When the Moors invaded Spain, due to religious beliefs they prohibited pork. The solution, position it like a luxury product, stay away from the expected ham brand look and attach the “from Spain” statement of origin to all logo iterations. Acorns are high in oleic acid, a fatty acid also found in olives, that is believed to be good for health, according to the US’ National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Ibérico ham On the day of the annual matanza or pig slaughter, families living in the dehesa woodland areas of Spain were able to stock up with meat and pork products for the rest of the year. Today, Spain is the largest producer and consumer of air-dried cured ham in the world. The “good stuff” is jamón ibérico de bellota, a melt-in-your-mouth, otherworldly ham experience. The labels also apply to paleta (front legs) and caña de lomo: (loin) cuts from Iberian pigs. All that fat is inside the whole muscle, and it doesn’t sit on the outside of the meat. They cure this ham for the shortest time possible to produce the highest yield. Jamón Ibérico (Spanish: [xaˈmon iˈβeɾiko]; Portuguese: presunto ibérico [pɾɨˈzũtu iˈβɛɾiku]), "Iberian ham", is variety of Jamón, a type of cured leg of pork produced in Spain and Portugal, where it may be labeled as presunto ibérico. The Iberian pig is thought to have been introduced by the Phoenicians, who then interbred them with native wild boars – so their colour is generally on the darker side of grey. The final stage of curing, and also the longest, is the one in cellars. It’s great with a bit of Manchego cheese and Spanish olives, but never, never served with mustard. The percentage of Iberian ancestry in the animal must be specified on the label. Then they hang it to be exposed to the elements, producing an exterior layer of mold which helps to protect the meat inside. Craftsmanship, respect for the environment, defense of the Ibérico pork, a double montanera period and a clear commitment to the utmost quality; these are some of the values of Spanish company Arturo Sánchez, which sells its Ibérico bellota hams in numerous countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The rest of the pig is not wasted and these other cured products from the rest of the pig (the ’embutidos’ are also well worth eating. Modern regulations only allow the use of the wording pata negra for black label jamón sourced from acorn-fed pure-bred Black Iberian pork.The locality of Jabugo is completely dedicated to the Jamón production. The production area is located in the pastures of cork oaks and evergreen oaks in the province of Cáceres and the province of Badajoz. A good ibérico ham has regular areas of intramuscular fat known as ‘marbling’. Jamón los Pedroches". A good ibérico ham has regular flecks of intramuscular fat known as marbling. This ham is from pasture-fed pigs eating a combination of acorns and grain. Jamón comes from the pig’s rear leg. The meat has a greasiness and certain scents and flavors that are completely different from those of other types of foods. When people in Spain celebrate something important they often choose pata negra pigs from southern Spain for their celebrations. Every decent restaurant in Spain serves ham. The exercise and diet significantly influence the flavor of the meat. Pork products made from Black Iberian breed pigs receive the ibérico/a denomination. They are rinsed and left to dry for another four to six weeks. The Italians call thier ham ‘prosciutto‘ and may disagree with the claim that jamon iberico is the best. In Spanish this pig is called Pata Negra (black hoof). Spanish ham (jamón) is greatly prized as a gourmet food both in Spain and around the world. Jamón (Spanish pronunciation: [xaˈmon], pl. The meat produced by this distinctive breed of pigs is one of the Spain's most highly prized delicacies; both inside Spain and as a popular Spanish food export. The hams from the slaughtered pigs are salted and left to begin drying for two weeks, after which they are rinsed and left to dry for another four to six weeks. Iberico is so Important for the Spanish there are many ‘Ham Museums’ in Spain. Black Iberian pigs descend from wild boars and have been a delicacy since long before our times. The best Jamón Ibérico de Bellota is produced in the traditional way without nitrite cures. Ham is so prized in Spain today that not only is there several Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) hams (a status which regulates production methods, ingredients and locations within Spain) but there is also a chain of Museos de Jamón or “Ham Museums” around the country. The hams get labels according to the pigs’ diet and the percentage of the pigs’ Iberian ancestry. A Jamón Iberico de Cebo is comparable to a good Serrano ham. As such, jamón ibérico is the dry-cured ham produced from livestock of said breeds. Immediately after weaning, the piglets are fattened on barley and maize for several weeks. ", "The world's most expensive ham is from Huelva and costs €4,100 a leg", "Los expertos alertan: el precio del jamón va a dispararse y estos son los dos motivos", "Spaniards face ham shortage as Chinese market gets taste for jamón ibérico", "Que no te engañen con el jamón: la nueva ley que regula el ibérico se queda 'coja, "Fury in Spain at US plans to produce 'Iberian' ham in Texas and Georgia", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jamón_ibérico&oldid=990604180, Articles containing Portuguese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, The current labeling system also applies to, This page was last edited on 25 November 2020, at 12:56. They classify it by breed, diet, and region. This is the finest grade and produced from pure-bred Iberian pigs; pata negra belongs to this grade. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ibérico ham On the day of the annual matanza or pig slaughter, families living in the dehesa woodland areas of Spain were able to stock up with meat and pork products for the rest of the year. In Portugal, the black Iberian pig is commonly referred to as porco preto ibérico or porco alentejano. In day-to-day Spanish, it is used as a synonym for the best ham. ", "Normas reguladoras del jamón "D.O. EU’s Protected Designation of Origin protects Spanish Iberian ham. Immediately after weaning, the piglets are fattened on barley and maize for several weeks. It is just normal food and produced in the same traditional way as centuries ago when chemicals were not yet used. It is also one of world’s most expensive foods. For example, in the Huelva mountains, with its unique temperatures and climatic conditions, the ham naturally sweats, the fat melts, and it takes on the aroma and the scents, the air of the mountains. According to the ‘denominación de origen’ regulations in Spain on ham, Jamón Ibérico must come from pure breed, or cross-bred Iberian pigs. This helps to prevent the build up of harmful organisms. As explained above, Spain regulation defines trade labeling for all ibérico products. Jamón has also been sold unlabeled in small towns and unpretentious establishments all around rural Spain. For the 20th-century flamenco group, see, Notable producers and protected designations, Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union, Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park, "How Long Does Iberico Ham Last & Should You Freeze Iberico Ham? Broken hoofss is a goof sign since they have been running around in the ‘dehesa’ more. The other famous variation of the Spanish Iberian ham is jamón serrano. Snacq.com is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising. But, it is to the west you have to look for the finest jamón, to the vast tracts of land known as the Dehesa, an ecosystem of prairie-like grazing land with holm oak (encina) trees, which once covered almost 90% of the country but now only remains in the regions of Salamanca, Extremadura, Andalucia and across the border into Portugal. Their designations are legally protected. The curing process is regarded as a sacred art, with many producers honoring traditions that go back thousands of years. Province of Huelva– Jamón made in the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park, in the towns of Cumbres Mayores, Cortegana, Jabugo, Encinasola, Galaroza, etc., that make up the zone of the Denominación de Origen Protegida de Jabugo.