Jambon Beurre Recipe (2024)

I have made this alot for my husband, who used to live in France. Anyone who has visited or lived in France - and ate this sandwich - would understand why this article and recipe were worth publishing. Here is my attempt at trying to be helpful for those still who look to Notes for actual tips and helpful advice: Many delis and even good supermarkets in the northeast sell French-canadian ham from Montreal that comes very close to the french version. A good baguette is more challenging.

I've always had a jambon beurre with cornichons. Is that inauthentic (not that I really care, frankly, just curious)? I think the pickle cuts through the ham and butter nicely.

This is a dish where the ingredients rule. When it all comes together, the sum is greater than its parts. I think the authentic ham will be the biggest challenge in replicating what you can get in Paris. That said, a lightly smoked ham doesn't go too far wrong.

Had this first in a smoke filled bar when I was about 24 and too young to understand what it was. Ordered in puzzlement (“why is butter listed as an ingredient?”) Saw that the baguette was covered with *slices* of butter and took all except one of them off in horror. Took a bite of the end that still had the butter on - and was transported. Carefully replaced all of the butter and ate the rest. For anyone asking – in this instance, the cornichons were served on the side.

I recently discovered TJs has delicious mini French Bread in the frozen section that you finish off baking at home. Slices of Brie in the hot baguettes melts the cheese perfectly and a meat free alternative. I sometimes add fig spread too.

Jambon de Paris is available at my local Whole Foods. I recommend using President brand of French butter - also at my local WF. The baguette, however, is not coming from WF. Go to a bakery owned by a French person.

Agree with the others! This is French classic is something we'd always pack for school trips growing up in the suburbs of France! You must+have it with cornichons (pickles sadly don't make the cut) to balance the ham!+if you are packing it for travel, wrap it once the bread is cooled (or it'll soften!)+personally prefer salted butter depending on the type of ham!

At home, I always add a few thinly sliced cornichons to my jambon-beurre. Nothing inauthentic about that for the French.

My first jambon buerre was a happy accident. Wanting to spend remaining coins before boarding return flight home, I purchased a jambon buere at a Roissy airport take-away shop. Knew I’d have to eat it before entering U.S. customs. Flight was about to land and not expecting much—one bite, then two—and mon dieu! How wonderful this inexpensive airport sandwich was. I was giddy from my Paris adventures and quality of ingredients made this second thought purchase into a lasting culinary memory.

Living the West Coast I prepare these myself with a same day baguette, sweet cream unsalted butter and Boars Head ham and don’t give authenticity much thought: it’s close enough. Occasionally I commit sacrilege and add a triangle or two of Gruyère, and/or Dijon mustard. Though no longer a true jam on beurre, it’s delicious.Four stars instead of five, only because domestic alternatives to jam on de Paris would have been useful.

The bread is the big star in this recipe. To really discover what a truly great sandwich this can be, come to Paris and eat it made with the artisanal baguette tradition!

Use salted butter to elevate this sandwich from great to excellent! The kind with crystals in it works best. Like mentioned by others, the quality of the ingredients is truly what will make the difference here. Living in France, I've tasted many jambon-beurres and they can be the best sandwich you've ever had or the worst one, depending on the bread, butter, and ham used.

Agreed that a few slices of cornichon are great on this sandwich!

My mother who was French made this for us all the time. Growing up in Puerto Rico in the 50's-60's they had a bread "Pan de aqua" which rivaled French Baguettes. -both my parents -Europeans and Francophiles-agreed. Crusty outside and airy inside. My mother made it with butter, mustard,cornichons,country ham and cheese. the key is not too much ham or too much cheese. less (ironically) is better to balance all the flavors. 1/4 lbs of ham is too much. cut it by half.

I grew up in Europe and brought simple sandwiches like this to school every day… bread, butter, ham; bread, butter, salami; bread, butter cheese… you name it. No lettuce or tomato on it. Just three simple ingredients. If you have great-tasting ingredients to start with, they add up to one mighty tasty sandwich.

The embodiment of the magic of Paris. I will never forget eating it there and being amazed that something sitting in a deli case could be so frigging good and cheap.

Ham and butter (on Limpa bread) is also, very Scandinaian. Norwegian, in particular.

I must have thinly-sliced cornichons with this, as well as a bit of gruyere. And I’ve found that Les Trois Cochons Jambon Paris is quite good.

I live in Luxembourg, within spitting distance of France. We have a bakery on the corner that gets its flour delivered from France and they make wonderful baguettes every morning. Had fresh, local, sweet cream butter and "farmer" ham, so decided to try this, even though I am generally a mayonnaise person. Highly recommended. The sum of the ingredients is much more than its parts. Perfect light supper for a hot day.

Italian Parma Cotto is the same as Jambon de Paris—cooked ham from the leg joint, delicately flavored with herbs and spices. It’s available in most Italian delis and makes a wonderful Jambon Beurre.

If you really wanna go to town, consider using Spanish ham like bellotta

In the "spirit" of many comments on cooking sites... "We keep kosher so we don't eat ham or mix meat and milk. We substituted chopped liver for the ham and margarine for the butter. But we kept the baguette. It was terrible." JUST KIDDING!

No one will think less of you if you mix the beurre with a spoonful of grainy Dijon.

The last time I made this French sandwich I used Three Little Pigs jambon des Paris, a new Yyork city company that makes their ham in Wilkes Barre using Amish pork, a baguette from a local bakery, and 85% milkfat Minerva Amish butter from from Ohio. It was as good or better than any jambon beurre I've had in paris. I used considerably more than one tablespoon of butter - don't skimp on the butter!

Well that’s a durn good sandwich. My local stores only had prosciutto cotto with rosemary, not plain, but it tasted great. I used President butter.

Bought the Jambon de paris from Whole Foods, but it was cut so thick we went to a local market and bought very thinly sliced lightly smoked Polish ham. It was fine, but not like a real Jambon Beurre that I maybe remember from decades ago in France, or last winter at Hapgoods General Store in Peru VT that I'll never forget. The baguette from WF was better than expected, though if doing this again I wouldn't toast it. It was too crunchy. Cornichons are a bonus!

My husband and I shared one of these outside a small-town French train station on a rainy morning. I am generally a vegetarian but I was starving… it was one of the more delicious things I’ve ever eaten. Other reviewers are so right about the sanctity of this sandwich! It is a taste memory I will always remember.

In Spain, the classic bocadillo shares a similar construction, with a high quality Serrano ham instead of jambon. A worthy alternative.

Went to a very good local deli, got some imported French boiled ham (fat layer on top, saw it myself). Picked up a jar of imported French cornichons. Got a baguette that the French bakery said was made with levain (not yeast), toasted it. Used some European butter I had on hand. Made the sandwich as directed above.Pretty much the most boring sandwich I've ever had. Remade it, but this time added a very nice smoked cheddar. Also added a smear of Calabrian chile peppers. Much better.

I would always stop in a Paris bakery if I had a layover for one of these! One of my favorite sandwiches!!