Iberian Paleta

Jamón or paleta: what changes

It is the question we get asked most in the shop. The answer comes down to four points.

The weight

A ham weighs 7 to 9.5 kg, a paleta 4 to 6 kg. On the paleta the bone takes up proportionally more room, so the sliced yield is lower.

The curing

Being smaller, the paleta dries faster. Count on 14 months for Cebo and 24 months for Bellota, against 26 to 42 months for a ham.

The taste

Less mass, more surface exposed to salt and air. The paleta is more concentrated and more direct than the ham, with a touch more salt.

The price

At equal quality, the paleta costs less per kilo than the ham. It is the most affordable way to taste a Bellota without dropping in quality.

The four qualities of paleta ibérica

The same four qualities as for the ham, with the same coloured labels. Only the curing times change.

Ibérica de Cebo — white label

50 % Iberian pig raised on the farm, fed on cereals and pulses. 14 months' curing minimum. The mildest of the four.

Ibérica de Cebo de Campo — green label

Same breed, but the pig lives outdoors and tops up its ration in the pasture. 18 months' curing minimum, a longer finish.

Ibérica de Bellota — red label

50 % Iberian pig fattened on acorns during the montanera. 24 months' curing: the fat turns melting, the hazelnut notes come through.

100 % Ibérica de Bellota — black label

Pure Iberian breed and montanera. 24 months' curing at Juan Pedro Domecq, 4 to 5 kg for the piece. This is the pata negra paleta.

Our producers

Cárnicas Pozas

Our Cebo, Cebo de Campo and Bellota paletas come from them, in Baños de Montemayor, Extremadura.

Juan Pedro Domecq

Our 100 % Ibérica de Bellota paleta comes from the province of Huelva. Why these two houses.

Not sure which quality to choose? Our guide to the four qualities, from Cebo to Pata Negra.