Carrasco Jamon Iberico de Bellota

Carrasco is the oldest Jamon producer in Guijuelo (the most famous town for it's production)

As I mentioned in my previous blog, we were very privileged to be invited to Carrasco. They are undoubtedly one of the very top producers of Iberico de Bellota in Spain. There products are feature in many of the worlds best restaurants and are regarded with reverence across Spain. The Carrasco family has been in the business for over 120 years. They continue to seek perfection in their ham. Our visit was a remarkable experience.

The process of making Jamon Iberico de Bellota begins with the birth of Iberico pigs only during a certain part of the year. These are pigs that will reach maturity during the season of the Bellota, when the acorns have ripened and fallen. This is so the pigs will fatten on the natural feed available to them on the Dehesa (the name of the open feilds where the pigs are raised).

Each pig is allocated over 1 acre of forrest in which to roam. Incredibly the acorn trees need to be at least 100 years old to produce acorns, so there is a very finite amount of Iberico de Belotta that can be produced.

Iberica pigs roam free in the Dehesa

Once the pigs have been slaughtered the hind legs are used for Jamon and the front legs are used for Paleta. The remaining meat is used for highly prised chorizo, lomo and cantimpalo. We cannot import these products into Australia. Luckily we do have some excellent locally made alternatives to Spanish smallgoods, many of which have been produced in conjunction with Ortiga.

A very simple out line of the process for producing Jamon and Paleta is as follows.

1. Preparation of the Raw Jamon and Paleta
The meat is quality checked, cleaned and trimmed. The traditional cut is made to the skin.

The hams showing the traditional V cut to expose the fat.

2. Salting
Salting depends on size but usually takes 10 - 12 days and is conducted at 4-5C.

Hams are stacked for the salting phase.

3. Post Salting
Post salting allows the salt already applied to the meat, to fully penetrate the paleta and jamon. This takes 3 months and is conducted at 3-6C

A Paleta during the drying stage. By the end of this process the meat will only weigh around 2kg.

4. Drying and Maturation

Ham's are moved to the "secadero" or drying room and are kept between 15-30C. Guijuelo's special climate allows Carrasco to use only natural ventilation.

Open windows of the secadaro allowing the breeze in.

5. Bodega Phase
In the Bodega the hams are stored at 10-20C for a minimum of 24mths. Here they develop the amazing aroma and intensity of flavour famous for Carrasco Iberico de Bellota.

Jamon and Paleta hanging in the Bodega where they will stay for a minimum of 24 months.

The owner of Carrasco cutting a ham which he begun making nearly 4 years ago.