Iberian ham and Iberian shoulder ham must have a minimum weight according to legal regulations depending on the category of the product, if you are being offered a lower weight than that established, it is not a certified Iberian ham. But it is very easy to know if you are being taken for a ride. To begin with, all certified Iberian hams must be labelled with a flange with the colour corresponding to their category, but I am going to be more precise and tell you the exact weights of each Iberian ham and shoulder.
Minimum weight of certified Iberian ham
When buying an Iberico ham, as you know, there are 4 categories:
Cebo Iberico, Cebo de Campo Iberico, Bellota Iberico and Bellota 100% Iberico or pata negra. Each one has its own identifying label colour. You can read this article from the Jamón Pasión blog for more information.
According to the regulations stipulated in the Royal Decree of 2014 for the quality of Iberian ham, shoulder and loin, the pieces with legs must have a minimum established weight, which is as follows:
- Jamón de cebo ibérico a minimum weight of 7 kg.
- Cebo de Campo ham, minimum weight of 7 kg.
- Acorn-fed ham (50%-75% Iberian breed) a minimum weight of 7 kg.
- 100% Iberico acorn-fed ham, minimum weight 5.75 kg.
All hams that do not have this minimum weight will not be able to carry the Iberian certification and therefore the corresponding colour label.
Minimum weight of certified Iberian shoulder ham
Like ham, the Iberian shoulder is subject to the same quality regulations and must have the established minimum weight, so when you go to buy an Iberian ham shoulder, bear these considerations in mind:
- Paleta de cebo ibérico a minimum weight of 4 kg.
- Paleta de cebo de campo ibérico (Iberian cebo de campo shoulder) a minimum weight of 4 kg.
- Acorn-fed shoulder (50%-75% Iberian breed) minimum weight of 4 kg.
- Paleta de bellota 100% Iberian acorn-fed shoulder weighing at least 3.75 kg.
Without exception, any certified paleta iberico must have these minimum weights as well as carrying its identification label with the corresponding colour.
Considerations when buying Iberico Jamon
Bearing in mind the information I have given you about the weight and checking that it has the identifying plastic label, you can be sure that it will be an authentic Iberian ham.
Now comes the most interesting part, the optimum weight of the hams and shoulders so that you can get the most out of them.
Many people buy Iberian pork shoulders of the lowest weight to save money, but in reality they are paying more. Yes, the piece is cheaper, but the usable meat is much smaller, so the real price will be higher. You should also be aware that small shoulders are almost all bone.
Hams, although they do not have as much bone as shoulders, smaller hams will not cure as long and evenly as a heavier one and you may find small pieces where the mace (hoof upwards and the juiciest part) is more tender than normal and the stifle (hoof downwards and drier part) is harder than normal.
The ideal weight for an Iberian ham shoulder is 5 to 6 kg, with a longer maturation and well covered with fat.
The ideal weight for an Iberico ham is considered to be 8 kg. Between 7 - 8 kg is fine, and this will ensure that it will be a piece with a longer maturation time, with which the flavours, aromas and textures will be better established.
Jamón Pasión Online Store
I hope I have given you a little more information to make it easy for you to choose the best piece for your needs.
In our Spanish ham shop we have an extensive range of high quality products, all of which are certified.
Minimum weights are disappearing and more and more spanish hams and shoulders are being produced from 7 kg and 4.5 kg respectively, although the regulations accept lower weights. For this reason, in some of our products you will see that the smaller weights are no longer available, especially in the 100% acorn-fed Iberian hams or pata negra. They are not profitable either for the farmer or for you. Remember that an optimal weight of the pieces will ensure a more balanced ham or shoulder in all senses.