Types of Spanish ham: Iberian Ham (Jamon Iberico pata negra)

Origin: Race of pigs from the Iberian Peninsula based on pure registered Iberian pigs crossed with other Iberian males.

Appearance: Pointed and narrow snout animal with short black hair. Despite the volume of body mass, it has a stylized body and thin long paw.

The hoof: Usually black. This is the reason why it is known as “Pata Negra”, which means black paw.

Colour, flavour and aroma: The colour of iberico ham goes from pink to purplish red. It has a slightly fibrous texture and fat infiltrations. The combination of the delicate flavour and intense aroma of this delicious food, makes it an attractive, indispensable product in every good gourmet table.

The fat: The iberian pigs genetics provides them with a natural fat infiltration in their muscle tissue. This provides the oily texture and intense flavour of the Iberian ham. This fat is bright, smooth and extremely soft to the touch.

The official classification of Iberian hams follows two criteria according to the new certification of products made since 2014.

The breed of the pig

Iberian 50%: Iberian hams have a 50% Iberian pig breed. This means that only one of the parents, usually the female, is 100% Iberian breed.

Iberian 100%: Hams iberian 100%, or also known as “pata negra” came from hams 100% Iberian breed. This means that both parents must be 100% Iberian breed.

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