Dry-cured ham is a longstanding Spanish tradition; written references to it date back to the Roman Empire. Historically, fresh ham was cured in mountainous areas with moderate climates (warm and dry in summer, cold in the winter). Following a preliminary application of sea salt, the hams were washed and then hung in curing sheds where the mountain, orsierra(serrano) air aided the gradual aging of the meat. After about a year this process yielded dry-cured Serrano hams that ready for consumption, without any kind of additive or additional handling.Nowadays, Serrano ham is produced throughout Spain, using careful methods designed to replicate the traditional process.