The Iberian pork is an ancient and unique breed which is raised in the Leonese and Portuguese Extremaduras. They are raised in the
dehesas, where they are fed with acorn, which makes the products obtained from them all more tasty. I was told once by a Portuguese gentleman that in the old days there were also
"cerdos tartufos", that is porks who searched for
"trufas" (truffles) and fed themselves with them. Easy to believe since in the countryside it is usual to see marks on the ground from wild boars who have been searching for truffles.
The Iberian pork is black, and it is autoctonous of Iberia. The pink porks were known as Celtic porks, and were supposedly introduced in Iberia by the Celts. I wonder if the Iberian pork existed in other parts of Western Europe in ancient times and was replaced by the Celtic pork. Most likely it did.
A herd of Iberian porks roaming free on a dehesa
The products from the acorn-fed Iberian pork largely excel in quality those obtained from the Celtic porks raised on pigsties and fed on composts. To obtain the classification of Iberian acorn-fed, the porks must have been fed with acorns for some 90-100 days at least during the phase of fattening, which means that they have to eat some 450kg of acorns.
The curing process of the Iberian ham
First it must be salted with sea salt for a certain period of time (1 day per kg) at temperatures of 4ºC to 6ºC. Next they are left to dry for a period of 8 months. Finally, they are left to mature for a minimum of 12 months the paletas (front leg) and 18 months the jamón (rear leg).
Jamón Ibérico (Spanish Iberian cured ham), is the rear leg cured in the cold mountain air of the sierras. It is said to be yet better quality when it is the leg where the pork rests on (or all the way round, not sure now).
Lomo Ibérico
Chorizo Ibérico
Morcón Ibérico
Salchichón Ibérico
Paleta Ibérica (like jamón, but the front leg which is less appreciated)
A much complete information site (in Spanish) here:
http://www.jamon-iberico.com/pag_fichas_recetas.php
I found a shop in the US for price references here:
http://www.tienda.com/
A boneless Iberico ham cost $69 per pound of weight. A whole ham of 15lb of weight $800.