Iberian Pork

Iberian Pork

The Iberian pork comes from an evolution from the time of the Phoenicians from beyond the 1200-1000 BC and is native to the Iberian Peninsula. Nature is wise and the mixture of normal pig breeds with wild boar and the thousands of years that have passed until today,have resulted in an animal recognized and admired worldwide.

A mid-twentieth century, the Iberian pig was merely just another animal for human consumption. Demand-Iberian pork consumption at that time started to demand more tender meat, less weight and less fat, was what became known as the crisis of the Iberian pig.Already in the seventeenth century Iberian pig products are mentioned in the books, but without giving too much importance or value.

In recent years some crossings have been introduced with the intention to lose fat accumulation and better meat, but the quality is always lower than that of the Iberian pig. Introduced breeds are Large Black and Duroc Jersey.

There are certain common characteristics in Iberian pigs. They are adapted perfectly to the pastures, are perfect walkers of this ecosystem. Physically its snout is elongated visor shaped ears, and upper extremities colored layers which facilitate grazing. We found two varieties: black and colored.
Black Variety

It has two different types: black black Entrepelado and hairless. This racial group has a higher proportion of fat due to their propensity to accumulate. Pigs are generally thinner and less breadth than the red variety.
  • Black Entrepelado: From stretched line, give less fat than hairless stems from the Sierra de Cordoba.
  •  Black Lampiño (hairless): It has no hair and his forehead has horizontal creases. Plenty of growth during the open range.Originally comes from Caceres, Badajoz and Cordoba.

Red Variety

The four types of red variety there are well adapted, possess great productive capacity. The muscle percentage is higher than the black variety. Among them we highlight::

  • Red manchado (spotted): Jabugo also known for being in the Sierra de Huelva. Easily identifiable by the blond hair with black or gray spots that we see throughout your body.
  •  Red retinto: In the most widespread type of variety for its great productive capacity. It is found in Seville, Cordoba, Salamanca, Badajoz, Toledo, Cáceres, Badajoz and Ciudad Real.
  •  Red Torbiscal: It is the most young, represents the work of the 40s. His skin may be light or dark.
Other features of the Iberian pig, besides those mentioned above, are: pig breeding freely in wooded pastures where they can perform the necessary exercise, nutrition during healing montanera and Ham finally turning from 8 to 36 months . Ham weight influence the need for the curing time is greater or less.