IBERICO SHOULDER HAMS

The Iberico “paleta” cut comes from the front leg of the Iberian pig. After cutting the animal, the result is two Iberico pork shoulder pieces. These front legs are known for being lighter than the rear legs, which become the Iberico hams and Bellota hams.

The most notable differences between an Iberico paleta shoulder cut and an Iberic ham are:

• Cutting or quartering of the pig. The Iberico paleta or shoulder comes from the front of the animal, while the ham comes from the rear legs.
• Weight. The paleta piece is smaller than the ham, with weight between 5 and 6 kg, or between 4 and 4.5 kg in the case of 100% Iberico pork shoulders. Hams are bigger and usually weigh somewhere between 7 and 9  kg, occasionally reaching 10 kg. As happens with the paleta pieces, 100% Iberico hams tend to weigh less than 75% or 50% Iberian breed hams. 
• Curing process. Due to its smaller size, the Iberico paleta cut requires less time to reach its optimal ageing point.
• Returns. Cutting or slicing the paleta piece is more complicated because, compared to a ham, the ratio between bone and meat is higher. For this very reason, its yield is lower.
• Flavour. Iberico paleta has a more intense flavour, however, Iberico ham results in a fuller experience, including many nuances for the senses. In any case, any preferences depend on the tastes of the person enjoying it.

If a pork shoulder is considered “Bellota” —the Spanish word for acorn—, then that means the pig it came from fed from acorns and other natural sources during the grazing period. Iberian breed pigs belonging to FISAN graze freely across the dehesa meadows during the montanera period, and they are able to cover up to 14 km daily while looking for their favourite food: acorns. Each pig can consume up to 9 kg of these nuts each day; this food gives Bellota pork shoulder an intense flavour, a juicy texture and a striated, unctuous and shiny appearance.

The Bellota pork shoulder pieces from FISAN that have a black label on the hoof mark a product that originated from pigs that were 100% Iberian breed, this label also means that those animals had an acorn-based diet. These Bellota pork shoulder pieces that are 100% Iberico products belong to FISAN’s Alta Gastronomía range.

The key difference between a pork shoulder marked as “Cebo de campo” and one that is marked “Bellota” is the animal’s diet. A Cebo-de-campo pork shoulder comes from Iberian pigs that have fed on both natural resources while grazing in the dehesa meadows and animal feed. However, the Bellota shoulder comes from pigs that have been raised in freedom and whose diet mainly included acorns found during the montanera grazing period.

As for its taste, the Bellota pork shoulder has a deeper and more intense flavour than the Iberico Cebo-de-campo shoulder, and also has a higher level of healthy fats (oleic acid), which make this product the most valued of the two.

To tell between a Bellota pork shoulder and a Iberico Cebo-de-campo piece, it is enough with looking at the label that is attached to each piece, which has a colour code determined by the Rules and Guidelines for Iberico products:

• The Bellota paleta pieces can include a black or red label. The black label means the pig fed solely on acorns and is 100% Iberico. If the label is red, as well as letting the consumer know that the pig fed on acorns as well, it means the animal was either 75 or 50% Iberian breed.
• The Iberico Cebo-de-campo pork shoulder pieces have a green label, which indicates the pig grazed in the meadows and also ate animal feed. This label also means that the pig may be 100, 75 or 50% Iberian breed.

The process to produce FISAN’s Iberico pork shoulders includes several steps that, taken with care and effort, help not only to maintain all its nutritional and organoleptic properties, but also to improve them. The main phases that FISAN carries out during the process to prepare the Iberico pork shoulder are:

• Cleaning and V-cutting in Guijuelo’s signature style.
• Salting process, using sea salt from Torrevieja.
• Natural drying in rooms facing the mountains.

Maturation time in the cellars with a minimum curing time of 24 months.

In truth, 100% Bellota pork shoulders do not exist. The percentage refers to the level of purity regarding the animal’s breed, not its diet. Bearing this in mind, the possibilities are the following:

• 100% Iberian breed pig or pure Iberico: mother and father that are both 100% Iberian breed.
• 75% Iberian breed pig: mother that is 100% Iberian breed and father that is 50% Iberian breed.
• 50% Iberian breed pig: mother that is 100% Iberian breed and father that is Duroc breed.

If the label on the pork shoulder includes the word “Bellota”, this means the animal has fed on acorns. The percentage that appears refers to the breed, not to the diet.

The main difference is that when referring to pork shoulder, or paleta, as Iberico, we are highlighting the breed of the pig from which the piece originated; the level of Iberian breed can be 100%, 75% or 50%.

However, when we designate the pork shoulder as a Bellota paleta piece, we are referring to the animal’s diet during the montanera grazing period, as well as describing its active lifestyle while it fed freely in the dehesa meadows.

At FISAN all the pork shoulders are Iberican breed, but they are not all Bellota. We have a selection of Iberico paleta pieces with a Cebo de Campo designation, which are known for their aroma, their succulent appearance and a soft flavour that takes you back to the freshness of the countryside. This is the case of the Sabor Tradicional range available at FISAN.

Choosing FISAN’s Bellota pork shoulder in its hand-sliced format has several advantages over the other option, which is to enjoy it as a whole piece:

• The paleta piece can be savoured effortlessly. It is not necessary to be an experienced slicer, you merely need to open the package and enjoy it.
• Instant enjoyment. As well as not needing any special skill, with sliced pork shoulder you do not need to plan the moment when you want to enjoy this piece. You need only to open the package and let the Iberico paleta slices breathe and acclimate to room temperature.
• Exclusive presentation perfect as a gift. FISAN’s hand-sliced Iberico pork shoulder is an ideal present for special occasions, for example new mothers or unique events.
• Guaranteed freshness. The vacuum-package makes the consumer’s experience easier, and it is similar to enjoying freshly sliced Iberico pork shoulder, without needing to buy the whole piece.
• The perfect format to savour the Iberico pork shoulder anywhere. If you are going on a trio, this is an excellent item to carry in your suitcase or in the rucksack.