity is all about!
The article has been written, the ham and cheese have been tasted and the Lozano brothers have gained two new loyal customers. Would you like to go on a gastronomic tour with Amor Barcelona? Send us an email to hello@amorbarcelona.com.
