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1. The Designation of Origin
Designation of Origin hams and shoulders are those who same from Iberian breed pigs or authorized crossbreeding by the National Current Legislation in Force. This Protected Designation of Origin certifies both origin and quality of Ibérico hams and shoulders, which has been free-fattened and ranged in pastures and made in natural cellars placed in Salamanca
2. Ham and shoulder physical and organoleptic features
After the breeding and curying process of Salamanca hams and shoulders, they should have a set of physical and organoleptic features which are very specific.
Physical and organoleptic features Salamanca
- The external shape is long and stylized, preserving the original hoof's piece. About the outside colour, the ham's skin (also known as mycosis flora) may be white, bluish gray, deep gray or purple, formed during the maturation process.
- The colour of the meet in the surface cut is pink or deep red of a shiny aspect, with streaks of fat and infiltrated fat on the muscle mass. The meat is consistent in the muscle mass and slightly oily in the fat (or known as adipose tissue). The oiliness of fat may vary depending on the quantity of acorns the pigs have eaten during the fattening cycle. Fat is shiny, white-yellow colour and of a nice taste.
- About the weight, minimum weight for 100% ibérico hams should be 5.75 kilos and 3.7 kilos for shoulders of the same kind. Pieces coming from 75% ibérico hams, minimum weight will be 7 kilos and 4 kilos for shoulders of the same kind.
- Meat's flavour is soft, sweet or not too salty. Meat is fibrous and it has a nice taste.
3. Geographical area
Every Designation of Origin is distributed in three zones depending on its aim: Breeding area, production area and curing area.
Salamanca breeding area (or fattening area)
Breeding or fattening area is mainly conformed by pastures. Its climate and its situation in Spain, makes it basic to obtain hams and shoulders. Those pigs have been free-ranged.
Salamanca production area
Production area of Protected Designation of Origin hams and shoulders is conformed by seventy eight towns, placed in Salamanca. Those towns are placed at southern Salamanca, surrounded by pastures and in the confluence of Sierra de Bejar and Sierra de Francia. The most important town, which gives name to this DO.
Salamanca curing area
Cured and maturation of those pieces is done on Salamanca thought breeding and production is done in other parts of Spain. Due to the perfect microclimate for curying processes, there are many companies doing this process.
Salamanca is placed in Meseta Ibérica (Iberian Plateau), 1000 metres over the sea level. Climate of Salamanca has cold and dry winters and mild and short summers. The set of geographic and weather characteristics is perfect for hams and shoulders drying and maturation.
5. Curiosities: ham as "Designation of Origin".
Thought the Designation of Origin has been created more than 30 years ago, ibéricos pata negra hams and other meat products production date long ago. The creation of this Designation of origin was encouraged by the need of controlling the production as it has always been one of the main hams producing areas in Spain.
In 1986, the Designation of Origin has been created as a Designation of Origin Regulatory Commission, becoming the first ibérico ham's Protected Designation of Origin created in Spain. The main functions of the Designation of Origin Regulatory Commission are to control certification schemes, from its elaboration to the customer experience in order to avoid fraudulent use of the designation, as well as the promotion of the Designation of Origin products by informing the customer about the compliance of every requisite.
