{"id":56303,"date":"2026-01-30T10:38:39","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T15:38:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/discover-the-story-behind-spains-prized-jamon-iberico-de-bellota\/30\/01\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T10:38:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T15:38:39","slug":"discover-the-story-behind-spains-prized-jamon-iberico-de-bellota","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/discover-the-story-behind-spains-prized-jamon-iberico-de-bellota\/30\/01\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Discover the story behind Spain&#8217;s prized jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico de bellota"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">This article was produced by <i>National Geographic Traveller <\/i>(UK).<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I watch, tentatively at first, as the pigs lumber around us, their long, dark bristles glinting in the muted morning light. A low chorus of grunts rises and falls across the grassy plain as they press their black hooves into the damp earth. A few approach me with confident curiosity; others remain wholly unbothered by my presence, huddling in groups for warmth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I\u2019m standing with chef Jos\u00e9 Pizarro in a dehesa (meadow) near the small town of Higuera de la Sierra, within the Sierra de Aracena National Park. This mountain range near the Portuguese border is dense with woodland vegetation due to higher rainfall than other parts of Spain, and an early morning shower has left a light mist hanging over the shrub-dotted slopes. Wandering through fields framed by gnarled cork trees with scraped rust-coloured trunks, we cross paths with more free-roaming pigs eagerly foraging the season\u2019s first acorns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Indeed, these are no ordinary pigs. These acorn-munching, pure-bred black pigs \u2014 native to the Iberian Peninsula \u2014 have thrived in these Mediterranean woodlands for millennia. They\u2019re used for jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico de bellota, a premium \u2018black label\u2019 grade of Spain\u2019s most revered meat. A colour-coded labelling system introduced in 2014 distinguishes jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico based on breed purity and diet, demonstrating Spain\u2019s determination to safeguard this gastronomic legacy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The herd around us is being raised for Cinco Jotas, one of Spain\u2019s oldest and most esteemed jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico de bellota producers \u2014 founded by entrepreneur Juan Rafael S\u00e1nchez Romero in 1879. Also with me is Mar\u00eda Castro Berm\u00fadez, one of the brand\u2019s directors. \u201cThere\u2019ll be a blanket of acorns here in a couple of weeks,\u201d she says. \u201cThese pigs look for the biggest, sweetest ones. They\u2019re picky!\u201d Alongside acorns, the pigs graze on wild herbs, fruits and mushrooms, a woodland diet that infuses the ham with its prized, layered flavour.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I tasted that complexity the evening before, at the Cinco Jotas tapas bar in central Seville. Sitting outside amid the buzz of aperitivo hour, I found myself compulsively picking at slices that layered sweetness, tartness and nuttiness with bursts of umami, pausing only for sips of sherry. The crisp acidity of the wine \u2014 especially in drier styles such as fino \u2014 cuts through the jam\u00f3n\u2019s rich fat, spreading its flavours across the palate and making the pairing a long-standing favourite.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cThe pigs have adapted to this hilly landscape with their long legs and thin ankles,\u201d Maria says, pulling me back to the present. \u201cNow it\u2019s montanera season [the roaming period from October to March], they\u2019ll walk around nine miles a day, compared to about four in summer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">They also have a genetic ability to store more fat inside their muscles, and this exercise helps that fat infiltrate further, key to jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico\u2019s distinctive taste. \u201cDespite the walking, the pigs will double from around 198lb to 397lb over the next three months from acorn feasting,\u201d Maria explains. Their acorn-heavy diet and natural fat composition result in lard high in oleic acid, the same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil, giving the ham its characteristic melt-in-the-mouth softness.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Ib\u00e9rico pigs are traditionally raised in a mosaic of oak woodlands and pastures found in southwestern Spain, where they roam freely and forage for acorns. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Jose Salto<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Masters of the slice<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On the drive from the dehesa to Cinco Jotas, I begin to understand the intensive, time-honoured process behind jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico\u2019s revered flavour. \u201cIt\u2019s a minimum five-year cycle,\u201d Maria tells me. \u201cAt least two years to raise the pigs, and three to cure the meat\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">We make a pit stop in nearby Aracena, a picturesque town of cobbled alleys and whitewashed buildings with coral roofs. The town itself feels infused with the flavours of the region: characterful delis sell preserves made from the abundant mushroom harvest, local olive oil and, of course, jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico. There\u2019s also a variety of historic confiter\u00edas (pastry shops) offering Andalusian specialties such as tocinillo de cielo (a decadent egg-yolk cake) and piononos (tiny rolled sponge cakes soaked in syrup and crowned with toasted cream). It\u2019s a brief taste of the culinary world that frames the pigs\u2019 habitat, and an experience that deepens once we arrive at Cinco Jotas\u2019 cellars, where meat has been aged in the same way for almost 150 years. The facility lies about half an hour from the dehesa, in Jabugo, a town so synonymous with ib\u00e9rico ham that its main square is named Plaza del Jam\u00f3n.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Descending into the red brick cellars, I\u2019m greeted by an intensely briny aroma, similar to bacon but sweeter and smokier with subtle woody notes. A canopy of dangling hams, each with a golden, waxy veneer, forms the ceiling of this vast subterranean network, the main artery of the Cinco Jotas operation. I notice a cluster marked for chef Jos\u00e9 Pizarro\u2019s London restaurants. Jabugo\u2019s altitude \u2014 2,133 feet above sea level \u2014 provides the ideal microclimate for drying, with cool mountain winds slipping through the small cellar windows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Here, cellar master and calador (professional ham sniffer) Valeriano Ramos, performs quality control tests. \u201cI use all five senses,\u201d he says, massaging a plump thigh before piercing it with a probe called a cala. He brings it to his nose, searching for subtle variations in aroma. From these tests, he determines whether the ham needs more time, air, moisture or whether it\u2019s reached optimal maturity. His specialised sensory skill, refined over nearly 30 years, evokes the precision of a sommelier, reflecting the deep cultural reverence for jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The craft of this prized meat continues in the tasting room, a stately yet homely parlour warmed by a stone fireplace harbouring crackling flames. With a long, slender knife and impenetrable focus, master jamonero (trained ham carver) Severiano S\u00e1nchez carves identical, wafer-thin translucent slices from a weighty bellota loin (retailing for around \u00a3600) fastened into a sleek silver clamp. This paraphernalia, and Severiano\u2019s balletic dexterity, also honed over three decades, speaks to the artistry and tradition behind the craft.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I leave the carving to the experts, but visitors can complete carving courses alongside cellar tours and tastings. I try maza, the lean front of the ham, presented in a perfect circle of overlapping rectangles. It\u2019s juicy and aromatic, while the punta, the loin tip, dissolves instantly on the tongue, bursting with sweet-savoury, spiced flavour.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Sips of Osborne\u2019s fruity Rare Sherry Solera BC 200 between bites make for an intoxicating pairing. \u201cThe history and economy of Jabugo and Cinco Jotas are intertwined,\u201d Maria says as we leave, interlocking her fingers illustratively. \u201cBut jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico is beloved across Spain, with regional preferences shaping how it\u2019s enjoyed. In Tenerife, the meat tends to be less cured due to the humidity, while in Catalonia, locals favour paleta (the shoulder or front legs). In the Basque Country, it\u2019s usually stronger and more deeply cured,\u201d Maria states.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"A shop hung with countless picture frames and a rail of iberico ham legs curing below the wood-beamed ceiling.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/M.QA.hjgvreJQXsrZnucxw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA7Y2Y9d2VicA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/56cc4902720aa80f0c2f2dca2f1bf1d9\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>The meat can often be cured for up to four years, allowing for even deeper flavours as time progresses. <span class=\"copyright\">Photograph by Toyo Odetunde<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Regional reverence<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Everywhere I go, the devotion to jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico is palpable \u2014 in markets, on plates and in the pride of those who raise the pigs. In Linares de Sierra, a Huelva village of just 300 inhabitants, a brick archway opens onto a storybook courtyard of pebble mosaic floors, a stone well and citrus trees, leading straight to Arrieros. This rustic restaurant is an ode to ib\u00e9rico pork, serving not only ham but hearty tomato and fig soup enriched with pork fat, pork tongue in thick gravy, tender pluma (neck) steak, and fragrant curried casta\u00f1etas (salivary glands). Even the dessert options honour ib\u00e9rico pork traditions, with peaches in spiced wine \u2014 once popular among wealthy slaughterhouse owners \u2014 and bruleed acorn pudding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In much larger M\u00e1laga, the palm-fringed Malagueta Beach contrasts with the forests of the Sierra de Aracena, yet the jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico at Chiringuito Tropicana is just as memorable, its flavours mingling with the salty sea air. The restaurant\u2019s seaside setting lends itself to accompanying dishes of crispy shrimp fritters, sardines grilled on the beach to order, and crusted squid ink rice with dollops of garlicky, lemony aioli. Back in Seville, where I began my journey,<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I visit another storied tapas bar: Las Teresas. Jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico is a staple here, too, and huge hams hang from the ceiling like festive bunting. Behind a counter overflowing with Catholic iconography and faded photographs, barman Aitor Jim\u00e9nez carves the slabs at astonishing speed. \u201cWe get through three hams a day,\u201d he tells me over the hum of animated chatter. \u201cFour a day on weekends. During Holy Week, it\u2019s seven!\u201d Aitor reveals how it underpins both everyday gatherings and grand festivals alike. \u201cYou\u2019ll find that many vegetarians in Spain make an exception for jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico,\u201d Maria says with a smile.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It\u2019s an admiration that shows no signs of slowing. Maria notes that the production of top grade jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico across Spain has nearly doubled since she began working at Cinco Jotas, rising from just under 9% to 16%. She credits this in part to the introduction of the colour labelling system. \u201cNow it\u2019s easier to identify, far more people are seeking it out and more producers want to make it,\u201d she reveals. And as I fold another slightly tangy slice into my mouth, I can certainly see why.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Published in the <i>Culinary Collection 2026<\/i> by <i>National Geographic Traveller<\/i> (UK).<\/p>\n<p>To subscribe to\u00a0<i>National Geographic Traveller<\/i>\u00a0(UK) magazine click <a href=\"https:\/\/subscriptions.natgeotraveller.co.uk\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:here;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">here<\/a>. (Available in select countries only).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/lifestyle\/articles\/discover-story-behind-spains-prized-151308941.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). I watch, tentatively at first, as the pigs lumber around us, their long,<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/discover-the-story-behind-spains-prized-jamon-iberico-de-bellota\/30\/01\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/LlbpeV2i7a_Q97Xh5TcAhg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MDA7Y2Y9d2VicA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/national_geographic_articles_149\/2b2e80bee2fb55e0c8bd3d5334751813","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56303"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56303"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56303\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}