Nothing can breed new excitement into a food lover’s life like the US approval of a coveted food product. The Iberico ham, long considered a delicacy in the world of pork products the world over, has been approved for sale in the US. If you are not familiar with this ham here is the rundown. The ham comes from the black hoofed pigs found in Spain, whose main diet consists of acorns from cork trees. The top of the line meat is called, Iberico Jamon Bellota. The pigs are given free reign over protected oak forests where they feed upon acorns and other wild plants. For 2 years they roam the forests as normal “wild” pigs would, this is much more time than any domestic is given. The exercise and natural diet combines to create a meat with a rich nutty flavor and tender texture. The meat is then salt cured for 2 to 4 years in the sweet mountain air of Spain. It usually comes in three types, in order of grade:

- Jamon Iberico de bellota
o These are the above mentioned free range pigs, the highest quality

- Jamon Iberico de recebo
o These are pastured pigs that are fed a combination of the acorns and grains.

- Jamon Iberico de pienso
o These are not fed acorns and only grain. They are also only cured for 24 months

One of the benefits that come from top quality Iberico ham is that it contains mono-unsaturated fats, similar to the good cholesterol in extra virgin olive oil. Anyone in their right meat loving mind would want to get their hands on this stuff immediately! Unfortunately, the cost at around $90/lb may prevent some people from enjoying this gem of Spanish cuisine. I personally have never tried it but am definitely thinking about getting some form of it regardless of grade just for the hell of it. If anyone has ever tried it and knows more about it, I’d love to hear your comments!