Bayonne Ham, a culinary heritage preserved by the Maison du Jambon de Bayonne and La Saline de Salies-de-Béarn

Fragrant, tender, and deliciously cured, Bayonne ham is an exceptional product that is unanimously acclaimed by gourmets. However, its production is not so simple, as it requires meticulous expertise, a great deal of patience, and complete adherence to the conditions set out in the PGI quality charter to obtain the precious Jambon de Bayonne designation. Want to know more? We'll reveal all the secrets of this internationally renowned French dry-cured ham!

Bayonne Ham, a wonderful territorial anchor

The tasting of Bayonne Ham is not new, since in the Middle Ages, this refined meat already had a place of choice on the table of kings. Produced in the countryside of the Adour Basin, the matured ham was sold under its local name, before becoming Bayonne Ham with the growth of ham exports in this pretty port city. So no, Bayonne Ham is not produced in Bayonne, but has been delighting palates for generations. Its subtle taste and fine character are also flavors protected today under the PGI label, an appellation obtained in 1998 which imposes strict and quality conditions on the entire Bayonne Ham industry. The geographical location is one of them with the obligation to produce Bayonne Ham in the Adour Basin with pigs born, fed and raised in the Southwest of France. Located in Arzacq, the Maison de Jambon de Bayonne respects this charter in every respect, even being the experimental site where the specifications were drawn up.

The Bayonne Ham House, a true story of passion

Like the 27 other cured ham producers in the Adour Basin, the Maison du Jambon de Bayonne is a committed player committed to producing high-quality dry-cured hams in strict compliance with the PGI charter. More than just charcuterie, Bayonne Ham is a culinary gem, crafted with patience and expertise, following several essential steps to achieve its unique taste:

• Salting: Bayonne Ham is a set of exceptional products since this step requires Salies-de-Béarn salt, a pure and natural spring salt to rub and cover the fresh ham.
• Resting: Placed in a cool place, the hams are hung and subjected to winter and then spring temperatures.
• Drying: hung from a beam, the ham begins a long maturation process
• Pannage: the muscles are covered with pork fat and rice flour for gentler drying
• Maturing: A key stage, it allows the ham to acquire its inner qualities and its personality between mild flavor, balanced salting and delicate aroma
• The survey: cured meat producers judge the characteristics of ham
• Marking: the hams are marked with the “Bayonne” seal, the Lauburu

After 9 to 12 months of maturation on average, and even up to 18-24 months, you can finally enjoy this delicious 100% natural Bayonne ham!

The House of Bayonne Ham, everything is good in the pig

This artisan curer doesn't just produce Bayonne Ham, leaving the rest of the pig aside. On the contrary, he uses the rest of the pig's carcass to offer you a variety of homemade recipes to enjoy without moderation. The Maison du Jambon de Bayonne has two workshops in Arzacq:

• The Pyragena 1 workshop specializes in the production of PGI Bayonne ham and the curing of whole pieces.
• The Pyragena 2 workshop specializes in cutting carcasses, transformed into sausages, fresh charcuterie, ready meals, small cured meats, terrines, pâtés, etc.

Other species are also processed in the workshops, such as veal, chicken, game, duck, etc., as a service provider for breeders and producers. More than a production site, the Maison du Jambon de Bayonne is an ambassador of cultural and culinary heritage, committed to defending its history through unique and ancestral know-how.

La Maison du Jambon, a shop and museum to discover in Arzacq

Dive into the heart of traditions in this gastronomic den where you will find IGP Bayonne Ham in chiffonnade, whole, half or even on a platter, but also many carefully prepared delicacies. The charcuterie of the southwest is tempting, including dried filet mignon, artisanal dry sausage, chorizo or black pudding, alongside wild boar or venison specialties. Terrine, pâté, cooked dish or spread, you have arrived in the Ali Baba's cave of the southwest. A delicatessen corner also allows you to find the famous Salies-de-Béarn salt, essential for the production of IGP Bayonne Ham. Discover a museum space that offers you a journey into the history and culture of this fragrant dry-cured ham, as well as a room dedicated to Salies-de-Béarn salt.

Salies-de-Béarn salt, an essential spring salt for Bayonne Ham

Another wealth of the Adour Basin is undoubtedly the salt of Salies-de-Béarn, an exceptional product with multiple functions guaranteeing a fascinating history. This begins in the Bronze Age and crosses the years, punctuated by trade and exchanges which made the wealth of Salies-de-Béarn, before being competed with by sea salt. The salt of Salies is also an incredible legend which tells that a wild boar wounded during a hunt by Gaston Fébus Count of Foix, was found in perfect condition a few months later in a salt water spring. The reputation of the salt of Salies and its benefits was born, a notoriety still current with the use of this white gold for seasoning, but especially for salting and for thermal baths. Today, Salies salt is a precious jewel protected by a PGI established in 2016 with strict specifications respected by La Saline de Salies-de-Béarn.

The Salies-de-Béarn Saltworks, inimitable expertise

Salies-de-Béarn salt has nothing to do with sea salt, as it is naturally present deep beneath the Pyrenees, producing a pure salt called spring salt that is the pride of the Adour Basin. Coming from the Reine Jeanne d'Oraàs spring that feeds the saltworks, it is produced using a unique ancestral method that the Salies-de-Béarn Saltworks is the only one to preserve. The salt water, decanted in the open air, is then heated in open-air salt pans, allowing the water to evaporate and the salt to crystallize. This authentic and natural production produces an exceptional spring salt that retains all its organoleptic and nutritional richness. The Saltworks also offers:

• A fine and delicate fleur de sel formed on the surface of the salt pans with light notes of violet
• A high-quality mother water, a thermal water rich in magnesium and trace elements which has great medicinal and veterinary virtues. Renowned for their benefits, they are mainly used for thermal purposes.

Discover the riches of the Saline du Bassin de l'Adour and let yourself be seduced by the quality of these 100% natural products.

Salies-de-Béarn salt, a salt dedicated to excellence at the Maison du Jambon de Bayonne

Impeccable qualities, an inimitable taste, a careful and protected elaboration, the salt of Salies and the Jambon de Bayonne were made to meet. Each coming from the Adour Basin, they complement each other wonderfully to offer your palates an exceptional tasting. Regulated by a PGI, the Jambon de Bayonne must be made with the marvelous salt of Salies, a pure and natural product which embellishes this sublime French dry-cured ham. The large salt crystals, thanks to a slow dissolution, do not burn the surface of the ham, rather giving it a unique refinement and texture after a few months of maturation. Discover these 100% local products at La Maison du Jambon which also offers in its shop the spring salts of La Saline de Salies-de-Béarn.

Salt, a true institution in Salies-de-Béarn

The city nicknamed the city of salt is aptly named since it was built around the trade of this pure, white gold. Dynamic and lively, it still places salt at the heart of its development and invites you to discover its evolution in the salt museum, in the old town of Salies-de-Béarn. The building, which is the former 17th century Maison Darrémoudine, extends over 3 levels to tell 35 centuries of fascinating stories. At the same time, the "Jurade du Sel" association organizes numerous events around salt, including exhibitions, workshops and themed evenings, not forgetting the famous salt festival or "la hesta de la sau". Every year, thousands of residents, salters and visitors gather on the 2nd weekend of September to share traditional games, watch shows and parades of floats, and visit the artisan markets to leave with Bayonne Ham and Salies salt.

Dive into the heart of Southwest gastronomy with the Maison du Jambon de Bayonne and the Saline de Salies-de-Béarn!

Did you like our article? Find others in our Experiences to Live section. Follow us on the Guide Béarn Pyrénées Facebook Page and also on Instagram @guidebearnpyrenees