The Secrets of Iberian Cured Ham
Thursday, January 13th, 2011Iberico Ham, Jamon Iberico or Pata Negra as it is generally called is because of their black feet. These Iberian pigs are bred and grown only in Spain and it is considered a luxury in some parts of the world.
To tell you more about its exquisite taste and texture here are the top four secrets to this special cured ham:
Good breeding practices. These pigs have never been touched by the filthy hands of mass production and therefore are free from chemicals that alter their sizes, breeding, and growth cycles. Let’s leave that to the fast-food chains and dime-a-dozen restaurants. Iberian acorn-fed cured ham is made from pigs that only feed on acorns. The result is their fat is evenly spread throughout the meat and after the curing process. The meats melts in your mouth easily and becomes so tender. The taste of the cured ham is somewhere between sweet and salty which is just delicious.
Special Pig Pedigrees. These kind of pigs only come from Spain and Portugal, they are called “Iberian Pigs”, this is the reason why these type of cured Spanish ham is called Jamon Iberico. The Spanish cured ham is made grown from pigs in different parts of Spain and Portugal. They are named according to their diet and region. The pigs can be crossbred but must at least have at least 75% of their Iberian heritage to be called Jamon Iberico.
The pigs have a wide expanse of pasture for them to roam. Each town or village has a “dehesa” or a pasture studded with oak trees that were made many centuries ago. This pasture was made to serve many purposes and the oak trees that produce the acorns comprise 30% of the area. Cows, sheep, and other animals feed on the surrounding grasses. Eventually, fallen acorns will become fodder for the pigs that roam the pasture. These Iberico pigs are bred in luxury unlike modern practices where pigs are locked up and fattened until they get slaughtered.
Environmentally Sustainable Farming Industry Iberian pigs are not only fed acorns but can also feed on exposed roots and hunt for its own food. Migratory species also make the dehesa their home for a few months together with the pigs, sheep, and cows. The pastures have their own water supply from springs and streams which maintains its stability for a very long time.
Lamberto Fresnillo is the Director of FIDIAS Consulting. His expertise includes giving information about Videos, VSAT satellite tracking images , visual recipes, reports and further information.













