These are the cheapest Iberian hams in the supermarket

There are still a few months until Christmas, but you can already find offers on Iberian ham legs in supermarkets. Specifically, a very cheap price to carry the Iberian surname but that has its explanation.

The difference is in the percentage of Iberian breed and in the type of food

The type of diet that the pigs have and the percentage of the Iberian breed in their genetics are the two reasons that explain the price differences that may exist in products with the Iberian seal.

There are many agents in the sector who think that only pigs with 100% Iberian genetics and that have been raised in the dehesa should bear the Iberian brand. However, under this name there are animals that are only 50% Iberian and that are fed based on fodder. Thus, the cheapest Iberian hams on the market are those that come from pigs that reach an Iberian percentage of 50% and that have been fed with feed, that is, fattening. .

How to read the label of an Iberian ham

A. The seal system

To facilitate and provide certainty when buying a leg of ham, the Government established a series of seals that, depending on their color, indicate the percentage of breed: 100%, 75% or 50% (the rest of the genetic load would be from the Duroc pigs). And the type of feeding: acorn, field bait or bait. The difference between cebo de campo and cebo is that the pigs of the first group feed on natural pastures, herbs and feed. The latter, meanwhile, only eat feed.

B. Price of sliced ​​ham according to the seal

Black seal, 25 euros/100 grams; red seal, 15 euros/100 grams; green seal, 12 euros/100 grams; white seal, 8.50 euros/100 grams.

C. Differences in sight

– 100% Iberian acorn-fed ham: darker wine-red meat, it has very little grain and the white fat forms a kind of ‘Y’. The cane is narrow and elongated and the body is also fine. The piece shines and exudes natural fat.

– Acorn-fed Iberian ham crossed at 50% or 75%: the cane is coarser, it is not as elongated and the body is also coarser. The fat does not form a ‘Y’ and is spread over the entire surface of the lean (pinkish-red in color) in the form of fine strands of white fat. In fact, the more pinkish and streaky this area is, the less pure the animal is. . Being fed with acorn, you can see the natural fat.

– Cebo de campo or cebo Iberico ham: It is also more corpulent and voluminous, it has small infiltrations, but the natural unctuousness is not appreciated because it has not eaten acorns.