Different Types of Cured Meats Around the World
Different Styles of Dried Meats exist all over the world, and most people only know one or two of them by name. Biltong gets lumped in with jerky, bresaola gets compared to prosciutto, lomo gets mistaken for regular ham — but each one has its own region, process, and reason for tasting the way it does. This series starts with three names you've probably heard of but maybe never tried: bresaola from Italy, lomo embuchado from Spain, and jambon de bayonne from France.
With so many different styles of dried meats in the world, each one with its own nuances, understanding the differences can be intimidating. We are setting out to discover some of the world's most popular dried meats and what makes them different.
Of course we have to start with Biltong. Originally from South Africa, Biltong is a cured, dried meat first created by the indigenous people. Europeans arrived in South Africa and introduced vinegar and spices like coriander, and just like that, Biltong was born. Read the full history here.
Since we mentioned Europe, let's start this series with some dried meats from Italy, Spain, and France:
1. Bresaola
Bresaola is an Italian delicacy made from a single muscle of beef. This salted, cured meat is mainly produced in Valtellina, a valley located in northern Italy's Lombardy region. It's estimated that 13,000 tons of bresaola are made annually, with as many as 8,000 of these tons being produced for exportation. Top-quality bresaola is made from heart of topside, but this meat can also be made from silverside or eye of round. The production process consists of manually massaging the meat, salting it with a spice mix, and stuffing the spiced meat into natural or synthetic casings. The bresaolas are then placed in humidity-controlled rooms and allowed to air-dry. This world-famous product can be enjoyed on its own, used as a sandwich filling, or wrapped around persimmons and arugula for a palate-pleasing appetizer.
2. Lomo Embuchado
Lomo embuchado, or "lomo", is a popular type of cured pork tenderloin produced mainly in Spain and South America. This dry-cured product is made by rubbing salt, garlic, and pimento into the loin before placing it into a temperature- and humidity-controlled chamber to cure. Similar to cecina in taste, lomo embuchado can be enjoyed alone or with a strong Spanish cheese like Manchego.
3. Jambon de Bayonne
Typically produced near the Pyrenees — a mountain range in southwestern Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain — jambon de bayonne is the most popular type of French ham. Jambon de bayonne is produced from one of eight distinct breeds of pig raised in an area spanning from northern France's Deux Sèvres to Aude et Aveyron. Traditionally, the pigs were slaughtered in early November. The meat was then rubbed with salt and hung to dry in a drying chamber until early February. While the curing process has changed with modern technology, the principles behind the production of this cured meat have remained unchanged. Today, drying chambers with humidity and temperature controls are used to cure most of the jambon de bayonne enjoyed worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between bresaola and biltong?
Bresaola is stuffed into casings and air-dried in humidity-controlled rooms, similar to how salami is made — it comes out as a single muscle cut, sliced paper-thin. Biltong is salted, dipped in vinegar, hung whole, and cut into thicker slabs once dried. Bresaola leans toward delicate and almost translucent; biltong is chewier and meant to be eaten in bigger pieces.
Is lomo embuchado the same as prosciutto?
No, though people sometimes confuse them since both are cured pork. Prosciutto comes from the leg/ham and is cured as a whole muscle for months, sometimes over a year. Lomo embuchado comes from the pork loin, gets rubbed with salt, garlic, and pimentón, and cures for a shorter stretch. The flavor is more direct and peppery compared to prosciutto's saltier, fattier profile.
Why is jambon de bayonne cured for so long?
The traditional timeline — slaughter in November, dry through early February — exists because that stretch of cool, humid winter air in the Pyrenees region is exactly what the curing process needs. Rushing it with heat or shorter drying times changes the texture and doesn't develop the same depth of flavor. Even with modern humidity-controlled chambers, producers still follow roughly that same multi-month window.