Know The Secrets To The Taste Of Exceptional Iberian Cured Ham

Cured Spanish ham is one of the essential parts of a quintessential Mediterranean meal. This is not your ordinary kind of cured ham which is usually stringy or tough. This special Spanish ham literally melts in your mouth, has strings of fat running through and has that sweet nutty aroma brought about by their acorn-rich diet which is distinct to this kind of meat product. Iberico 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. This cured ham is not made for cooking and is best enjoyed as it is and paired with your favorite glass of wine.

To tell you more about its exquisite taste and texture here are the top four secrets to this special cured ham:

Good breeding practices. The pigs are free from chemicals that alter their sizes, breading, growth cycles. They have never been touched by the filth of mass production. 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. after the curing process, their fat is evenly spread throughout the meat. The meat becomes so tender and easily melts in your mouth. 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. 75% of the pigs' Iberian heritage must be retained even if they were crossbred so that they will still be considered 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. Other animals such as cows and sheep 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. The dehesa is not only the home for pigs, cows, and sheep but also for migratory species that stay for a few months. The pastures have their own water supply from springs and streams which maintains its stability for a very long time.