There is no pig in the world more precious than the Iberian black pig. Iberico ham or ham Iberico is known as the national treasure of Spain, made from Iberian black pigs. This is also the most expensive ham in the world, priced at 350 euros (8.8 million VND)/500g.
How valuable is the Iberian black pig?
The Iberian black pig is a cross between a domestic pig and a wild boar, with a dark coat and black hooves, found only in southwestern Spain and southeastern Portugal.
The reason Iberico ham is so expensive is because pigs often eat acorns, which makes the taste of the meat very fragrant. In addition, the process of making ham is completely manual and takes a long time.
Not all Iberian black pigs eat acorns all year round. The oak season is usually from November to February next year, the pigs will be free to roam in the oak forest. Pigs live in the most comfortable conditions, roam freely in the forest, drink spring water, eat fruits, mushrooms and natural herbs.
The working range of 1 black pig is 5000m2. After eating enough acorns, the lard will have a strong aroma of acorns. This is also the source of the aroma of Iberico ham.
Types of Iberico ham
In Spain, there are four main Iberico ham production areas:
1. Guijuelo Jamón Ibérico DO Jamón de Guijuelo: Jambon produced here can be said to be the best quality in the 4 production areas. The meat is usually softer and sweeter, and the flavor lasts forever.
2. Jamón Ibérico DO Jamón de Huelva: The climate here is suitable for the growth of oak trees, so black pigs can eat freely, making the ham have a more special aroma, the fat layer melts in the mouth.
3. Los Pedroches Jamón Ibérico DOP Los Pedroches: Although there is a rich source of acorns, this type of jam is not well known because it has few production facilities and production is also limited.
4. Extremadura Jamón Ibérico DO Dehesa de Extremadura: This place has the largest oak forest in the 4 production areas, but due to the flat terrain, the hind legs of the pig are not active enough, the taste and texture of the ham is worse. compared to other regions.
To get 1 black pork leg to make ham, it takes regarding 54 months to raise, kill, and dry. After that, it takes another 4-5 years of waiting for the Iberico ham to have the most perfect flavor.
Iberico ham processing
The pigs are washed thoroughly before being sent to the slaughterhouse. People cut the large layer of fat under the skin on the pig’s leg, leaving only a small layer of fat and then incubating in salt.
The salt here is sea salt, the salt must be stirred every hour to change the position of the leg. This process lasts for 10 days so that the salt is completely absorbed into the meat, evenly and not too salty. If the meat in the innermost layer of the leg is not tasty, the whole thing is spoiled.
The natural process of drying Iberico ham takes at least 3 or 4 years. First, it must be stored in cold storage with constant temperature and humidity for more than 1 year, then stored in naturally ventilated underground warehouse for more than 2 years. During this stage, the ham will lose moisture at a very slow rate, the meat will become firmer and more oily. Finally, remove the fat from the outer skin of the ham, cut it into extremely thin slices and enjoy.
About 18% of the ham produced in Spain is Iberico ham. Cutting Iberico ham takes a long time, the cutter is called a master because it takes several years of training just to cut thin slices like rice leaves, the thinner the slice, the lower the salinity of the ham and the better it tastes.
The best way to enjoy this type of ham is to leave it whole and slowly put it in your mouth, feeling the flavor in each fiber spreading in your mouth, it will definitely be the best taste experience in your life.
