The different types of Iberian charcuterie

Iberian charcuterie is a preparation made with Iberian pork. This is a breed of black pig that is usually found in southwestern Spain. These pigs are different from the others and are usually free range in the Iberian Peninsula. This breeding method is very important, because it allows to have tasty and quality meat. The online cold cuts Directos.eu presents in this article the different types of Iberian cold cuts.

Iberian hams or jamón ibérico

The jamón ibérico is a cured Spanish ham. In France, it is called Iberian ham or pata negra. This cured meat obtained from the meat of Iberian pigs has a low salt content, which gives it a particular smell and flavor. Iberian ham has a fibrous texture and a color that ranges from purple to pale red. The taste it offers in the mouth varies according to the quality of acorn consumed by the pig during its breeding. This means that there are several kinds of Iberian hams. You have:

• Acorn-fed Iberian ham,
• Iberian ham from Cebo de Campo,
• Iberian ham from Recebo.

The jamón ibérico de Bellota is the best sausage in terms of Iberian ham. The black pigs are raised in the wild and are fed with quality feed, grasses, dehesa. Cebo de Campo pata negra ham comes from Iberian pigs fed with a mixture of acorns and natural fodder. Jamón ibérico de Recebo comes from fed pigs that have consumed acorns as well as a supplement of vegetables and cereals.

When it comes to Iberian hams, there are also denominations of origin. The known ones are:

• Iberian ham from Jabugo,
• Los Pedroches Iberian ham,
• Dehesa de Extremadura ham,
• Guijuelo ham.

Finally, jamón ibérico is totally different from serrano ham, which comes from industrially raised and fattened white pigs. In addition, these two types of ham do not offer the same flavor after cooking.

The Iberian presa

On the Iberian breed pig there is a piece of meat that is called the presa. It is located next to the backbone of the animal. It has a good infiltration rate which gives it a lot of softness after cooking. This noble cut of meat is available fresh or as charcuterie. When it undergoes the salting stage, it is salted and marinated with different spices that enhance its taste before being smoked.

The lomo

The lomo or pork loin is an Iberian sausage that is taken from the backbone and under the ribs. It is one of the noble cuts and is very popular because it contains almost no external fat. For its preparation, the lomo is salted and marinated in a mixture of spices and herbs for 2 days. It is then inserted into a casing and smoked before the drying stage which lasts several days. There is also the Iberian lomito also called macilla which is a smaller piece and is extracted from the back of the pig.

Acorn-fed Iberian chorizo

The Iberico chorizo from Bellota is made with very good quality pork meat and fat. This Iberian charcuterie is one of the key elements of Spanish and French gastronomy. You can enjoy it on its own or with bread, cheese and a glass of wine. Iberian chorizo ​​is salted and seasoned with different spices and herbs including pimiento, a variety of paprika. This is what gives it its red or brown color. There are different types of Iberian Bellota chorizos.

Iberian morcilla

The Iberian morcilla is made with black pork meat and bacon. It is also salted, marinated and dried for a few days. Unlike other types of Iberian cold cuts, morcilla is not eaten raw. It is integrated into other meals.

The Iberian salchichón

The Iberian salchichón de Bellota is a sausage made from the lean meat of the original pig. Its preparation is identical to that of chorizo ​​except that there is no pimiento among the spices used during the seasoning. There are different types of Iberian salchichón and each of its variations offers an exquisite taste.

Iberian morcon de Bellota and Iberian fuet

The morcon ibérico de Bellota is like chorizo, but it contains less fat. Among the meats used to produce it is a piece of presa. Its salting time is generally longer, because this charcuterie is large.

Regarding the Iberian fuet, it is a sausage made in Catalonia. It is also called Catalan fuet. This sausage is prepared with lean meat and Iberian pork fat. It is then seasoned and dried. It is perfect for an aperitif. You can cut it into slices and accompany it with cheese, bread and wine.

In the store of Directos.eu you will find fuet with various flavors. Some are made with garlic, others with truffles, olives... There are also other types of Iberian cold cuts such as Iberian ham, chorizo... All these products are offered at affordable prices.