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Jamón ibérico de bellota

Pork · Leg
Cure
HeadBladeArm ShoulderLoinLegRibsBellyHock

Spain's most prestigious cured ham, made from Iberian black pigs (cerdo ibérico) fed exclusively on acorns (bellotas) during the montanera season. The acorn diet produces deep, nutty, buttery fat that's largely monounsaturated — closer to olive oil than to typical pork fat. Aged 24 to 48 months. The four-tier DOP system grades the product from generic ibérico de cebo (grain-fed) up to ibérico 100% de bellota (purebred, acorn-finished). Sliced paper-thin and served at room temperature so the fat melts on the tongue.

Raw Jamón ibérico de bellota — Pork Leg cut

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesJamón ibéricoSometimes 'Iberian ham' or 'Iberico ham' on US restaurant menus; Spanish loanword is most common.
🇬🇧United KingdomJamón ibérico
🇲🇽MexicoJamón ibérico
🇦🇷ArgentinaJamón ibérico
🇫🇷FranceJambon ibériqueSpanish loanword 'Jamón ibérico' is also widely used in French specialty markets.
🇪🇸SpainJamón ibérico de bellotaprimaryDOP-protected; the Iberian-pig acorn-fed grade. Cured 24–48 months.
🇵🇹PortugalPresunto ibérico de bolotaPortugal has its own related tradition with the same Iberian black pig — 'presunto de porco preto' in the Alentejo.
🇧🇷BrazilPresunto ibérico
🇮🇹ItalyProsciutto iberico
🇩🇪GermanyIberico-Schinken

Similar cuts

Schwarzwälder Schinkenclose

Both iconic European cured hams; ibérico uses the Iberian black pig fed on acorns and cures 24–48 months without smoke, Black Forest uses standard German pig breeds and adds the cold-smoke step.

Presunto de Barrancosclose

Closest cousin in the European cured-ham canon — same Iberian-pig breed family, both acorn-fed, both DOP/PGI. Spanish jamón ibérico de bellota is the larger, more globally-known production; Presunto de Barrancos is the Portuguese-side equivalent.

Prosciutto crudoclose

Both DOP/PDO cured hams, but ibérico uses the Iberian black pig fed on acorns and cures longer (24–48 months) — distinct breed, fat profile, and flavour from any prosciutto.

Jambon de Bayonneclose

Both Iberian-influenced cured hams from southwestern Europe; ibérico de bellota uses the Iberian black pig and cures longer.

Leg of porkapproximate

Same anatomical primal — ibérico is the cured product made from the fresh leg of an Iberian-breed pig.

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