The price of Iberian ham is very variable depending on the piece, and the price of some, such as acorn-fed Iberian ham, can be expensive. We explain the reason for the price.
Índice
- Price of acorn-fed Iberian ham
- What is the price of an acorn-fed Iberian ham?
- pig production
- The production of ham
- Price of acorn-fed Iberian ham
Price of acorn-fed Iberian ham
The price of acorn-fed Iberian ham is the subject of debate. People who consider the product very expensive to those who declare that, sometimes, it is below its real cost.
Here we tell you how much an acorn-fed Iberian ham costs. The reasons for its cost and its characteristics. We invite you to review our website to find more information regarding Iberian ham. Visit our blog for other news and to review our catalog https://www.yourspanishshop.es/es/comprar-jamon-iberico-espanol/f-112
What is the price of an acorn-fed Iberian ham?
We are going to consider two aspects: the production of the pig and the production of the ham. In each one there are special conditions of the acorn-fed Iberian ham that affect its price.
pig production
Production: A purebred Iberian mother produces 15 piglets per year. That means the cost of production is much higher than any non-pure breed.
Weight and life: A 100% acorn-fed Iberian pig is slaughtered weighing 160 kilos and lives 24 months. He lives in freedom and being able to run is slower in gaining weight.
Habitats: The dehesa is an ecosystem that exists only in the Iberian Peninsula. Each Iberian pig needs about two hectares of wooded meadow during the montanera. The montanera is the final period of the pig's life and is between October and March. There they walk between 12 and 14 km daily and drink water from springs and rivers.
Food: During the montanera they feed exclusively on acorns, herbs and mushrooms. Acorns that fall from cork oaks and holm oaks. Each pig eats 11 kilos of acorns a day.
Flavor: These acorns give the pig a nutty flavor and due to its antioxidant properties, the meat can be cured for a long time and with little salt.
Fat and meat: The pure Iberian pig accumulates more subcutaneous and intermuscular fat and its percentage of meat is 50%. Half of an acorn-fed Iberian pork carcass is bacon, fat and pancetta.
The production of ham
The first thing to consider is the process of making the desired product of excellent quality. We will explain some keys of production and its consequent contribution to the cost of the product. The price of acorn-fed Iberian ham is due to the reasons mentioned here. We are going to explain it to you in a special situation:
Quality food. Economic effort involved in raising between weaning and the time it eats acorns because they must be raw materials of the highest quality.
In a small meadow where Iberian pigs feed on acorns. The market price of each of them is determined by its weight and characteristics, and to that weight must be added the expenses of the slaughterhouse.
The montanera influences the time to elapse: Some producers opt for 2 periods of montanera. The space for feeding that the pig enjoys influences its quality.
The cost of the dryer has a monthly value: The acorn-fed Iberico ham lasts longer in the dryer for curing.
Special conditions: Some have a curing process in natural cellars with a microclimate of Natural Parks and Unesco Biosphere Reserve because it meets the appropriate conditions for slow curing. That definitely affects its cost.
Unforeseen events: Unforeseen events such as defects and poorly cured ham must be taken into account. Time. Keep in mind that the producer has 2 to 4 years of work for that ham. The price should reflect all that effort.
Curing time: Due to its percentage of fat, acorn-fed Iberico ham takes longer to cure. Its intrinsic degree of fat infiltration requires more time to heal.
Shrinkage: Its shrinkage is greater than the other hams. An acorn-fed Iberian ham from the beginning of its curing and until the sale decreases by 37%. In other words, a fresh acorn-fed ham weighs 11 or 12 kilos and after curing it weighs 7.5 kg.
The importance of the brand: There are big names in the ham sector that take advantage of high-quality productions and curing is prolonged, pigs have special characteristics. Thus, the company uses these aspects to sell the ham and the prices are also special.
Financing: An important aspect is financing. The production of acorn-fed Iberian ham requires financing and must be for 5 years. They are 2 years of life for the pig and three years of curing for the ham. The producer invests resources throughout this period and recovers them in the sale of the final product. The producer requested bank credits at current interest during that time.
As can be seen, the process of preparing the Iberian pig and the process of making the ham are expensive. The price of Iberian ham represents all the care in its preparation. It is a special product with a smell and taste that delights palates all over the world. The Spanish product par excellence. With the care and distinctive craft concept of a unique quality product.
5 years of work, effort and dedication of an entire company with tradition in the search for the best acorn-fed Iberian ham.
Price of acorn-fed Iberian ham
The price of acorn-fed Iberian ham will depend on the characteristics of its production and this affects its quality. Iberico de bellota ham is the result of a careful feeding and curing process. Feeding and care takes years, healing takes months, it can take more than 48 months. It is a slow process of attention and investment. It is necessary that in the end the cost reports the investment made and the care given to the product.
We invite you to review our page. There we advise you on the different types of ham and its characteristics.
On our page we have at your disposal a whole range of products. To buy ham online you can check https://www.yourspanishshop.es/es/comprar-jamon-iberico-espanol/f-112