Croquetas de Jamón (Spanish Ham Croquettes) Tapas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are Spanish croquetas made of? ›

A croquette is a deep-fried roll with a creamy inner layer & a crispy breaded outer layer. The inner layer contains ingredients that range from vegetables, meats & leftover foods. These ingredients are mixed with a binder made from mashed potatoes or bechamel sauce (flour, milk & butter).

Mix ham, egg, mayonnaise, and half of the bread crumbs together in a bowl; shape into 6 balls. Spread remaining bread crumbs onto a plate; roll balls in crumbs to coat; arrange in a baking dish. Bake croquettes in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

History of Croquetas

Back in the day, they would use the leftovers of meat from the pig's leg (ham) and then make those croquetas. Although they were created in France in 1898, under the name “croquette,” the Spanish one has no potatoes in theirs.

French croquettes are held together by potatoes. Croquetas de pollo are fried savory patties enjoyed in Spain and Latin America. This recipe is a Spanish version, featuring lightly seasoned chicken in a creamy bechamel sauce, formed into patties, coated in panko breadcrumbs and fried until crispy.

Called "croquetas" in Spanish, the most popular stuffing are mashed potatoes (croquetas de papa), ham and mozzarella cheese (croquetas de jamón y queso), and rice (croquetas de arroz). Sometimes, the rice ones have herbs and little ham cubes.

Sourced from the Iberian pig, a breed native to Spain, it's noted for its rich, nutty flavour and succulent texture. On the other hand, the Serrano Spanish ham, or "jamon serrano", is derived from white pigs. It is widely consumed throughout Spain and is recognised for its delicate, salty taste and firm texture.

Working in batches, place the croquettes in a single layer on the greased tray in your air-fryer basket, then spritz the croquettes with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown, four to five minutes. Flip the croquettes over, and spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown, another four to five minutes.

Croquettes are a versatile little morsel. You can fill them with ground meat, potatoes, veggies, really anything your heart desires. The only rule is they must be coated in breadcrumbs and they must be fried.

Some varieties focus on a single ingredient, and others use a mixture. Popular meat fillings include chopped beef, pork, chicken, or other sausage. The most popular vegetables are mashed or chopped potatoes, peas, or cabbage. Fish is also a popular choice, and some croquettes are simply cheese.

Compared to other European hams, Spanish jamón has a more uniform texture, more intense flavor and is usually less moist because of the long curing stage. This is especially true of hams from acorn-fed Ibérico Bellota pigs.

Why is Spanish ham so expensive? ›

The Price of Slow-Growth Animals

Because they're not fed hormones or fattened up on industrial corn, it takes them longer to achieve ideal slaughter weight. In most cases, it takes Iberian pigs double the time that it takes industrial pigs to grow.

Jamón - The Artisanal Ham Of Spain. Jamón is at the heart of Spanish culture and cuisine. While Spain's regions vary in their local food traditions, cured Serrano and Ibérico hams are treasured from coast to coast, from the markets of Barcelona to the bars of Galicia and everywhere in between.

Croquettes came to Spain from France, the latter of which use creamy potatoes as a base. While the French use potatoes for their croquettes, Spaniards use bechamel. This is a rich, creamy sauce that is the result of butter, flour, and milk, like a roux.

Way back when, the first mention of the croqueta in Spain was in 1812, during a dinner offered to English troops, after they helped liberate Spain from Napoleonic rule. The French creation - devised by royal chef Louis de Bechamel - has since become a hard and fast rule of snacking for Spaniards.

They're a popular Cuban appetizer made by blending finely ground ham with bechamel sauce. The mixture is shaped into oval shapes, coated with breadcrumbs, and deep-fried until golden brown. Cuban croquettes have a firm ham filling while Spaniard croquettes have a looser filling.

Croquettes came to Spain from France, the latter of which use creamy potatoes as a base. While the French use potatoes for their croquettes, Spaniards use bechamel. This is a rich, creamy sauce that is the result of butter, flour, and milk, like a roux.

These crispy balls (or patties) of minced meat and vegetables can contain plenty of unwanted — and unexpected — fat and calories, so you need to concoct your croquettes with a little nutritional know-how.