2. Introduction
This talk is going to carry us through the facts which differentiate the
ham produced in the Sierra de Huelva from that produced in other
areas. Facts which explain why the Jabugo ham has received since
immemorial age the appellative of best ham in the world.
This facts are mainly 4:
1. Intrinsic factors to the type of pig:
1.1 Breed of pig
1.2 Age
2. Extrinsic factors to the type of pig:
2.1 Feeding
2.2 Breeding
3. Climatologic conditions in the area in which the curing takes
place
4. Production process
3. 1. Intrinsic factors to the type of pig
1.1.Breed of pig (1/2)
Concerning breed we distinguish two key blocks in the iberico pig:
A: Pure Iberico Pig
Definition: A pig with both father and mother 100% iberico breed and thus
registered in the corresponding genealogical book
Physiognomy: black skin with little or no hair, thin, long and straight snout, ears
which fall over his head (never upright or semi-upright over his head)and long and
thin limbs
Behavior: strong and specially formed snout allows them to reach where other pig
breeds can’t and to peel acorns! Agile, can go long distances to find food.
Completely adapted to the Dehesa, can go without shelter.
Physiology: great tendency to accumulate oleic fat due to lesser development of
hypophysis and thyroid gland. Inter & intramuscular fat accumulation is key as
aroma and taste depend on it, and this trait is what differentiates the product from
that coming from other breeds.
B: Iberico Pig
Definition: A cross-breed pig, partly Iberico and partly Duroc or Laroce Jersey
(common white breeds
Characteristics vs. Pure Iberico:
Precocious growth
Higher conversion index
Increased meat carcasses performance
Significantly less fat infiltration (=less quality)
4. 1. Intrinsic factors to the type of pig
1.1.Breed of pig (2/2)
Key differences between Pure Iberico and Iberico (or crossed-breed):
IBERICO (Crossed with
CHARACTERISTICS PURE IBERICO
Duroc)
10 months (usually 7-8
Slaughter age Min 18-20 months
months)
Conversion index Low Med-High
Meat performance Low Med-High
Fat infiltration
High Med
(inter/intra muscular)
Organoleptic quality Med-High Low-Med
5. 1. Intrinsic factors to the type of pig
1.2.Age
Age is a key factor in the physicoquimical composition of meat
affecting fundamentally:
Type of fibers composing muscles (essentially red in older pigs)
Higher fat infiltration capacity in older pigs (intermuscular and
intramuscular fat infiltration leads to the white streaks we can see in the
ham)
In other words age is another important factor to be
considered when searching a quality product
The Iberico Quality Norm establishes minimum ages for slaughter
according to the type of feeding the pig receives:
Bellota Feeding:
Iberico (cross-breed with Duroc): 14 months
Pure Iberico: 18-20 months
JPD: 20-24 months
Grain Feeding
7-10 months
6. 2. Extrinsic factors to the type of pig
2.1.Feeding
Awaiting approval of the new quality norm the current one recognizes the
following:
A: Cebo
Pigs raised exclusively on feed on an intensive farming regime.
B: Recebo
Pigs raised on a mixture of acorns and feed. At least 2 arrobas of its weight have
been gained through acorn feeding. Scarcely any product falls in this category.
C: Bellota
Pigs which have gained at least 4.5@ of their weight based on acorn and pastures
during the acorn season.
Feeding is key in the pig as it accumulates directly the fat not spent without practically
any transformation.
The fat found in the acorns has associated several aromatic components (bencenos)
which are directly transferred to the pigs fat and in due time give the Iberico Bellota Ham
its characteristic aroma and flavor.
7. 2. Extrinsic factors to the type of pig
2.2.Breeding
Breeding is intrinsically different in intensive and extensive regimes:
A: Intensive
Kept in closed enclosures
Highly populated
Focused on acquiring weight quickly
B: Extensive
Kept free roaming in the Dehesas
1 pig per hectare of terrain
Focused on the natural growth process:
Pigs go to the slaughterhouse at a much higher age
Pigs exercise continuously while searching their food
The muscular development achieved as well as the type of fiber to be found in
muscle s, both key to the quality of the final product, are highly influenced by the
amount of physical exercise and by age.
8. 3. Climatologic conditions in the area in
which the curing takes place
The Huelva mountainous region and specially the area between Cortegana
and Aracena are subject to a microclimate, due to its height (700-
900meters) and to the fact that it is the first massif to be found by the
squalls coming from the North.
This microclimate is characterized by:
High average rainfall regime, concentrated mostly in autumn and spring; seasons
that stand out for the high humidity rate
Dry and cold winters, dominated by winds coming from the North
Short and mild summers, with cold nights
9. 4. Production process
The production process is different in each production house. Most relevant
differences to be found around:
Artisanal vs. industrial process (e.g. natural or artificial curing process)
Level of integration of the different production phases
Control of the process
