IBERIAN PURE DE BELLOTA

The Iberian pig is native to the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula known for its excellent adaptation to la Dehesa, their ability to infiltrate fat in lean, and to enjoy, like no other animal, grasses, other plants and acorns.

Our pigs are purebred Iberian pigs, which means they have a pure Iberian mother and a pure Iberian father, both pedigree.

Four factors influence their quality:

RACE
Our purebred Iberian pigs are carefully selected.

EXERCISE
Walking miles a day infiltrates fat into muscles differently than the other races.

AGE
As they get older,greater quality is transferred to the end product.We sacrifice them at the age of 18/24 months.
FOOD
They are fed free-range on wild fruits, grasses, roots and acorns.

CUTTING AND PROCESSING

In the process of preparing the ham and shoulders, there are five stages or processes:

  • Salting and washing. Once the pigs are sacrificed, the ham is covered with sea salt for a week or ten days, depending on weight.
  • Settling. This phase distributes the salt evenly throughout the piece, in order to ensure their dehydration and conservation.
  • Drying and maturation. The hams and shoulders are moved to a natural drying chamber in which the humidity and temperature are controlled by natural ventilation mechanisms for 6-9 months. At this time, the ham is also sweated.
  • Maturing in the cellars. The pieces are hung in storage for between 24 and 48 months depending on the acorn consumed. At this time, the biochemical processes initiated in the curing process continue. These give it its distinctive aroma and aftertaste.
  • Cala. Using a bone which is stuck in the ham, it should give off a pleasant and powerful aroma. Throughout the curing process, the ham has lost between 30 and 35% of its initial weight.

The environment

La Dehesa is formed by vast forests of century-old cork and oak trees covered by a thick blanket of grassland where the two foods eaten by Iberian pigs are found, giving them that unique quality: the acorn and grasses.

Our livestock are found in: el Alto Guadiato and el Valle de Los Pedroches in Córdoba, el Real Valle de la Serena and the surrounding mountains in Badajoz.