Meat
Iberian
S tier
Iberian (Ibérico) pigs are a dark-skinned, hardy breed native to the Iberian Peninsula, selected for outdoor foraging, slow growth, and an exceptional capacity for intramuscular fat. Mature animals carry a deep, oleic-rich fat cover and fine marbling that set the meat apart from lean commercial lines; conformation is moderate rather than heavily muscled, reflecting centuries of dehesa woodland husbandry. Culinary fame rests on long-cured hams and shoulders—especially acorn-finished (bellota) jamón ibérico—plus fresh loin, secreto, pluma, and presa prized for grilling. Grain- and mixed-diet finishing produce reliable fresh and cured pork, while purebred and crossbred Ibérico programmes in Spain and Portugal underpin PDO/DOP products and a global gourmet market.
Also known as: Cerdo Ibérico, Jamón Ibérico, Porco Preto / Alentejano
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Dark Mediterranean pigs adapted to oak and cork woodland (dehesa) systems across the western Iberian Peninsula.
Salt-curing of Iberian hams and shoulders became central to rural economies and Spanish charcuterie identity.
Regional black pig types of Extremadura, Andalusia, and Salamanca were improved within free-range dehesa husbandry.
Formal breed and product standards for Ibérico purity classes and finishing diets (bellota, cebo de campo, cebo) were strengthened.
Protected designations for Iberian hams and shoulders reinforced provenance links between breed, dehesa, and curing tradition.
Updated Spanish Ibérico labelling rules clarified breed percentage and feed categories for consumer and export markets.