The farms where the pigs are raised are called dehesas. The dehesas are a Spanish national treasure: large areas of forest partially converted to pasture, hundreds of years old, with rolling grassy hills amidst crops of acorn-producing oak and cork trees. The oak and cork trees produce the “Bellotas”, nutricious acorns that fall from early October to early March. The acorns are high in fat, a large percentage of which is unsaturated oleic fatty acid; and eating them is what makes the pigs’ fat so soft and creamy, on the verge of melting at room temperature. Acorns also contribute to the ham’s nutty flavour and aroma.
The curing traditions in the traditional jamón houses in small towns around Trujillo are centuries old and highly skilled. You can still see hundreds of hooks on ceilings from times when ham was cured using just natural air-flow. Nowadays there are huge jamón drying barns, some climate controlled but most using the traditional methods.
Once slaughtered, the ham-bound legs are skinned, salted, rinsed, dried and sent to the curing cellar where they will remain for about a year and a half. Skilled specialists monitor the curing cellars at all times, noting fluctuations in temperature and humidity. The skill in the process is what makes the process so unique.
Before any ham leaves the cellar, it gets a sniff test. A trained nose can purportedly detect 100 aromas from a premium ham, some sweet, some meaty, some nutty.
Carving Spanish ham is an artisan job of its own. Jamón Iberico shouldn’t be sliced by machine—the soft fat would sheer out and the lean, bony legs make horizontal slicing difficult. The perfect slice is carved by hand, nearly see-through and small enough to eat in one bite. The fat melts in your mouth!
In Trujillo jamón is available to buy at La Despensa, El Anticuario and Jamones Casa Bautista. Guests staying at Trujillo Villas can enjoy a ham feast to compare the types of hams that are produced in Extremadura. Guests at can also visit a bodega or curing house to see how the ham is made.