El Jamón Ibérico is from the Iberian pig, original race of the Iberian peninsula For the "Iberian" designation is allowed at least 50% pure Iberian breed. Iberian ham we classify as eating pig before slaughter:

 

Jamón de Recebo, animal that after the mast does not reach the optimal weight for slaughter and need a supply of feed grains and legumes, and additional pastures to reach slaughter weight indicated.

 

Cebo Ham or terminated in the field, adopting pig fattening phase in a food-based feed, cereals and legumes.

 

Bellota Ham, animal that in the period from November to March during montanera feeds on acorns and grass, reaching the optimal weight for slaughter.

 

To differentiate the Iberian ham are some key features to distinguish themselves from the rest. The quality comes from the purity of the breed of pigs, breeding in extensive regime of the Iberian pig, in meadows with trees and enough water inputs and the healing period, which is usually 24 to 36 months.

There are a number of characteristics covered by the Control Board of the Designation of Origin, which name the different types of ham:

Huelva Ham It is appellation. It has a texture, aroma and special and distinct flavor. Huelva ham is made in the Sierra de Huelva in microclimate features from the Iberian pig raised in the pasture in freedom and fed on acorns and natural grasses during the open range. The villages that make up the processing area Designation of Origin Jamón de Huelva are: Aracena, Cumbres Mayores, Cortegana, Jabugo. It is the Protected Designation of Origin Jamón de Huelva accordance with Regulation (EC) No 510/2006 of the European Union.

Iberian Ham Pedroches is finished from pigs fed on acorns in times of open range. These hams are sealed in black and Label Regulatory Board to ensure its authenticity. The Iberian ham Pedroces has an elongated, slender, shaped by cutting in form V. This ham retains the leg and claw for better identification. Has a distinctive color from pink to purple-red and appearance when cut, with fat infiltration in muscle mass. Their meat has a delicate, slightly salty or sweet, with a pleasant, characteristic aroma.

Pigs with the Guijuelo Ham  is produced is characterized by its young in the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos and Béjar, in the regions of Castilla y Leon and Extremadura, also in Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha. The production area Guijuelo ham is made up of 77 municipalities of Salamanca, the main town Guijuelo.

 

The production area Ham Dehesa de Extremadura is located in the meadows of cork oaks and oaks, in Caceres and Badajoz. Feeding the pigs it is based on acorns. Designation of Origin Dehesa de Extremadura is the most strict controls, in the slaughterhouse, and in the field and in the factory. Hams and Designation of Origin Dehesa de Extremadura are highly regarded in the sector. Extremadura has about one million hectares of the total area of ​​pasture in the peninsula, being the cradle of Iberian pig breeding. 1990 Regulation of the Designation of Origin Dehesa de Extremadura, ratified by the MAP will approve in BOE dated July 2, 1990. In 1996 the European Union recognizes the ham "Dehesa de Extremadura" as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), supporting community-level prestige and quality of the hams and welcomed by the Regulatory Council .

Chaves Ham, White leg ham. Known and tradition in the local industry. It has begun to distribute this product in restaurant chains and outside Trás-os-Montes, northern Portugal; natural food, its production is controlled to obtain higher quality, with the support of the City. The healing period, maturation and natural aging of ham Chaves is 18 to 24 months.

Pata Negra It is a popular epithet for what refers to the color of the hoof of pork and sometimes the color of the Iberian pig. Between genetic varieties there: Iberian pigs hairless, torviscales, blond Cadiz, etc. But these genetic variations have nothing to do with the quality of the ham. The color depends on the keratin hoof.

Hard pork ham 100% is characterized by a ham black hoof and high in marbling and backfat. This breed of pigs has always been linked to the world of ham and quality hams from white pigs.

Serrano Ham comes from a variety of breed white pig, ham is distinguished by the color of the skin. It is called serrano when cured in mountain climate, cold and dry. Serrano ham is regulated by the EU Regulation 2082/92, which defines characteristics of the process and the finished product. Serrano ham wine, book and prosciutto ham Gran Reserva: the ham by three grades differ cure. There serrano ham Granada, Salamanca and elsewhere. Noteworthy are the designations of origin:

Teruel ham is the first white ham in Spain with Designation of Origin. The production area of these hams are Turolenses municipalities with a minimum altitude of 800 meters, the healing period and maturity is at least one year.

 

Trevélez ham is the only white ham PGI Spain (Protected Geographical Indication). Alpujarra Granadina the processing area is more than 1,200 meters. Its headquarters is in Trevélez Regulatory Board. The natural healing period, maturation and aging Trevélez ham is 14 to 24 months. Trevélez ham got its Designation of Origin in 2006. You can buy in different formats such as: cut, pieces, boned, vacuum-packed, sliced ​​and cut with a knife.

 

Ham Chato from flat Murcia flat Murcia, Murcia native breed and has been endangered until recently, due to mixing with other races, the little acceptance in the 50s and 60s of pigs with black skin. After the healing process the same duration as the Iberian ham, a rich fat ham is obtained, with a pink and reddish. In the recovery process production it is still low.