Iberian ham is a traditional Andalusian product, one of Spain’s leading gastronomic attractions and one of our nation’s most identifiable signs of identity throughout the world. In recent years it has broken into new markets and now consumers in many countries are able to appreciate this fine product.

But this magnificent Iberian ham only reaches our tables after a painstaking process lasting several years, starting with the breeding of the pigs on the grazing lands known as dehesa and culminating with the curing and ageing of the ham. The dehesa is an ecosystem unique to the southwest corner of Spain. Covering around 10% of Andalusia’s total surface area, it provides the pigs with the food – basically acorns, herbs and roughage – that is vital for the future fat composition of the ham and shoulder cuts. In 2002, UNESCO recognised the importance of the Andalusian dehesa by granting it Biosphere Reserve status. In 2006, the Pacto Andaluz por el Fomento de la Dehesa Andaluza (Andalusian Agreement for the Promotion of the Andalusian Dehesa) was signed in Seville. The agreement has as its objective the conservation of the dehesa ecosystem.

The combination of natural environment and traditional processes in the production of Iberian hams and shoulder cuts decisively affects the characteristics and quality of the final product. In acknowledgement of the product’s uniqueness, and to facilitate its protection and development, two D.O.P.s (Denominaciones de Origen) have been recognized: DOP  ‘Jamón de Huelva’ and DOP  ‘Los Pedroches’.