Although it is pretentious to say so, Iberian ham is the jewel in the crown, the most prized range and one of the star products of world gastronomy. This type of ham comes from a unique breed in the world: the Iberian pig. Most of the pigs that belong to this breed live for a long period in a very unique environment: the dehesas (Mediterranean wild pastureland). Here they feed on the famous acorns, which give rise to the name “jamón de bellota ibérico”. Moreover, the curing time of the leg exceeds three years and the treatment it receives during the process is truly exclusive. Iberian ham not only attracts us by the name itself, but -once we taste it- it is its intense and addictive flavour that conquers.

Did you know that Jamón ibérico corresponds to the hind leg of the authentic Iberian Peninsula pig? Let's start at the beginning, investigating a little more about this Jamón based on three variables that allow us to differentiate it perfectly: the breed, the diet and the origin.

The Iberian pig is a unique species with characteristics that differentiate it from other animals of the same species, such as, for example, the ability to infiltrate fat into the muscle. Physically speaking, these animals have a well-proportioned head and a pointed snout, unlike other types of pigs, the Iberian pig has a powerful neck, a drooping dewlap, medium-sized ears in the shape of a visor and a large belly. Its limbs, the ones we are most interested in when talking about ham, are slender.

According to the legislation that regulates the production of Jamón Ibérico, the denomination "Iberian pig" includes all those pigs whose mother is 100% Iberian and is registered in the herd book of the Iberian Pig Breed. The offspring of this pig, and therefore the products produced from them, can have different percentages of breed purity: 50%, 75% or 100%.

In addition to the breed, in order to differentiate the Iberian pigs from the rest and give them a category among them, it is necessary to take into account the diet. Iberian ham can be of two types: de campo ibérico or de bellota ibérico. And here we ask the question: what is the main difference between them? Their diet.

On the one hand, the de cebo iberico pigs, which live on farms, are fed on feed and cereals. On the other hand, the de cebo de campo iberico pigs combine farm life with grazing in the fields in freedom, so they are fed a combination of fodder and wild fruits that they gather from the fields.

On the other hand, the Iberian pigs that produce de bellota iberico ham are those that make the "montanera" and live freely in the pastures during the autumn and winter, feeding on acorns and other grasses and fruits from the wild. The acorns have an exquisite oil that the pig infiltrates into its muscle, turning it into very precious fat, which is what makes it melt in your mouth when you taste it.

In the world of Jamón, its origin has always been taken into account, and even more so when it comes to Jamón ibérico / Iberian ham. We are talking about the famous denomination of origin (D.O.). Iberian pigs are native to the Iberian Peninsula: shared between Spain and Portugal. There are different breeding areas in the Peninsula (Salamanca, Extremadura, Andalusia...). These areas are the ones that define their origin and although they all share a very favourable Mediterranean climate, the final result after the end of each Montanera can vary from one production batch to another. Of course, the way and the tradition of the master ham makers in the production process will be decisive in the final result of the product, both in its flavour and in the range of aromas. This is why no two hams are the same, even if they are made by the same hands and come from the same batch.

That is why at Enrique Tomás we classify our Jamón in the most natural way for our customers: according to flavour. Thus, you will find a ham that is mild, aromatic, tasty or intense. They will have other adjectives but they will stand out in one of them. We try to tell our customers what they are looking for in the best possible way.

The areas where the Iberian pigs live in freedom are called 'dehesas' and correspond to a few hectares of land where the conditions are favourable for the pigs to graze and live during the autumn and winter, feeding on acorns.

Another of the most important variables to take into account in order to differentiate the Iberian ham, and above all the 100% Iberian ham from the rest, is, as we say in Enrique Tomas: "the cooking". This cooking is nothing more and nothing less than the conditions in which the leg is preserved, in the amount of salt, the storage temperature and the curing time. In short, a Jamón is cured with time, wisdom, care and salt.

In the case of Jamón ibérico, it can take five years from the time the animal is born, when the whole process is finished and we buy it. For curing, the ham has to be salted and left to cure at an exact temperature. This curing process lasts between thirty-six and forty-eight months, depending on the weight of each piece.

The most prized of all is the Jamón bellota 100% iberico, popularly known as pata negra. Of 100% Iberian breed, these pigs are free-range pigs that, during the montanera, have been fed with acorns, wild plants and herbs, the final product of this animal could not be other than a meat with an exceptional flavour thanks to the infiltration of fat in the muscle, as well as to the feeding and care to which it has been subjected. Eating this Jamón is a pleasure. As we say at Enrique Tomás: "Nobody eats ham for hunger relief”, we eat it to enjoy it.

The only difference with the previous one is its breed. The Jamón de Bellota 50% Ibérico lives in the same conditions as the 100% Iberian ham, it is fed on acorns, even though it is not 100% Iberian because of its breed. It comes from a 100% Iberian mother that has been crossed with a pig of another species such as the Duroc or the common white pig.

This is an Iberian ham from an Iberian pig reared on a farm but which has been fed twice: once on the farm with feed and once free range in the countryside with wild herbs and plants. A delicious ham.

A ham from an Iberian pig reared and fed entirely on the farm and on feed.