This ham is known as Jámon Ibérico in Spain, and is generally regarded as one of their most precious culinary traditions.
The indigenous Black Iberian pig, the pata negra, is related to the wild boar and bears more resemblance to that tusked hog than to our domesticated pigs.
The hogs are raised in pastures and oak groves in Southern Spain, where they fatten up on acorns from ancient oak trees. That’s the secret to the flavor and the delicious fat in this ham. It's a strong flavor, deep, porky and totally addictive.
Our Ibérico ham is crafted by fourth-generation maestro jamoneros - literally "masters of ham"- who oversee curing rooms at high altitudes in the fresh, clean air of the Rasillo de Cameros Mountains. Their techniques marry the best of tradition with the latest in technology.
The results speak for themselves.
Just the facts
- Made from the indigenous Black Iberian pig, the pata negra, related to the wild boar
- Raised in pastures and oak groves in southern Spain
- Vegetarian diet with acorns for distinctive flavor
- Raised to two years of age, with a dressed weight of 300 lbs
- Naturally air-cured in Spain for 2 years
- No nitrites added
- Boneless, ships ready to carve and serve
- Shelf life of six months if kept refrigerated
- Product of Spain
Our mission is to find farmers that share our vision of a more humane and sustainable way of rearing livestock. We respect our place in the food chain, and see farmers as true stewards of the land and environment. This is why we build real relationships with our farmers, and work only with those who respect nature and focus on the best animal welfare practices.
The pata negra hogs are raised in the traditional way; on pastures and in ancient oak groves, where they forage acorns from four different trees. Because they are roaming across this preserved land, they develop strong muscles. Their acorn diet results in a delicious amount of intramuscular fat that contains the monounsaturated fatty acids associated with balancing cholesterol.
The hogs never receive antibiotics or hormones, nor are they ever confined. Because of its high fat content, our Ibérico ham is cured longer than most hams—for 24 months—in the high-altitude curing rooms in the Rasillo de Cameros Mountains of Spain. There the maestro jamoneros bring four generations of experience and knowledge to the natural, time-consuming process.
This Spanish-cured ham needs to be handled properly for the best experience. Be sure to trim the thick layer of yellow fat off before carving, but only in the area you are going to carve. This is a natural build-up that occurs in the long curing process as a barrier to the air, but it is bitter tasting, and not suitable for eating.
Use a long, flexible knife for slicing.
Cured ham is best served at room temperature, so bring up to room temperature before slicing and eating. If the surface looks dry, put olive oil on a cloth and place over the dry area.
Store Ibérico ham in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic.
If you are using a deli-style slicer, it will be easiest to cut thin slices when the ham is cold. Bring it down to nearly freezing – but do not freeze it! – and run it through the mechanical slicer. Individual slices can be laid on wax paper and stored in a sealed plastic bag. You can also divide the ham into smaller pieces, to share with family and friends, or for your own use, to eat a little at a time.
When left alone and unsliced for a while, the ham may develop some salt residue on the surface, or mold. Simply cut away that surface area and the ham underneath will be safe and tasty to eat.
