Jambon Beurre

Today, I want to share the recipe for one of my all-time favorite French sandwiches: jambon beurre.

This sandwich is a testament to the beauty of French cuisine. It is a true French classic, and it's no wonder why! It's simple and delicious. Jambon Beurre is a three-ingredient sandwich that you'll find at most boulangeries (French bakeries). 

But don't be fooled by its simplicity; the key to a perfect jambon beurre is in the quality of the ingredients. You want a fresh, crispy baguette, a good quality ham, and the best butter you can find. It's incredible how the simplest things often turn out to be the best.

These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.

Baguette: Grab a traditional French baguette for this recipe. It should be super crispy and crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. I like to use individual-sized baguettes, but you can buy a longer one and cut it in half.
Butter: The butter makes this sandwich, so you want quality butter. European butter has a much higher fat content (and less water) than American butter. It is rich and creamy with a beautiful deep yellow color and smooth, creamy texture. The best is Isigny Sainte-Mere Beurre D'Isigny AOP, which you can find in more specialist grocery stores. For a regular butter that you can find in most grocery stores, go for Kerrygold or Presidents. Pick a salted butter, or sprinkle a few salt crystals over the butter if you have unsalted butter. 
Ham: The ham is the only filling, so buy the best you can find. If you can find Jambon de Paris, then go for that. It is a beautiful, unsmoked, wet-cured ham with a lovely, juicy texture. If you can't find that, buy the best-quality, thickly sliced, unsmoked ham you can. Italian Parma Cotto is a good alternative as it is prepared in the same way as French ham. 

We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!

• Fresh, crusty bread is best. If your bread has lost its crunch, run it briefly under cold running water; you want the outside to be damp rather than wet. Then bake in the oven (200ºF/90ºC) for 5-10 minutes until crispy. Let it cool before making your sandwich.
• Don't be stingy with the fillings. This is a ham and butter sandwich; the baguette should be generously filled with both. 
• Make sure the butter isn't fridge-cold. You want to remove it from the refrigerator for 10 minutes, so it is still firm with a little bit of spreadability. The butter shouldn't be super soft as it changes the flavor of your good quality butter.
• If, like me, you prefer a chilled sandwich filling. Wrap your sandwich in parchment paper and plastic wrap to keep it fresh, then let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Personally, I think it makes the sandwich even better. But this one is a personal preference.

Why You'll Love This Jambon Beurre

• It is the simplest sandwich to make, but the taste is perfect.
• It is fun to say jambon beurre, and everything sounds better in French 😉
• Unlike many mayo-based sandwiches, you can make these in the morning, and they will still taste great at lunchtime. 

These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.

• Add cheese: While no longer traditional, I don't know a Frenchman who ever turned down cheese, so feel free to add some cheese slices. Sliced Brie, Port Salut, Gruyere, Comte, or Goat's cheese would be great. You could also go for Swiss cheese. 
• Add some greens: Butter lettuce, arugula, or baby spinach. All add a fresh, grassy note to the sandwich. But if you add them and then wrap the sandwich for later, they don't stay as crisp.
• Pickles: The French love a pickle, and some baby cornichons are the perfect accompaniment to your sandwich, either by the side or sliced inside the sandwich. 
• Mustard: Give one slice of the bread a generous smear of Dijon mustard. It can overpower the subtle ham, but it does taste great.

Sides: These are perfect for lunch on their own. But a bowl of well-salted French fries is an excellent accompaniment if you are feeling extra hungry.
I like a little green on the plate, so I usually go for a simple green salad or a pile of peppery arugula.  

Wine: All French food pairs well with wine, and for this simple sandwich, I like to go decadent and pick a French Sparkling Rosé. It balances the butter's richness without overpowering the ham's subtle taste. You could also go for a very well-chilled glass of Chablis. If you love red wine, go for something light like a Pinot Noir or a Zinfandel.