Iberian vocabulary

The ageing room is like a temple for Iberian cured meats, a large room where the ageing process takes place, after salting, curing and drying.

The temperature and humidity are essential for the pieces to undergo the biochemical changes that give them all of the properties that we enjoy when we eat them. An ageing room should be kept at a temperature between 15º and 20º and with relative humidity of around 60% to 80%.

Mafresa's Iberian hams remain in our 32 ageing rooms for around 20 months during the curing process. Every year we ship 900,000 cured hams and shoulders.

Quality should be part every phase of the Iberian ham preparation process, from farm to fork. The carving of Iberian ham before it is eaten is a bonafide ritual that requires a great deal of expertise. What added value does a professional carver bring?

The carver makes the best use of the piece, with cuts that increase the gastronomic quality of the ham. The presentation, the careful handling of the piece, the care and quality of the knives that they use and the knowledge that they are able to convey about each piece make this professional essential for delivering total excellence for Iberian pork.

The most highly valued hams and shoulders in Spanish gastronomic culture undergo this process and it is a definitive part of the Mediterranean lifestyle. Thanks to this method, the ham does not need to be cooked. After it is carved it goes straight to the plate, with a flavour and texture that are both subtle yet intense.

Acorn-fed Iberian ham is the most highly valued, but all products from the Iberian breed that are certified by the Dehesa de Extremadura PDO contain the quality and exceptional properties of Iberian pork.

Spain's Iberian pig farming tradition has generated extensive expertise in the entire meat and Iberian product production process. When done correctly, cutting makes it possible to make optimal use of the pig, with over twenty different pieces, including the most popular Iberian pork products: the ham and the shoulder.

While Iberian cured meats and sausages have long delighted taste buds around the world, fresh Iberian pork is becoming increasingly popular in kitchens. In addition to its nutritional properties, it has a better flavour, aroma and texture than white pork.

The following pieces of the Iberian pig are used: the chop, head, aguja, "abanico" (cut that wraps the ribs), ribs, ham, "lagarto" (narrow strip between the ribs and loin), baby back ribs, neck end, shoulder, belly, top loin, shoulder loin, "secreto de barriga" (special cut from the belly), jowl, "presa" (special cut from the shoulder), tenderloin, back fat and cheeks.

The ham is the hind leg of the pig and curing is the best-known production method. There is serrano ham and Iberian ham, depending on the breed from which it is obtained. The former is produced from pieces of white pig and the latter is only produced from Iberian pigs that are bred on the Iberian peninsula. This region is the only producer of the Iberian breed, because its climate and plant life give these animals their special characteristics.

Iberian ham is also sold as uncured or fresh ham. Fresh Iberian pork is becoming increasingly popular in kitchens around the world. Tastier than white pork, it can be prepared in countless ways and take us on a journey through different cultures.

https://www.porkmeattastyandhealthy.com/recipes

This is the most easily recognisable feature of Iberian pork. This breed and the way it is bred and fed allows the fat formed during fattening to mix with the muscle. This is why Iberian pork has that contrast between the pink meat (or red if it is cured) and the thin white intermingling streaks of fat.

There are four Protected Designations of Origin for Iberian ham in Spain: Dehesa de Extremadura, Guijuelo, Jabugo and Los Pedroches. These independent bodies certify that the facilities, curing processes and every piece produced by each producer meet the quality and authenticity standards.

Authentic Iberian pork can be identified by its seals and labels. Each piece must be labelled twice and each label must contain the same information.

This quality standard is endorsed by different public authorities in the four Iberian pork PDOs. In the case of the Dehesa de Extremadura PDO it is the Extremadura Regional Government.

In Mafresa we have various products and our processes are certified and overseen by the Dehesa de Extremadura PDO.

This is the first step in the curing process. The flavour and texture of ham and pork shoulders depends on the amount of salt and how long it remains on the pieces.

In Mafresa this process is carried out on trays, with the whole piece being covered with a thin layer of salt. With the temperature and humidity kept constant, the meat absorbs the salt it requires to start drying and curing.

The shoulder is the pig's front leg. Smaller than the ham – it weighs between 4 kg and 6 kg – it has a very concentrated flavour because of its size and its curing process takes less time. The weight and production process are the main differences between Iberian shoulder and Iberian ham and are what makes it cheaper than Iberian ham.

As with ham, in Mafresa we produce and sell uncured shoulder and fresh Iberian pork shoulder.