Ham is one of the best known culinary treasures in Spain that has long exceeded our borders and is exported, tasted and appreciated all over the world. Different types of ham offer specific flavors and characteristics , depending on both the breed of the pig and the way the animal has been fed and raised and how its meat has been processed and cured. The two main categories of Spanish ham are Serrano ham and Iberian ham . Serrano ham comes from white or pink pigs that are normally raised on farms and fattened with grain, while Iberian ham comes from black pigs and is made according to very specific and differentiated practices that give rise to the different denominations of origin of the ham. Iberian.
The denominations of origin of Iberian ham were created at the hands of the Ministry of Agriculture in order to control that the raising of Iberian pigs and the products that are subsequently made from them respect certain standards so that they can carry the corresponding accrediting label of its superior quality. Thanks to this control, when buying Iberian ham the consumer will be able to know the geographical origin, the type of feeding to which the pigs have been subjected and the form of curing that has been used.
The 4 denominations of origin of Iberian ham
To date, there are four denominations of origin of Iberian ham in Spain: DO Guijuelo; the DO Dehesa de Extremadura; the DO Jamón de Huelva and the DO Jamón Los Pedroches.
Denomination of origin Dehesa de Extremadura
Iberian hams with a designation of origin from the Dehesa de Extremadura are characterized by having a slightly salty taste and a very pink soft meat with a pleasant aroma and a delicious flavor. The Denomination of Origin of the Iberian Ham from Dehesa de Extremadura refers to the fact that 50% or more of the pigs from which the hams will be made are strictly Iberian , or the cross between the Iberian breed (75%) and the Duroc-Jersey breed (25%). In addition, they will be raised and fed in the cork oak meadows and holm oak forests of Cáceres and Badajoz , in the regions of Sierra de San Pedro, Gredos, Sierra Montáchez, Ibor-Villuercas and Badajoz Sudoeste.
Denomination of Origin of Guijuelo
Guijuelo is the oldest and most famous among the denominations of origin of Iberian ham in Spain. This denomination requires that the pigs have been raised, slaughtered and fattened in various regions of Zamora, Ávila, Segovia, Cáceres, Badajoz, Seville, Córdoba, Huelva, Toledo and Ciudad Real, although the area in which they must be processed is smaller, limited to only 77 municipalities in Guijuelo , south of Salamanca.
Spanish hams with this denomination have a sweeter taste than those from other areas of Spain with a very intense aroma , the result of a long maturation favored by the weather, since the salting process is accelerated thanks to the cold and dry climate. They have an intense pink color and golden tones in the fat.
Denomination of Origin of Huelva
The Huelva Designation of Origin for Iberian hams refers to pigs raised in pastures in the areas of Huelva, Cádiz, Seville, Córdoba, Málaga, Cáceres and Badajoz, and that must be processed in one of the 31 municipalities of the Huelva province of The Sierra . These are usually narrow hams, elongated in shape and with a greyish-white exterior. Once opened, the meat is pink and has an excellent and delicate flavor .
Denomination of Origin Valle de los Pedroches
The Denomination of Jamón Ibérico Los Pedroches is limited to a particular climatic zone north of Córdoba, and here producers from 32 municipalities can obtain the seal of quality of this DO The Iberian hams from this area are characterized by having very little fiber and fat very bright , with a pink flesh and an explosively intense flavor on the palate.
