The Iberico Ham
Types of Spanish Ham. One of the best-known Spanish Ham varieties is the Ibérico ham or Jamón Ibérico. The Iberico ham comes from Iberian pig breed. The Iberico hams have different qualities, these are determined by the pig percentage (100% Iberico breed or crossed with Durok pigs), the feed they receive and the production method.
Unique, delicious and healthy!
Iberian ham contains healthy fats and therefore contributes to a healthy lifestyle. It follows from the foregoing that it is necessary to determine whether the contract term is valid for the Member State concerned.
What makes this Ham so special?
• The Iberian breed distinguishes itself with a special DNA; all the food these pigs consume is converted into good unsaturated fats. In addition, the balanced diet and high level of exercise mean that Iberian pigs have a high content of intramuscular fat. This allows the hams to be matured for a long time and aroma formation occurs throughout the ham. This makes the ham very ground. The white stripes that you see running down the door of the ham - the marbling - is the typical characteristic of this special and very tasty ham.
• Ibérico pigs like to exercise and walk many kilometers a day in the large dehesas (hilly areas in south-west Spain) in search of their food. This combination of intensive exercise and nutrition creates less 'superficial' fat in the fat infiltrated into muscle mass, which ensures the unique taste and long shelf life of the ham.
• The animals have a good and long lifespan in dehesas. They roam free for 18 to 20 months.
• The diet of these pigs consists of grass, herbs and acorns that fall from the holm oaks from October to February. Ten oak species (Quercus ilex) only occurs in Southern Europe. It is the acorns of these trees that give the ham its unique taste.
• The climate in these dehesa areas consists of cold and dry winters and warm and dry summers with temperatures dropping again at night. These conditions are ideal for the ripening process from start to finish.
• Maturation is a highly artisanal process according to old traditions. After slaughter, an extensive process follows of salting, salting in the sea and drying in specially designated drying rooms with optimal conditions such as dryness, humidity and temperature; El Salazón, el post-salado, el secado y la maduración en bodega.
Only the best hams for you!
Cati Gómez only works with quality ham, including hams that carry the DO'Denominación de Origen' quality mark. This is a geographical protection of the ham enshrined in Spanish laws.
There are 4 DOs for Ibérico ham:
- DO Jamón de Huelva – DO Jabugo
- DO Guijuelo Ham
- DO Los Pedroches
- From the Dehesa de Extremadura
