Why Spaniards Love Bellota Ham

It is different from the usual Iberico ham in that it is made from pigs that are pampered luxuriously and they are allowed to roam the oak forests or the dehesa. Their main diet is composed of bellota or acorns which add a very nutty and rich flavour to the ham.

There are many kinds of ham under the Jamon Iberico and we shall learn about most of them in this article. A breed of pigs that produce the Jamon Iberico de Bellota is a 75% cerdo iberico. Its final diet before slaughtering is purely acorns and grasses that are found in open forests called dehesas which have been designated by the government. Bellota ham is best known for its high levels of oleic acid which is a form of monounsaturated fats. This is a special characteristic that comes about during its curing process because of the pigs' antioxidant rich diet of acorns. Gas chromatography is used to test if the final ham has the right levels of essential fatty acids to meet the grade specifications of bellota ham. Regulation of the density of pigs to as low as one pig per hectare ensures the best quality of ham that will be produced. The pigs will have sufficient amounts of exercise and acorns. Bellota grade jamones or hams and paletas or shoulders are generally dry-cured for twenty four to thirty six months. This type of ham is best enjoyed by itself as a tapa and it is one of the luxury food items of Spain.

Jamon Iberico de Recebo is made from a breed of pigs that are 75% cerdo iberico and its final diet is composed of 85% acorns and the rest is on commercial grade feeds. They are also bred on open range dehesas but the density of pigs per hectare is higher than the bellota ham. The evaluation of the finished product is the same way as the bellota ham which is by measuring their fatty acid levels. These kinds of meat are dry cured for at least twenty four months.

Another type of Iberian ham is the Jamon Iberico Cebo de Campo. It is also produced from pigs that are bred from 75% cerdo iberico pig but their final diet is composed primarily of commercial hog feed and a small amount of acorns and grasses. This is the latest grade that has been added to the official standards by the Ministry of Agriculture. The regulated density of the pigs per hectare is 12 and they are dry-cured for at least 24 months.

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