Jamon Iberico de Bellota Bone-in 48 Month Cured By Fermin

Jamon Iberico de Bellota by Fermin is a top product of the Spanish gastronomy, these hams come exclusively from Iberian pigs reared in the oak groves with acorn feeding.These hams are made 100% by hand, the processing follows traditional methods with a natural maturing process of over 48 months. They are prepared immediately after the order for optimal preservation of aroma and taste.The Bellota ham comes from the only remaining grazing pig in Europe - the Iberian pig Cerdo Ibérico. The black claws of the animal give the ham its name, 'Pata Negra'.

These outdoor pigs feed on grasses, herbs and cork acorns. During its last months, these pigs are accompanied by the breeder, who ensures that the pigs eat enough cork acorns (in Spanish this is known as Montanera), only in this way the acorn ham reaches the necessary quality which is expected from a "Pata Negra".

Maturing process of Bellota ham

The skin and most of the fat are cut away from the ham by hand. Part of the fat is retained to protect the ham from dehydration. Then it goes into the salt chamber. As a rule: For every 10 kilograms of weight, the meat is completely covered in salt for 10 days, ideally at temperatures of 0 to 2 degrees Celsius. And then the meat is hung first. Air drying in the drying chamber and subsequent taste development in the ripening cellar takes 1 to 4 years on average. The ham sweats out the fat of the acorn diet and loses almost a third of its original weight.

With a simple trick it is possible to check whether the delicate oleic acid is abundantly contained in the ham at the end: With the thumb, you press a dent into the meat, massage the segment and if the pressure point disappears, the pig has plenty of acorn during his life taken.  Then, and only then has the ham earned the quality stamp "Jamón Ibérico de Bellota".

Pigs, rearing, and fattening

Jamon Iberico de Bellota by Fermin may only be obtained from hind legs of Iberico pigs which belong either to a pure Iberian pig breed or to a cross with the Spanish white domestic pig. If the pig has 100% Iberian blood, it is called "Pata Negra" ham - which represents the highest quality level of a Bellota ham and therefore also of all Spanish ham varieties. Iberico pigs differ clearly in both external and internal characteristics from what is known as the "normal" domestic pig. Thus the small, quite slim Ibericos have mostly dark skin, a dark, relatively dense bristle fur and black or dark claws. The latter brought the pigs also the name "Pata Negra", which translated is "black claw".But also in their behavior, the Pata Negra pigs are different from normal domestic pigs. They can, like the wild pigs, with which they are closely related and to which they resemble externally, live outside the whole year without any problems and do not need a stable. Therefore, rearing and fattening take place on large, extensive pastures, the so-called Dehesas. The nutrition with herbs and grasses as well as the many movements make the meat something very special. It becomes even more special when the Pata Negra pigs are to be fattened to acorn pigs for the Jamon Iberico Bellota. Then they feed during the fattening, the Montanera, to a large extent from the acorns, which they find free-range in the acorn forests of the high plains in the southwest of Spain. An Iberico pig is only suitable for an Iberico Bellota ham if at least 40 percent of the initial weight has been added with the pure Bellota fattening (acorn fattening). Since the area on which this is possible is limited, only about one million pigs can be fattened annually in the Bellota way.

Production and origin

Jamon Iberico de Bellota by Fermin may only be produced in four specific regions of Spain: Salamanca (Guijuelo), Los Pedroches, Extremadura and Huelva are the centers of Bellota producers. These regions have regulatory committees that monitor everything from the pig breed to fattening, slaughter and the production process. Only those who meet the strict quality criteria are awarded the "Bellota" seal of quality at the end of the production process. The designation of origin often also corresponds to a specific brand, under which various producers from the respective region are grouped together.

Jamon Iberico de Bellota by Fermin ham, the highest quality grade of Iberico ham, is produced in all four regions mentioned above. And although the traditional production process, with the four stages of salting, resting, drying and maturing & aging, is applied in the same way everywhere, Iberico Bellota hams still taste different. This is due to the microclimate of each region, which influences the ripening process and thus the changes in the proteins and fats in the ham that give rise to the flavor. However, this difference is not as great as that resulting from the different types of fattening of Iberico pigs.

Jamon Iberico de Bellota by Fermin. This Patanegra Jamon is a minimum of 4 year aged ham, sweet and savory with fat that just melts in your mouth – we challenge you to find anything else even half as good. This leg of ham has reached the highest possible category in Spain to be called Puro de Bellota. It means that not only is it produced from 100% purebred Ibérico pork but also the pig feasted on acorns for the last 3-4 months of its life and roamed freely. During autumn and winter, the pigs feed on acorns, which contributes to the meat’s juicy flavor and marbled appearance. The meat is dried and cured minimum for 48 Month to develop its unparalleled flavor.

18  pound - WEIGHT APPROXIMATES

Product of Spain