Buying jabugo ham is a tradition not only in Spanish homes, but also in half the world. For centuries in Jabugo and the rest of the municipalities of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche an Iberian ham of quality recognized and admired by the most exquisite palates is made. In the texts of Lope de Vega in 1577 the elaboration of hams in the region of the Sierra de Aracena is already mentioned. The first brotherhood of butchers and muleteers was created in 1772 in the municipality of Cumbres Mayores. In Aracena there is a Ham Museum that opens its doors as an interpretation center for Iberian Ham.
In 1998 the Protected Designation of Origin Jamón de Huelva was created. Since March 2017, the Denomination of Origin Jamón de Huelva was renamed Denomination of Origin Jabugo that includes all Iberian ham made in the dryers of any of the 31 municipalities in its area of influence; Jabugo, Aroche, Aracena, Cumbres Mayores, Santa Olalla del Cala, Cortegana, Corteconcepción, El Repilado...
The protected designation of origin Jabugo covers the origin and quality of Iberian hams that are raised and fattened in freedom in the Dehesa to be later made in natural dryers of the towns of the region of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche.
It is important to note that this region has an orography - average altitude of 572m - and climate - rainfall of 1048l / m2 - very particular that allow completely natural maturation drying conditions without human intervention in the control of humidity or temperature in the dryer of Iberian ham.
The specifications of February 24, 2016 of the Ministry of Agriculture establishes three classes that you will recognize when buying Iberian ham from Jabugo. Here we describe them to you:
Class I: Jabugo SUMMUM Ham: It includes only 100% Iberian ham and 100% Iberian shoulder fed exclusively with acorns and the natural resources of the Dehesas de la Sierra de Huelva and other areas recognized as suitable for the breeding and handling of the Iberian pig covered by the PDO Jabugo. We are talking about pata negra ham that comes from an Iberian pig whose minimum age at slaughter will be 14 months. This ham will always carry the black bridle established by the Quality Standard of Iberian Ham.
Class II: Jabugo Ham EXCELLENS. Included in this class is any Iberian ham or Iberian shoulder whose has 75% Iberian blood with a traditional handling and fed in the montanera season exclusively with Acorns and herbs from the Dehesa. It is also required that pigs covered by this class have a minimum age at slaughter of 14 months. Any shoulder or Excellens Iberian ham will have a red flange as established by the Iberian Standard.
Class III: Jabugo Ham SELECTION. The difference between this category and the previous one lies in the feed supplement, mainly cereals and legumes, which complements the fattening phase of Iberian pigs that are also raised in freedom in the pasture. They will also possess a minimum of 75% Iberian blood. In this case, the minimum slaughter is reduced to 12 months.
For all categories, a minimum processing period of 600 days is required for jabugo ham of less than 7kgs. This curing period of jabugo Iberian ham lasts up to a minimum of 730 days when the weight of the cured ham exceeds 7kgs.
In the case of the Iberian shoulder of jabugo, the specifications of the PDO Jabugo require a minimum of 365 days of maturation process in the natural winery and always in one of the municipalities hosted by it.
You can buy an Iberian jabugo shoulder or a jabugo acorn-fed ham in ibericomio.es choosing from our partner producers; Alba Romero, Tartessos or Ramón Chaparro.
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