Where the famous Jabugo Ham comes from…
Spanish are rightly proud of this culinary specialty. However, where does it come from?
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Hardly any non-vegetarian who comes to Andalusia will leave this beautiful place without having tried the famous Iberian ham at least once, and Spanish are rightly proud of this culinary specialty: However, where does it come from? Today we will reveal the secret:
The origins of the Iberian pigs probably date back to Phoenicians, who brought them from the Eastern Mediterranean. Later on, the pigs crossed with wild boars.
Since the 1960s, the number of the Iberian breed has been drastically reduced by swine fevers and changing eating habits. A renewed demand for top quality meat and cured products during the last years led to a new increase in production, while some ancestral varieties disappeared due to breed specialization.
The production is deeply rooted to the Mediterranean ecosystem. Other than their Northern European relatives, Iberian pigs enjoy life in huge forests rich in natural resources such as acorns from holm oak, gall oak and cork oak, grass and wild legumes. In forests with all three types of oak, the acorn-production stretches from September to almost April. As the pigs are constantly moving around, they burn more calories and produce more muscle mass than other pigs. To raise 1 pig at least one hectare of healthy land is needed.
They are well known for their good appetite and great capacity to accumulate intramuscular fat. As a result, the ham gains its typical marbling, which — together with the traditional feeding based on acorns — is a reason for the special taste. The Spanish name “Pata Negra” refers to the black hoof of the pig. The color of their skin can be either red, grey or black.
When processing the hams, the meat is first covered in salt during about 7 to 10 days at a humidity of 80 to 90 per cent. During the following period of 6 to 9 months, the hams are dried and start to “sweat”. They impregnate and preserve their natural flavor. Finally the meat is being cured in special cellars (“Bodegas”) for another 6 to 30 months, where biochemical processes of curation continue and as a result the characteristic microbiotic flora appears.
Due to special living conditions, Iberian pigs are a good example for a high quality and highly prized meat product. Nowadays for 1 kilo of authentic Jabugo ham you pay around 60 euros.
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Originally published at www.tlcspain.com on March 2, 2015.
