{"id":7295,"date":"2018-03-28T15:20:00","date_gmt":"2018-03-28T14:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/quines-son-les-fases-delaboracio-del-pernil-iberic\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T09:22:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T08:22:01","slug":"what-are-the-stages-of-the-elaboration-of-the-iberian-ham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/what-are-the-stages-of-the-elaboration-of-the-iberian-ham\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the stages of the elaboration of the Iberian ham?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A slow and paused curing process allows the pieces to reach an optimal maturation through the window opening and closing system. Not all the pieces are cured in this way, but usually&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/ham\/jamon-bellota-100-ib-tl-j-premium-pza\">the highest quality Iberian<\/a>&nbsp;hams follow this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once&nbsp;\u201clas canales\u201d&nbsp;have arrived at the elaboration company, their cutting begins. As soon as the hams and shoulders have been removed from \u201cla canal\u201d, the first step is to remove any traces of internal blood that may be left on both the hams and shoulders, which is called bleeding. Once ready, the following phases will be carried out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">\u00cdndice de contenidos<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/what-are-the-stages-of-the-elaboration-of-the-iberian-ham\/#Profiling_of_the_pieces\" >Profiling of the pieces<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/what-are-the-stages-of-the-elaboration-of-the-iberian-ham\/#Salting\" >Salting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/what-are-the-stages-of-the-elaboration-of-the-iberian-ham\/#Washing_and_settling\" >Washing and settling<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/what-are-the-stages-of-the-elaboration-of-the-iberian-ham\/#Drying\" >Drying:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/what-are-the-stages-of-the-elaboration-of-the-iberian-ham\/#Ripening\" >Ripening:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Profiling_of_the_pieces\"><\/span>Profiling of the pieces<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>It is by profiling that the piece is prepared to begin its curing process. Each piece must be cleaned in such a way that the excess fat is removed and shaped, but without leaving it unprotected. It is important that there are no holes or fissures left that let germs in during the curing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Profiling is key and must take into account the&nbsp;<strong>morphology of the ham<\/strong>&nbsp;itself and the type of animal that it comes from: 100% Iberian or cross-bred. Each company has a characteristic way of carrying out this profiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Salting\"><\/span>Salting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>First the hams will be placed by&nbsp;<strong>weight and typology<\/strong>. During this phase the pieces are<strong>&nbsp;covered with salt<\/strong>&nbsp;in order to preserve them and encourage dehydration. During salting, the pieces remain in the salting chambers completely covered with salt at controlled temperatures between 0\u00ba&nbsp;and 7\u00ba&nbsp;C and with a relative humidity of around 70%\u201390%. The cold helps&nbsp;<strong>the salt distribution to be homogeneous<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"120\" src=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/2027large-300x120-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7536\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Each company applies its own salting process, what they all take into account is the weight of the piece and its typology. As a guideline we can say that the pieces usually remain in these chambers one day for each kilo weighed fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through salting, the colour of the piece is fixed and the aim is to prevent the reproduction of microorganisms that may damage it or alter it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the piece enters the salting process, the week and year that this period begins must be known by law. It can be written on the ham\u2019s label, or marked with fire or ink; this is what we call the&nbsp;<strong>MAPA of the hams<\/strong>.&nbsp;<em>With this information we will be able to know what cure each ham has<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Washing_and_settling\"><\/span>Washing and settling<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>When the pieces have completed their salting process, they are&nbsp;<strong>washed one by one with warm water<\/strong>&nbsp;to remove the adherent salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once cleaned, they are hanged and moved to another chamber: the salt stabilization or settlement chamber. The pieces have to lose dampness little by little until an&nbsp;<strong>homogeneous diffusion of the salt<\/strong>&nbsp;between the different muscular groups of the ham is achieved. Here the hams can stay from 30 to 90 days depending on the type of piece. This phase takes place in artificial chambers where both temperature and humidity are controlled. As the days go by, the temperature will gradually rise and the humidity will decrease. The pieces will be prepared for the next phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Drying\"><\/span>Drying:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The pieces go to natural dryers equipped with windows that will open or close depending on what the pieces need. In this phase, the climatological characteristics of each area are directly involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"120\" src=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/2131large-300x120-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7523\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p>Drying is a period of rest during which the progressive melting of the&nbsp;<strong>fat infiltrated<\/strong>&nbsp;in the piece is&nbsp;<strong>encouraged<\/strong>. Its duration varies between 3 and 9 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During this phase, the temperature will slowly and progressively increase. Throughout the summer months the exudation of the hams becomes much more acute and intense. The \u201csweating\u201d of fat during the day is accompanied by concentration and cooling at night.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All the hidden aromas start to emerge gradually and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/iberian-hams\/\">Iberian <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/ham\">ham<\/a>\u00a0starts to acquire its\u00a0<strong>characteristic flavour<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ripening\"><\/span><strong>Ripening<\/strong>:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>From the dryers they go to the cellars, where the pieces start their&nbsp;<strong>maturation process<\/strong>. In the cellars the temperature drops again and the relative humidity rises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During maturation, the ham undergoes a series of enzymatic and biochemical changes which, over time, give the product&nbsp;<strong>its excellent qualities of aroma, flavour and texture<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, each company, depending on&nbsp;<strong>the raw material<\/strong>&nbsp;it has and its own elaboration process, can develop this process in a period of time that goes from&nbsp;<strong>20 months to 4 years<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The elaboration process, together with the breed of the animal, the place where it has been raised and the way it has been fed, are the four aspects that define and differentiate one Iberian ham from another.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A slow and paused curing process allows the pieces to reach an optimal maturation through the window opening and closing system. Not all the pieces are cured in this way, but usually&nbsp;the highest quality Iberian&nbsp;hams follow this process. Once&nbsp;\u201clas canales\u201d&nbsp;have arrived at the elaboration company, their cutting begins. As soon as the hams and shoulders [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":7536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[613,397,400],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7295","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iberian-ham-en","category-iberian-ham","category-paleta-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7295"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7295\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/moniberic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}