When talking of Spanish food, there is a recurrent theme: jamón. The best ham and pork charcuterie in the world, the Iberian meat caviar if you wish, is really an ultimate gourmet experience.
But not all Spanish ham is ibérico, and even within ibérico there are many different qualities of ham and charcuterie.
Any ibérico is good, probably better than any regular ham you’ve tried, but only the top acorn-fed 100% Iberian breed (100% Ibérico de bellota) is what will give your taste buds something you will always remember.
Here we will tell you all you need to know about jamón ibérico and other cuts so you know to choose the best and what expectations to have when you are buying and tasting ibérico.
What is Iberian pork?
Iberian pork is a distinct breed mainly found in the South-West of the Iberian peninsula, in the province of Salamanca, Extremadura region and Western Andalusia (mainly Huelva) in Spain, as well as in the Alentejo region of Portugal.
You can easily tell apart an Iberian breed from other pigs for their dark colour and usually black hoofs.
It is believed that they originated from natural or selective breeding of different varieties of wild boars. They are raised in large expanses of Mediterranean oak forests called “dehesas”.
Where is jamón ibérico produced?
Spain has four protected designations of origin (Denominaciones de Origen Protegidas) for ibérico ham and pork products:
- D.O.P. Guijuelo, in the province of Salamanca (Castilla y León).
- D.O.P. Dehesa de Extremadura (provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz)
- D.O.P. Jabugo, centred in the province of Huelva (Andalusia).
- D.O.P. Los Pedroches, in the province of Córdoba (Andalusia).
In all of them, farms raise their pigs with unintensive methods. The regulations require that the number of animals is limited to between 0.25 to 1.25 per hectare (depending on the amount of trees).
Each region has slightly different microclimates, which impact the taste of their products, but all have top quality jamones. Guijuelo produces more mixed breed (50% and 75% ibérico) than the rest, but also has Joselito, an institution of 100% ibérico.
In Portugal, Iberian pork is produced in the Alentejo region, where the traditional breed is slightly different, known as “porco alentejano”. It is regarded as a highly pure breed.
In Portugal you will find different charcuterie, but for now, the Spanish ibérico industry is larger and more developed than the Portuguese one.
What defines the quality of my ibérico?
Not all ibéricos are the same… there are different qualities – and prices. All are good, but not all are the sublime, real stuff.
There are two factors that directly affect the quality of your Iberian ham or charcuterie: the pig’s breed and the way they are raised and fed.
1. Breed
There are basically 2 kinds of ibérico breeds:
- Pure Iberian breed (100% ibérico)
- Mixed Iberian-Duroc breed, which can be 50% ibérico or 75% ibérico. Less than 50% mixed breeds are not considered ibérico at all, and cannot include this designation.
2. What they eat: acorns or fodder?
What pigs eat is absolutely crucial – the difference between a good ham and the real delicatessen that has nothing to do with any other ham or charcuterie that you will ever try.
There are basically two kinds of ibérico products depending on how the animals are fed:
- Acorn-fed (“de bellota”)
- Common animal fodder (“de cebo”).
As you may imagine, acorn-fed is that of the highest quality.
Breed and feed give you different combinations. The highest quality is jamón de bellota 100% ibérico (acorn-fed 100% ibérico). But this accounts for around 5% of the total ibérico production in Spain!
How can I know what ibérico I am buying?
Not so long ago, jamón ibérico regulations were not so clear and some producers sold mixed breed ham just as “ibérico”, for a lower price, and not the same taste.
Now the label of any Iberian ham must state clearly the breed, fodder and farming style and a colour code has been created to make it even clearer to the buyer.
4 different types of ibérico ham are defined, from highest to lowest quality (and price):
- Jamón de bellota 100% Ibérico (pure breed, acorn-fed): Black label. This costs 150 to 200 €/kg (around 70-90 €/kg whole leg, but in this case you also pay the bone and lard).
- Jamón de bellota Ibérico (50% or 75% mixed breed, acorn-fed): Red label. 80-120 €/kg (25-50 €/kg whole leg).
- Jamón de cebo de campo Ibérico (common fodder, unintensive farming, regardless of the breed, must be at least 50% ibérico): Green label. 40-80 €/kg (15-40 €/kg whole piece).
- Jamón de cebo Ibérico (common fodder, intensive farming regardless of the breed, must be at least 50% ibérico): White label.
Note that when the animals are not acorn-fed, the regulators don’t really care if they are 100% or 50% ibérico. This gives an idea about how important acorns really are!
Recently, Maldonado has released the first ham certified by an ADN test, so you can know exactly the purity of the breed!
So if you really want to taste the best ham in the world and understand what all the fuss about ibérico is about, go for the black label, 100% and acorn-fed! 75% acorn-fed is great too… but, honestly, the green and white labels are a completely different story (even if better than a typical Parma ham).
If you find jamón too expensive for you, then taste other cuts! Now we will explain you how to choose and buy ibérico like a real expert.
There is ibérico beyond jamón
Ibérico ham (jamón) is the most appreciated, famous and expensive of all ibérico products, but Iberian porks not only have legs, also other incredibly tasty parts.
There are other pieces that will grant you the real ibérico taste for a much more affordable price. But it’s not only about saving money, these have different flavours that you may even like more than jamón… So taste them too!
Other pork cuts
There are other cuts coming from different parts of the animal. These are whole pieces (e.g. pork loin), not mixed meat, so they are also very noble and cured just like jamón, with no spices.
These are a great alternative if you are not willing to pay 150-200 €/kg for the best jamón. If you are thinking of spending around 90 €/kg for “jamón de cebo de campo”… spend even less money for something much better!
For 60-70 €/kg you can taste the genuine 100% ibérico de bellota taste in a variety of charcuterie, that you may enjoy as much (or maybe even more) than jamón.
Lomo: cured pork loin, the most traditional ibérico cut, along with jamón. Subtle taste, less fatty, a good “pata negra” lomo can be nearly as amazing as jamón at a much lower price (70-90 €/kg)
Coppa or cabecero de lomo: less common, this part comes from the neck of the animal, or the end of the loin. Originally an Italian cut (hence its spelling), when you do it with ibérico it’s definitely another story! You get the beautiful ibérico taste and the oily texture of jamón for around 70 €/kg.
Presa: another piece located somewhere between lomo and coppa, and with a similar price. With a more intense and meaty taste than lomo and coppa, it will definitely surprise you and maybe you end up liking it more than any other!
Paleta (shoulder ham): looks like jamón, but it is quite saltier, so not really our choice – but some people do like it and price can be around half of jamón of the same ibérico quality (around 90 €/kg for 100% ibérico de bellota).
Mixed meat
These are products in which meat and fat from different parts of the animal are mixed with spices. You could call them “sausages”, but in Spain we don’t like to use the same word for wurst as for these classic Spanish cured cold cuts: super-famous chorizo and salchichón.
Chorizo is made with paprika (which can be mild or spicy, although chorizo ibérico is seldom spicy). The paprika used is of a local variety from Extremadura called Pimentón de la Vera, which is delicious in many dishes.
Salchichón is similar to salami, although less salty and is flavoured with black pepper.
Obviously, these products are considerably cheaper, but they can be delicious too. Iberian chorizo and salchichón are in general better than regular ones, but there is not such a big difference as with ham or other pork cuts – in the end a good spice mix and balance with the meat makes a lot!
That said, Joselito and other chorizos ibéricos are really amazing!
You should definitely try these when in Spain, but don’t think that it’s like trying jamón ibérico or the whole pieces described above!
What should I taste?
100% ibérico de bellota is the real stuff.
It is considerably more expensive than the other varieties but, seriously, you can really taste, smell and feel the difference. If you don’t believe us, try it for yourself!
We think when you are in Spain, you should definitely try it to complete your foody experience… even if it’s only a small portion, you won’t regret it!
Where is it best to buy my ibérico?
We advice you not to order it in a restaurant, where the price will skyrocket, but to buy it in a shop. But beware of fancy packaging, because it’s usually very overpriced. The best is to buy it in a shop where they cut it from the leg right away or they vaccum it (better if you are keeping it for later).
In the end, a “bocadillo” you buy in these shops that have grown like mushrooms in the past years in touristic areas are never acorn-fed. So, for a similar price, go to a shop, buy the real stuff and enjoy it slowly, with less bread.
Gourmet Experience El Corte Inglés stores is a great place as you can buy your Iberian ham and cuts at retail price and enjoy it their bar. And then, you can buy more to take home if you liked it. You can find it in some Spanish cities, including Madrid city centre.
Our personal choices
These choices are completely subjective and strictly personal, although we have to say that no one has ever been disappointed by them.
Best jamón ibérico: our favourite is Maldonado from Extremadura (their lomo is also amazing). But if you liked it more cured, 5 Jotas may be your best choice. It also depends on each individual piece…
Joselito is another ibérico institution, top-quality and very easy to find. All of these are 100% ibérico de bellota.
Best value for money ibérico: Coppa Joselito, the mindblowing taste and feeling of real acorn-fed ibérico for 70 €/kg. It is the closest thing to jamón you will find.
Presa 5 Jotas is also amazing (75 €/kg). Just a matter of taste which one you prefer.
As for lomo, go for Maldonado, a mindblowing taste for less money than other bigger brands. Their salchichón is also our favourite.
Best chorizo: certainly Joselito, although it’s probably too expensive (around 35 €/kg). For less than 20 €/kg you can find great Ibérico chorizos, like Jabu. And there are also great non-ibérico chorizos in a range of 10-15 €/kg.
