La Bellota

For those of you who have known me for a while, you know I have had an obsession with ham for the past several years. Not just any ham, but a special Spanish ham, Jamon Iberico to be exact. I am so obsessed that I have asked people (some of them actual strangers to me) if they know anyone who might be willing to raise a pig for me. Of course it has to be the right kind of pig kept under the right circumstances, fed a very special diet and then the ham part comes next. This obsession with Spanish ham came long before I knew I’d be living right next door to Spain. It is a dream come true and EasyJet made my dream a reality! With a one way ticket to Madrid less than 25 euro, I went to Madrid and Segovia, and more recently a trip to Bilbao. I ate ham until I couldn’t eat any more, ham at every meal for days! 

So, what is so special about the ham? For one thing it is very hard to come by in the United States, and very expensive. It is expensive not only in the USA, but everywhere. Breeding is important; it must be at least 3/4th black Iberian pig by heritage. The pig is raised in the south of Spain and parts of Portugal. Hams from certain areas have their own DOC much like a wine from a certain region. The entire town of Jubugo Spain is devoted to the ham, and its biggest producer is 5J Sanchez Romero Carvajal.   We had dinner at a restaurant serving this ham, and I can vouch for the quality!

It is the lifestyle of the pig matters. The Bellota, the most expensive of these hams must be free range, live in an oak forest and for its final months of life, eat the acorns that fall from the trees. The exercise and diet provide the special flavor of the meat and the fat marbling of the leg. The Bellota ham is then cured for 36 months. Hams of lesser quality are fed differently, are kept in a pasture and may not be aged as long. The method of feeding, keeping and curing the pig helps to determine the price; however, any of these special hams are superior to any regular ham.   

Today I discovered that a farm not far from Toulouse France raises these tasty pigs and has a shop in my local market. I had a few tastes today to make sure it was good, and since it was, I bought a pork shoulder roast for tomorrow’s dinner.

 You too can get Spanish hams. Many varieties have been available in the United States since 2007, and can cost over $100 per pound. Small servings of 50 to 100 grams will give you the taste of the ham without having to travel all the way to Spain. Of course there are ham stands designed for holding the ham while carving. I recently checked the price of the ham stand at several stores. There are discount models available for about 29 euros, and the price goes up from there. The most expensive model was well over 4300 euros! But if your ham costs upwards of 200 euro a kilo, then a 4300 euro holder might the right choice for you!