Spanish Iberico bellota jambon

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon is now world popular, the long 3 years minimum maturing time; the semi wild black pig used; roaming outdoor all year round; fed on grass, herbs, supplemented with cereal and pumpkin in summer and acorn during autumn winter - all contributed to the exquisite taste.

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon

Quality Iberico bellota jambons should have an intense deep red colour, sweet cured odour, not salty, thin fatty streaks in the meat, only sea salt used in curing, no other chemicals and preservatives used ..... and preferably organically raised.

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon - Finca Montefrio

This is why I visited Finca Montefrio, a small family run organic farm in Hueva, south west Spain, produces only 100 jambons (back leg ham) every year.

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon - Finca Montefrio, oak forest

 

There, they have 12 sows, raise average 50 pigs a year. For the pigs to roam and eat enough grass, herbs and acorns, each pig need around 2 hectares of oak forest. 

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon - Finca Montefrio oak forest

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon - Finca Montefrio

The owner divides the forest into 2 hectares fenced off plots, whole group of pigs stay in each plot for 9 days then move to another plot. In this rotation method, the land can recover from their grazing and digging.

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon - Finca Montefrio

This breed takes 24 months to reach the size to be slaughtered, the weight of back legs range from 13kg to 18kg, with about 40% shrinkage during curing, weight of final jambon is from 7-10kg.

Finca Montefrio, few weeks old piglets already have the black hooves

I only found out from this visit that for the bigger legs, it takes longer to be properly cured, meaning 4 to 5 years! In this farm they sell all sizes at the same unit price, irrespective of how long they have to be kept at the cellar.

Spanish Iberico bellota jambon - Finca Montefrio, ham cellar

The rest of the pork is turned into Paleta (front leg ham) Lomo (cured pork loin) and chorizo (mildly spicy cured sausages). 

The family also keeps chicken, goose and goat (to make cheese) for their own consumption, a really proper traditional farm. 

 Finca Montefrio