The Luxurious Cured Meat Chef José Andrés Says Everyone Should Have At Home

José Andrés is one of the Spanish cuisine's most enthusiastic advocates, and naturally, the Iberian chef isn't shy about promoting Spain's legendary culinary export, jamón. In a trailer for Season 2 of the Netflix show "With Love, Meghan," Andrés shows up at Meghan Markle's house bearing what appears to be an entire leg of jamón ibérico (which is not the same as jamón serrano). After setting up the delivery on a jamónero (the proper name for a cured ham stand), the celebrity chef informs the Duchess of Sussex that "Everyone should have one of those at home," to which Markle dubiously replies, "You think so?"

The Duchess's skepticism is understandable, but Andrés has a point — it's not that hard to imagine a world where legs of Spanish-style ham are a grocery staple. Keeping an entire leg of high-end cured meat in your kitchen might sound extravagant, but it's actually a fairly common practice in Andrés' homeland. Legs of ham are a staple at most Spanish supermarkets, and for good reason. A flavor-packed leg of high-quality cured meat makes for a mouthwatering showpiece in any home and offers a long-lasting taste of luxury for a relatively reasonable price tag. Jamón legs are especially popular around the holiday season in Spain – they're perfect for festive entertaining, and truly, what better gift than the ability to carve yourself an indulgent slice (or several) of melt-in-your-mouth cured meat any time you fancy?

When it comes to choosing a ham for your home, José Andrés would probably recommend opting for a luxurious leg of jamón ibérico bellota, which he has been known to call the Rolls-Royce of cuisine. This high-quality ham is made from the hind legs of pure-bred, acorn-fed Iberian hogs, cured for at least three years. It's lauded for its complex, nutty flavor and sumptuously silky texture. Of course, that quality comes with a hefty price tag — a leg of jamón ibérico bellota will set American shoppers back at least $300. Luckily, there are more accessible options for the everyday ham shopper, such as Costco's serrano ham leg, which is too good a deal to pass up at around $100 (the warehouse chain also offers a leg of jamón ibérico bellota for $650).

Despite their many merits, whole legs of Spanish ham probably won't become a global grocery staple anytime soon. Still, we can certainly appreciate Andrés' sentiment that the world would be a more delicious (and happier) place if more people kept jamón legs on their countertops. If you don't currently have the budget or space to invest in a leg of jamón ibérico and are looking for a slightly less ambitious way to bring Iberian flavor to your kitchen, consider trying Andrés' favorite breakfast, which highlights the best flavors of Spain.