Description
The Presunto do Alentejo and Paleta do Alentejo PDO is made from the leg and shoulder of the Alentejana breed of pig.
Production Area
Presunto do Alentejo and Paleta do Alentejo PDO is made in several municipal areas in the Castelo Branco, Portalegre, Santarém, Évora, Beja, Setúbal and Faro districts.
Production Method
The pigs are raised in the open air, on a very varied diet based on grass, cereals, vegetation, small mammals, eggs and worms etc. Only in times of poor harvest they can be fed supplements from outside the area which in any case cannot exceed 30% of their requirement. The pigs are slaughtered between 12 and 24 months of age having reached a minimum weight of 90 kg. The ham is processed in the local traditional way which is divided into a number of phases: cutting, salting for more than 8 days at a temperature of less than 5°C; washing and hanging for between one and three days, which extends to the post-salting period of up to 60 days in a temperature of between 3-6°C for the Presunto, and between 30 and 80 days for the Paleta; finally the curing process which takes a minimum of two months in a temperature of between 8°C and 35°C; lastly the hams are hung for five months in the case of the Presunto and between 3 and 18 months in the case of the Paleta, in normal conditions of both temperature and humidity.
Appearance and Flavour
Presunto do Alentejo and Paleta do Alentejo PDO is either round or oval in shape, with an external rind and the pode (trotter). The Presunto weighs at least 5 kg and the Paleta at least 3.5 kg. When sliced it has a pinkish red to dark red colour and a bright, smooth, marbled, oily surface with visible streaks of fat. It has a soft consistency, slightly fibrous and tender and succulent. The fat has a soft, fluid appearance and it has a pearly white colour. It has a sweet, persistent and pleasing flavour with occasional hints of spice.
History
The origins of Presunto do Alentejo and Paleta do Alentejo PDO are linked to the earliest records of the existence of the Alentejo pig which dates back to several centuries B.C.; proof exists of the pigs and the food they provided during both the Roman and the Arab occupation. Regarding the period of reconquest by the Christians there are written records of the conflict between the farmers and the pig breeders because of the damage the pigs caused to the land, but also of the benefit that the meat and other food products made from these pigs brought to the local community. Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century pig breeding became the most important economy in the Alentejo area and permitted the region and its people to be economically self sufficient.
Gastronomy
Presunto do Alentejo and Paleta do Alentejo PDO must be stored in a cool dry place and, once sliced, must be kept in the fridge; in fact the fat in this ham, which gives it its colour, flavour and aroma, deteriorates very quickly if exposed to the air or to high temperatures. It is normally eaten raw, in very thin slices, cut by hand, and served as a starter. It is excellent with a glass of the local wine. In the past it was kept for important occasions or given as a prestigious gift. The superior flavour of this ham is wasted by cooking. In fact in the local cuisine there is not one single dish that includes it as an ingredient. Only the bone is used to give flavour to soups and stews.
Marketing
This ham is sold as Presunto do Alentejo and Paleta do Alentejo PDO. It is sold on and off the bone, whole, in pieces or finely sliced. The boning, cutting and slicing are only carried out in the area of production.
Distinctive Features
The area where this ham is made has a hot, dry climate in summer and a cold dry climate in winter. This climate provides ideal conditions for the drying and curing of ham without the need for smoking or other methods of conservation except for the addition of salt. The method of breeding and the feed given to the pigs confers the ham with its distinctive qualities. The logo of Presunto do Alentejo - Paleta do Alentejo PDO is branded onto the rinds.
