Getting Jamon into the US

No meat products are allowed to be brought into the US

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/agricultural-items#:~:text=Prohibited%20or%20restricted%20items%20may,and%20Plant%20Health%20Inspection%20Service.

Don't try to sneak it in. If caught, besides a fine and possible jail time, it could mean you will be searched every time you re-enter the country. You may not be allowed to use Global Entry, Mobile Passport Control or TSA Pre-check,

Spanish Jamon is available in the US from licensed importers.

In the past I’ve purchased Serrano ham online through Costco. It’s 9-10lbs boneless and I slice it. The first year I bought it I also bought a special knife to slice it with. I vacuum seal it and it lasts the year. There are other online retailers that one can purchase it through.

Cured hams (prosciutto, Serrano ham, Iberian ham) and salami from areas within France, Germany, Italy and Spain may not be brought into the United States by travelers. These items may only enter in commercial shipments because there are special restrictions that require additional certification and documentation.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/traveling-with-ag-products/meats-poultry-seafood

You can try to smuggle in vacuum sealed Jamon, but technically it's against the rules I think, so there's risk.

When I was a Spanish expat living in the US I would typically order from these two Spanish food importers for all my Jamon needs, they have typically the same selection as what you would find back in Spain. One of the stores is located on the east coast and the other on the west coast of the US:

https://www.tienda.com/

https://laespanolameats.com/

As a kid long before luggage sniffing dogs, my father brought back an entire ham from the family farm in Galicia “hidden” in a suitcase ( as if you can hide a 20 lb ham…) Today, I wouldn’t try to bring back even a little in vacuum sealed packages today, the consequences are not worth the risk. I buy my jamón here:

https://www.ham-cheese-wine.com/default.aspx

Comparable pricing to others, better quality (my opinion) and all hand cut.

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It's not worth it. Ham smells strong and the food alarms or Customs dogs will likely find it.

That was the plot of the Sophia Loren movie “Lady Liberty “

Better option is ordering high quality Spanish Jamon Iberico Bellota Ham Leg with Stand and Knife, 15.4 lbs. on Costco.com:
https://www.costco.com/covap-jamon-iberico-bellota-ham-leg-with-stand-and-knife,-15.4-lbs..product.100519895.html

A friend is a food importer and longtime resident of Spain. She says the Costco ham is from a solid producer and represents a fantastic value.

To me 650 bucks is quite an investment in ham. I applaud the commitment. How long would that last in your households? It still stays nice even once you've been slicing it for a while?

As I mentioned upthread, I get the Costco 9.5lb boneless Serrano ham when it’s on sale in November (for about $180), slice it, and vacuum seal it. It runs out in 1 to 1.5 years. I use some of it for making Galician soup during the winter. My guess is most people wouldn’t notice a huge difference between the Serrano and Ibérico hams; at least not enough of a difference to justify the extra cost.

An issue with the $650 ham is part of that price is for the knife and stand you set it in to cut it. You don’t need more than one knife and stand.

Costco has other options - https://www.costco.com/s?dept=All&keyword=ham

$180 sounds a bit more manageable. I could see jamon becoming a major constituent of my diet if I had that around the house.

Hi! I had no idea it was illegal because I just read the signs at the markets stating okay to travel with. lol, I have traveled to Valencia, Spain several times including right now and brought it back to Seattle in my checked suitcase with no problem whatsoever LOL Oopsies

Well, you see, Lucy wrapped it up like a baby in I Love Lucy, but I don't know that she was actually successful...

One aspect of getting caught with products that are not allowed back in USA is having your Global Entry revoked. The term "trusted traveler" is quite literal. Having Global Entry is incredibly useful . So consequences can be more than having the product confiscated.