Savory meets sweet and Italian Stromboli meets cinnamon roll. This post explores one of the holiday favorites in Venezuela. I’m talking about the Venezuelan Pan de Jamón, a savory with a little sweet holiday ham bread. “Pan de Jamón” is Spanish for “ham bread”. It’s a staple on a Venezuelan Christmas table. While there are some traditional ingredients, this swirled bread can be catered to accommodate your meat, cheese, and veggie cravings.
Wait! Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread) is Popular? Seriously?
Eating pan de jamón in Venezuela at Christmas time is like eating turkey in the U.S. on Thanksgiving; it’s just expected, and people mostly love it. Believe it or not, this sweet and savory, all-in-one bread shouts holiday time. After all, the holidays are full of indulgence, right? And the red and green pimento stuffed olives are the perfect color combination for Christmas. Why not mix a little sweet with a little savory?
What’s in Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread)? What does it taste like?
Imagine an enriched, buttery, slightly sweetened dough baked with swirls of layered ham, green olives with pimentos, and raisins. At first, it’s difficult to decide if it’s savory or sweet. Once you take a bite, you discover that it’s both. Truth is… it’s actually a savory, salty bread thanks to the olives and ham with hints of sweetness from the raisins. Altogether, this bread has lots of well-balanced flavors that keep you coming back for more. By the way, don’t knock the raisins until you try the bread!!
Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread) Origins
This bread is thought to have first been created in the early 20th century (1905, more specifically) by a bakery owner who only used sliced ham in the layered swirls. As word spread, other bakers added the olives and raisins which became the basic version of this bread. Today, you can find many variations of this recipe to include cream cheese and turkey in the layers. Be sure to check out my recipe below for the MANY optional layer substitutions that also include bacon or nuts as an option. Today, we are all about the original version with ham, olives, and raisins.
Best Way to Eat Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread)
This traditional Venezuelan Christmas ham bread truly is a nice addition to the holiday table. It’s great as an appetizer, a light holiday lunch (toasted with a slice of cheese on top) served with a nice warm bowl of soup, or alongside your traditional Christmas meal. For all the sweet treats highlighted during the holiday season, why not add a savory one to the list?
Thank You Venezuela!
As I share my recipe below, I want to thank our Venezuelan friends for my recipe’s inspiration.
My Venezuelan Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread) Recipe Ingredients
In creating this recipe, I opted for an enriched, sturdy dough like a cinnamon roll dough to hold up to the heavy fillings while adding richness and flavor expected in a yeasty, homemade bread.
For this recipe, the ingredients include milk, yeast, granulated sugar, butter, eggs, all-purpose flour, salt, thinly sliced ham, raisins, and pimento stuffed green olives.
TIP: You can add crumbled cooked bacon over the ham, sliced or grated cheese, and even sliced almonds, etc.
Activate the Yeast
You know how it all begins. We need to first activate the yeast. In a 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl, add 1 cup of warm milk (heated to 100˚F-110˚F / 38˚C-43˚C which is ~30 seconds in the microwave). To that, add 2 ¼ teaspoon of yeast and 1 tablespoon from the ¼ cup of sugar. Whisk well and set it aside for ~10 minutes to activate, meaning the mixture will become bubbly and frothy.
TIP: If the yeast does not bubble and become frothy, the yeast is likely too old. You should start over with a fresh package of yeast.
Melt Butter & Add Egg
In another small bowl, melt ¼ cup butter (~20 seconds in the microwave) and stir any solids until melted adding 5-10 second increments until all butter is melted. Once the butter is less than 115˚F (46˚C), add 1 beaten egg and set it aside.
Combine Dry Ingredients
To the bowl of a stand mixer, add 420 grams of all-purpose flour, the remaining sugar, and ¾ teaspoon of salt if using salted butter or 1 teaspoon of salt if using unsalted butter. Whisk it all together.
TIP: Without a stand mixer, just stir the ingredients in a large bowl with a spoon and use your hands for any kneading.
Add Wet to Dry Ingredients & Knead
Pour the butter and egg mixture into the yeast mixture and give it a quick stir. Then, pour it all into the flour mixture and stir with a spoon. Once the dough comes together, transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and using the dough hook turn on the machine at low speed (level 1).
TIP: Check to ensure all the flour hiding out at the bottom of the bowl is mixed into the dough.
You’ll likely need to add more flour, up to a cup, but add as your go for the rest. Slowly increase the speed to low-medium (levels 2-3) and knead the dough for 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and tacky. It should pull away from the edges of the bowl. If the dough is sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticky. Conversely, if the dough is dry, add 1 tablespoon of warm water and so forth until elastic consistency is reached.
TIP: If kneading by hand, knead for 10 minutes adding flour, as needed.
Rise Time!
Remove the dough hook. Use a spoon to scrape down the bowl sides and spoon the dough into a ball in the bowl. For this dough, I prefer to spray the top and sides of the dough with cooking spray. Then, cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap or a towel. Place it in a warm area to rise for 1-1½ hours or until doubled in size.
TIP: If kneading by hand, return the dough to the bowl in which you stirred the ingredients.
Roll Out the Dough
You’ll need to bake the loaf on a large baking sheet. Cut parchment paper to the size of the baking sheet (at least 17×12).
Deflate the dough and turn it out onto the parchment paper (the one used to line the cookie sheet). Be sure to lightly flour the paper. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough out evenly into ¼-inch thickness (around 17×14 inches in width and length).
TIP: Try to shape the dough in a even rectangle with the long sides all at the same width. Doing so will ensure equal width when rolling up the fillings with beautiful ends.
Fill the dough with Ham, Olives, & Raisins
For the filling, brush 2 tbsp of softened butter (warmed in the microwave ~10 seconds) over the dough from end to end and edge to edge. Add a single layer of overlapping ham slices on top of the butter leaving a ½-inch border all around the edges.
Scatter the raisins and sliced olives evenly over the ham. If you’re not a huge fan of either one of these ingredients, just ensure you don’t clump them in one area. You want a bite of everything but not a lot of one ingredient.
TIP: You can sub dried cranberries for raisins. Add a thin layer of cream cheese in place of butter (or on top of the butter). Use thin slices of turkey in place of ham. There are many options! Use your imagination.
Roll Up the Dough
Roll up the dough and filling beginning at one short end. Use the parchment paper to help roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll. Be sure to roll tightly especially the last roll or the bread will separate from the ham in the oven. Seal both ends by pinching to create a seam.
TIP: It’s common for the outer layer of bread to separate during the baking process leaving a gap between the outer dough and first ham layer. You could pinch the bottom seam before transferring the loaf to the baking sheet to ensure a tighter roll. It’s not necessary, though.
2nd Rise Time
Center the loaf on the parchment paper. Lift the parchment paper and transfer it with the loaf, seam-side down, onto the cookie sheet. Cover the loaf loosely with plastic wrap or a towel. Allow it to rise in a warm area for 1 hour or until puffy. During the final 30 minutes of the rise, preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
Add Egg Wash & Bake
Once the loaf is ready for the oven, but before you bake it, add the egg wash. Make the egg wash by beating the other egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the egg wash and then pierce the dough with a fork all around to allow for steam to escape and keep the dough from bulging or bursting.
Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190˚F (88˚C).
Bread is baked!
For a little extra richness, brush another 1-2 tablespoon of melted butter over the top and sides. Allow the loaf to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Up Close & Personal with the Loaf
The dark, slightly crunchy exterior of the loaf adds texture, color, and flavor. The butter provides a little flavor and softens the crunchy exterior.
Up Close & Personal with a Slice
Notice the air pockets in the dough. The olives and raisins are scattered throughout. There’s just enough to get a taste of each ingredient in every bite. Check out the swirls of overlapping thin slices of ham. The colors are pretty for the holidays. The outer roll separated from the first swirl of ham, but that’s normal for this bread.
Storing the Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread)
Since meat is an ingredient in this recipe, you should treat this bread like any meat dish. It should be stored at a cool temperature soon after it’s baked. While you could slice and store the bread in the refrigerator, it is best stored in the freezer. Refrigerators dry out bread very quickly, so I recommend slicing the ham loaf into individual servings. Then, place the slices in a freezer bag and store them until you’re ready to consume them. Thaw and microwave preferred number of slices just prior to eating or place them in foil in a 350ºF (177ºC) oven for 15 minutes or longer if from frozen.
Venezuelan Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread) Final Thoughts
Making this bread is reminiscent of making cinnamon rolls. I love that it’s a savory rolled up bread. Why not have cinnamon rolls for breakfast and ham rolls for lunch? If you like a filled roll, you should enjoy this version. The flavors, which may sound a little strange, compliment each other well and might surprise you that you enjoy eating them together. The key is balance with no single, filling ingredient overshadowing another. If you like post-Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sandwiches, dried fruit on your salads, or Monte Cristo sandwiches, you just might enjoy this.
Baker’s Perspective
The dough is a traditional enriched dough with structure to support the fillings. While there are multiple steps, it’s actually easier than making cinnamon rolls because there’s NO slicing. Once you roll the loaf, you can go about your business while it rises. It’s also great that you can eat it pretty soon after it exits the oven. It stores very well once sliced and frozen. It’s easy to thaw and reheat for consumption. If you enjoy making cinnamon rolls, give this savory version a try. You can adjust the fillings; see my recipe below for suggestions.
Short on time? Use puff pastry for the dough and add the fillings following the recipe’s directions. You’ll still get a great tasting bread since the fillings are the highlight of this recipe. Think of this bread like pinwheels but with bread instead of tortillas.
Taster’s Perspective
I wasn’t able to taste this bread, as much as I wanted to; however, Scott did the honors. While he will eat anything, as long as it’s edible, he gave me a weird look when I told him what was in it. After a taste, he was pleasantly surprised by the complimentary flavors. He has eaten several loaves of this bread for lunch with soup and topped with other ingredients. He thoroughly enjoyed this bread and was somewhat disappointed when there wasn’t any left. Having said this, if you’re looking for a savory dish to add to the season, consider this one.
Check out my YouTube video for step-by-step visuals in making this bread. “Venezuelan Pan de Jamón: An Indulgence of Savory & Sweet Holiday Ham Bread.”
Venezuelan Pan de Jamón: Holiday Ham Bread
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm whole milk 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C)
- 2¼ tsp (1 pkg) active dry yeast
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar divided
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp / 2oz) butter, melted plus a little more to brush on top after baking
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 420-540 g (3½- 4½ cups) all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt, if using unsalted butter use 1 tsp salt, if using unsalted butter
Filling Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) butter softened
- ½ lb sliced ham smoked, black forest, or honey baked
- ¾ cup (3 oz) raisins golden, regular, or mix
- ¾ cup (3 oz) pimiento stuffed green olives sliced
Topping Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
Dough Directions:
- In a 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl, whisk milk, yeast and 1 tbsp from the ¼ cup sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes to activate or until it’s bubbly and frothy.TIP: If yeast does not become frothy and bubbly, it's likely too old and you need to start over.
- In another small bowl, melt ¼ cup (4 oz) butter (~20 seconds in the microwave) and stir any solids until melted. Once the butter is less than 115˚F (46˚C), add 1 beaten egg. Set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, remaining sugar, and salt and whisk well.TIP: If you don't have a stand mixer, you can stir the ingredients in a large bowl. Once the dough becomes too thick to stir, knead by hand on a floured surface.
- Add butter and egg mixture to the yeast mixture. Begin mixing 420 g (3½ cups) flour mixture using dough hook at low speed (level 1) and pour in the wet ingredients. Slowing increase the speed to low-medium (levels 2-3) and knead the dough for 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and tacky pulling away from the edges of the bowl. If the dough is sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticky. Conversely, if the dough is dry, add 1 tbsp of warm water and so forth until elastic consistency is reached.TIP: If kneading by hand, knead for 10 minutes adding flour as needed.
- After kneading, remove the dough hook. Use a spoon to scrape down the bowl sides and spoon the dough into a ball in the bowl. Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap or a towel. Place in a warm area to rise for 1-1½ hours or until doubled in size.TIP: If kneading by hand, place the dough back into the bowl where you mixed the ingredients.
- Prepare a large baking pan/cookie sheet. Cut parchment paper to the size of the pan or cookie sheet (at least 17×12).
- Deflate the dough and turn it out onto the parchment paper (the one used to line the cookie sheet but now resting on a work surface). Ensure the parchment paper has been lightly floured. Use a rolling pin and roll the dough out evenly into ¼-inch thickness (around 17×14 inches).
Filling Directions:
- Brush 2 tbsp of softened butter (warmed in the microwave ~20 seconds) over the dough from end to end and edge to edge. Add a single layer of overlapping ham slices on top of the butter leaving a ½-inch border all around the edges.
- Scatter the raisins and sliced olives evenly over the ham.
- Beginning at one short end, use the parchment paper to help roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll. Be sure to roll tightly especially the last roll. Seal both ends by pinching to create a seam.
- Center the loaf on the parchment paper. Lift the parchment paper and transfer it with the loaf, seam-side down, onto the cookie sheet.
- Cover the loaf loosely with plastic wrap or a towel. Allow it to rise in a warm area for 1 hour or until puffy.
- During the final 30 minutes of the rise, preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
Topping & Baking Directions:
- Make the egg wash by beating the other egg with 1 tbsp water. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the egg wash and then pierce the dough all around with a fork.
Video
Notes
Looking for Some Other Savory Bread Recipes? Check these out!
The Berry Rolls (My grandma’s recipe)
Colombian Pandebono Gluten Free Cheese Rolls
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please share it. Check out my YouTube Channel as well to see videos of kitchen tips, blog bakes, and dishes.