Description
Los Pedroches PDO are hams and paletas (shoulders) obtained from pigs which are from at least 75% Iberian breed.
Production Area
The production area of Los Pedroches PDO includes many municipal areas in the district of Cordoba, in region Andalusia.
Production Method
Only meats coming from selected pigs in terms of breed and age can be processed; plus, they have to be born and grown within the area which is identified as the exclusive production area and raised in conformity with food regulations. Indeed, there are three types of product depending on the food given in the final phase of fattening: Bellota, Recebo and Cebo de Campo. The suitable muscle masses are, first of all, salted for a variable period depending on weight. Then thighs and shoulders are washed with water and left to drain. Later they have to rest for 30-90 days so that the salt will be distributed uniformly into fabrics allowing the pork to obtain the right level of dehydration and compactness. The seasoning phase follows and lasts about 6 months in natural drying rooms. It is necessary so that exudation takes place and the fat penetrates the muscle mass and impregnates it with its aroma. Finally, an ageing period of at least 18 months is necessary for hams and 12 for paletas. Also in this case, they are stored in natural cellars, where the products will acquire their distinctive organoleptic features.
Appearance and Flavour
Los Pedroches PDO has a long shape, refinished by the so-called "V" Serrano cut with nail. When sliced the colour goes fro pink to purple, whilst the fat infiltrations through the lean mass are visible. The consistency is only a little fibrous, the flavour is dry, and only a little sweet or salted.
History
The Iberian pig has been raised in the area of Cordoba district for many centuries. Indeed, here there are the ideal environmental conditions for sheep-rearing due to the presence of huge masses of land, called dehesa, a oak forest system and pastures, of which the history goes back to the 16th century. The land has taken the modern appearance since the 19th century. At first used only for pasture migration, at the beginning of the 1980s meat processing and commercialisation factories were established around the dehesa. Indeed, these have helped the increase in production and in reputation of the region products.
Gastronomy
Los Pedroches PDO has to be stored in fresh, dry and ventilated room. To fully appreciate its taste and aroma, this product should be eaten at room temperature, never cold, and the slices should be very thin. Los Pedroches PDO does not need any particular preparation: the slice, also accompanied with bread, is alone a tasty dish, especially when combined with a glass of good red wine.
Marketing
The product is sold as Los Pedroches PDO in the types: Bellota, Recebo and Cebo de Campo. Los Pedroches PDO is sold whole, in slices or sliced and packed in protected atmosphere or vacuum.
Distinctive Features
The aroma, the taste and the consistency of the fat of Los Pedroches PDO hams and paletas are owed to the pasture migration period, during which rough grazing is allowed and the animals can eat the natural resources of the dehesa, in particular acorns from the Quercus type.
