Serrano Ham Panini is a delicious sandwich recipe that makes good use of special Spanish ham. We enjoyed it served with an IPA style beer. Read on for more details on the panini and beer pairing, or click here to jump ahead to the recipe.
I couldn’t pass up the little samples of Serrano ham they had by the register at Pairings Wine & Food. I was reminded of how much a I like this particular cured meat. With Father’s Day the next day, I had to grab a bit of this ham, I’d be sure to find a way to enjoy it.
We had a bigger family gathering to attend the evening of Father’s Day, so early in the day I began plotting about the tasty lunch I might have. Plans for a Serrano ham panini began taking shape in my mind.
What is Serrano ham?
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s explain a bit more about Serrano ham. It’s a type of jamón, dry cured Spanish ham. So it is similar to Prosciutto di Parma, which comes from Italy. I find the Serrano ham tastes a bit less salty than prosciutto, but it is very flavorful. Serrano ham is typically cured longer than prosciutto.
Making the Serrano Ham Panini
It certain helps to have a sandwich press to get the nice griddle marks going on the Serrano Ham Panini. I definitely like the Cuisinart Griddler Panini and Sandwich Press that I have–a well-used Christmas gift from a few years ago! I’m sure there are other good options available. Note: The sandwich press links are served up through the Amazon affiliate program. If you choose to make a purchase through those links, I would receive a commission. I only link to products that I use and recommend!
If you don’t have a sandwich press and want to make this turkey pesto panini on the skillet, do so in similar fashion to a basic grilled cheese. Use a spatula to press down on the sandwich as it cooks to facilitate the melting.
A couple other notes for making this panini. I like to use Earth Balance spread instead of regular butter when making panini. We always have this nondairy spread on hand due to our son’s food allergies. Even though I don’t have that same allergy, I like the way the Earth Balance product easily spreads on the bread when making this sandwich.
Beer Pairing for Serrano Ham Panini
I recently picked up a variety pack of Speakeasy beer, and really enjoyed them. I wondered which beer would go best with the Serrano Ham Panini–the lager or one of the ales? But wait, being Father’s Day I just had to try the Big Daddy IPA with the panini. This IPA has lively hops and a creamy finish, which washed down the cheese and salty ham nicely. A good pairing! I also tried the Metropolis Lager with the panini, it was OK but I definitely rate the Big Daddy IPA as the better pairing for the Serrano ham panini.
Speakeasy is a San Francisco based brewery that I hadn’t heard about until I came across it recently. A knowledgeable beer guy at Busa’s explained that Speakeasy now has a partnership with Harpoon that makes their beers more accessible in the Boston area. From what I have sampled, I am glad for that! More on this partnership can be found in this Brewbound article.
Recipe card
Serrano Ham Panini
Panini with flavorful Serrano ham and melted provolone cheese makes a delicious lunch.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Cuisine: Fusion
Ingredients
- 2 slices of bread
- 2 thin slices provolone cheese
- 2 thin slices Serrano ham
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp softened butter or Earth Balance spread
Instructions
- Preheat a sandwich press. See notes in post text for approach without a sandwich press.
- Spread half the butter on one side of a piece of bread. Spread the remaining butter on one side of the second piece of bread. Place both buttered sides down on a plate.
- Spread the mustard on one of the unbuttered sides of bread, and set aside.
- On the other unbuttered side of bread, add slice of cheese, followed by the Serrano ham. Place another slice of the cheese on top of the ham.
- Close the sandwich up by taking the bread with the mustard and placing it mustard side down on the cheese.
- Carefully move the sandwich and set it in the heated press. Gently press down on the sandwich maker.
- The sandwich takes about 5 minutes to get the cheese melted and develop those nice griddle marks. Keep an eye on the cheese as the sandwich heats, you don’t need to cook it much past the point where the cheese has started to melt.
- When the sandwich is ready, use a plastic spatula to remove the sandwich from the press. Plate the sandwich, cutting it in half if you like for presentation effects. Enjoy!
Tools to use:
[…] of fino sherry with Serrano ham is a good one. Perhaps this fino sherry might go well with the Serrano Ham Panini that I had previous paired with an IPA […]