As you well know, within the category of Iberian hams there are 4 labels. In today's article I'm going to talk about two, the green and white label; that is to say, Ham of field bait and bait. We can find hams of the highest quality, if we know how to choose, within these categories.
The main characteristic that differentiates them from the red and black labels is that these two are not fed exclusively on acorn in the montanera season and the percentage of racial purity of the pigs, although we can find 100% Cebo iberian hams, it is increasingly unusual, since these are destined for acorn.
The black label or also called Pata Negra hams are those that apart from being 100% Iberian breed (pure Iberian father and mother) have also fed on acorn in the pastures and have been raised in freedom. Those with the red label are the same with respect to food and breeding, but they are not 100% Iberian, but will be 75% or 50%.
Iberico Cebo Campo Ham.
The word recebo sounds the same to you. Before they were called that way, but after the regulations that regulate Iberian ham and loin, it has been renamed "Cebo de campo" and the color of the label or flange is green.
They are hams of excellent quality. Although it is true that they are usually 75% or 50% Iberian breed, they are raised exactly the same as the black leg, in the open air with thousands of square meters of holm oak fields all to themselves. They feed mainly on wild grasses, feed, and also, although they do not have the same amount of acorn as the pata negra, it is usually included in their diet.
A Cebo de Campo Iberico ham does not have much to envy to one of acorn, and the price is much cheaper.
There are producers who have pieces that have won awards for the best bait ham, and believe me, they are a real delicacy. Many people won't even tell the difference between acorn and Cebo de Campo.
Iberian Cebo Ham.
Here the difference, with respect to food and breeding, takes a significant leap, but they are still very good quality Iberian hams. The main difference is that these are raised intensively, that is, on farms. They are not free and their diet is exclusively based on feed and cereals.
The percentage of Iberian breed, like the previous ones, is usually 50% and 75%. The color of the label must be white and the price, of course, is even cheaper.
Being Iberian crossed with Duroc Breed pigs (according to the law they cannot be crossed with other breeds, which guarantees excellent quality and intramuscular fat, which we call marbling), they have a very pronounced juiciness, texture and flavor. In fact, when you cut them you will see how they ooze oil, characteristic of the Iberian pig breed.
Buy Spanish Jamon Iberico.
When you go to buy a Cebo or Cebo de Campo Iberico ham, you should know that the label should always mention the food and the percentage of purity of the breed. The correct way to name it, and it cannot be otherwise, is the following:
Cebo Iberico ham 50% Iberian breed, or Iberian field bait ham 75% Iberian breed. The diet and the breed should be mentioned first, and then the percentage of the Iberian breed.
In our online Spanish hams Store we have a wide variety of brands, all of them of very good quality, where we select each ham directly from the producers, which guarantees you, when buying an Iberian ham, that it is from the better quality, with the perfect ripening time.
Now that you are clear about what Iberian bait hams are, we hope to see you at the Jamón Pasión store, where you can ask us all the questions you want before buying.