jambon

jambon is the plain, no-frills word for ham, so the product behind it is for anyone looking for a basic cured-ham staple rather than a named specialty. Its strength is that it promises exactly the ordinary ham role: slices for sandwiches, platters, and quick fridge food. The downside is that such a bare label tells almost nothing about cure, cut, or style, so the product has to earn its place on the actual meat rather than on a story. In practice it is the most generic of the six, which can be a virtue when someone just wants ham and nothing more. By our assessment, jambon sits in the raw-cured-ham space and stays there without trying to charm anybody.