The town of Jabugo is located in the province of Huelva, Andalusia (Southern Spain). In 2007, it had a population of 2,435 inhabitants in 25 Km². Its population density is 99.0/Km². It is located at 112 Km from its capital, Huelva. Jabugo’s municipality is composed by four urban centres: El Repilado, Los Romeros, Jabugo and El Quejigo.

This town is worldwide known for its Iberian Acorn ham (Jamón ibérico de bellota) called jamón de Jabugo (Jabugo Ham).

Jabugo’s Iberian Ham Production:

The curing process of hams lasts 18-30 months, depending on what we are about to explain.  After being fed with acorn-rich pastures, Iberian hams are sacrificed. Their lives last an average of 21 months and nothing of them is thrown away. A wide range of products will be produced: salami, sausages, black pudding, meat… and, of course, the main product: ham.

As the process of creating a fine ham is long and complicated, a detailed explanation will be provided.

First of all, pigs are branded to indicate the exact date in which they have been sacrificed, then a V shaped cut is applied (known also as “Serrano cut”). After that, the salting process begins and hams are packed in piles (8 hams per pile) of cooking salt (1 day per kilo). It is very important to verify the levels of humidity and the temperature. Once this process is finished, ham will be washed with cold or lukewarm water in order to clean off the salt. The product will not be in direct contact with salt anymore.

Consequently, ham will be stored in another room during 35/60 days with a low level of humidity and at low temperature. Here, salt will be naturally absorbed and the moisture will be dried out.

Then, the hams are continued to be hung, one by one, facing south for 6-9 months. During this time, the temperature remains between 15 and 30 degrees. Dramatic shifts in temperature will have a negative effect on hams. With PDO products this process is carried out manually. Experts will open or close the windows in order to support the evolution of hams. Then, meat begins to take on the “cured” qualities and acorns’ fats will be absorbed by the muscles.

The next stage is to move the hams to the aging cellar. Normally they are aged for 6 up to 18 months (it depends on weight and quality). Temperature may range between 10 and 20 degrees with a humidity of 70%. In the external part will grow a layer of mould that differs from cellar to cellar. This layer will give hams their unique flavor and aroma.

In the final stage of the curing process, experts pierce hams with a needle to test the aroma and rank them.

Translated by:

Angelo Nestore (dioniso@hotmail.es)

With the term acorn we refer to the nut of the oak tree, (genera Quercus in Europe, Lithocarpus in Asia and Northern America and Cyclobalanopsis in Asia, in the family Fagaceae). This fruit is enclosed in a tough, leathery shell and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. It has a cylindrical shape and it usually contains a single seed. The morphological features of this nut represent an important diagnostic element in order to determine the exact tree genus.

Acorns are the most important food in the diet of a great number of animals, such as: birds (ex. Jays, pigeons, some ducks and many species of woodpeckers) and little mammals (ex. Mice and squirrels). Other medium and large mammals as pigs, bears and deer also consume acorns. In autumn, for example, this nut can represent the 25% of their diet. All acorns (percentages vary from species to species) contain large amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, as well as minerals and vitamins.

Long time ago they were used to feed pigs because of their high nutritive value.

Acorn (in Spanish bellota, which gives the name to the Iberian ham) is the principal food of Iberian pigs’ diet. These are the animals used to produce the worldwide famous Jamón Pata Negra de Bellota (Pata Negra Ham). This ham is regarded as the finest of all jamón ibérico because of the special acorn diet (from October to January) of the black foot pigs from which it is produced. It is just the acorn that confer a unique flavor and taste to this product.

Translated by

Angelo Nestore (dioniso@hotmail.es)