Los Pedroches is a region located in the province of Córdoba, and is known for being one of the main production areas of Iberian acorn-fed ham in Spain. The Los Pedroches region has ideal climatic and geographical conditions for raising Iberian pigs and producing Iberian acorn-fed ham. Its extensive pastures, populated mainly by holm oaks and cork oaks, provide the perfect environment for Iberian pigs to feed on acorns, herbs, and wild grasses during the montanera, the fattening season that takes place during the autumn and winter months.
The Iberian acorn-fed ham from Los Pedroches is highly prized for its unique quality and flavor. It is protected by the Los Pedroches Protected Designation of Origin (DOP), which guarantees the quality and authenticity of products from this region.
The north of the province of Córdoba is home to a landscape of serene beauty, dotted with centuries-old holm oaks, cork oaks, and gall oaks, and covered with a dense blanket of grass. This warm climate and gentle hills create the perfect setting and ideal habitat for the Iberian pig to live in complete freedom and peacefully produce the raw material that will give rise to one of the most prized culinary gems: Jamón Ibérico Puro de Bellota (Pure Acorn-Fed Ham) with the Los Pedroches Designation of Origin. This natural beauty is complemented by the presence of pure Iberian pigs that roam freely through this Mediterranean forest. The exceptional culinary products obtained from these animals are the result of a perfect symbiosis between the pig and its natural environment, the dehesas (pastures) of the northern province of Córdoba. This exemplary ecosystem in Europe has been preserved thanks to extensive livestock farming, especially the breeding and fattening of the Iberian pig. This seamless integration of environmental conservation and traditional livestock farming is difficult to find elsewhere in the world.
Every year, during the montanera (mountain pasture), the dehesa is filled with acorns and grasses that complement the diet of the Iberian pigs, providing them with the necessary sustenance to develop the exquisite quality of their gastronomic products and their characteristic creamy fat. This ecological environment is managed sustainably, respecting and responsibly utilizing natural resources.
The environmental importance of the dehesa has been internationally recognized. Numerous species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians coexist in this ecosystem, thanks to the plant diversity and human management of the land. In 2002, UNESCO declared the Sierra Morena Dehesas a Biosphere Reserve, thus protecting one of the largest expanses of Mediterranean forest on the planet.
The production and fattening area for Iberian pigs destined for the production of hams and shoulders with the “Los Pedroches” Designation of Origin encompasses the wooded pastures of holm oaks, cork oaks, and gall oaks in the north of the province of Córdoba. This area includes numerous municipalities and areas with altitudes above 300 meters, where all stages of the production of these pieces are carried out.
ALZAYT EXPORT SL
info@jamonibericodebellota.com
C/ Eduardo Bosca 19, 2-5
46023 Valencia
