Four legs good

When it comes to living conditions, the ibérico pig will probably stoke the highest envy among its domesticated four-legged cousins. Spared of small, crowded pens, the animal is afforded space to roam, grazing in the dehesas—agroforestry pasturelands—of Spain’s southwestern Iberian Peninsula. Its strong legs, pointed snout and dark hoofs (which lend the animal the moniker of pata negra or black feet) are a Darwinian riposte to the physical demands of its environment.

The ibérico pig searches for acorns in the dehesa, and thus exercising its limbs and giving its meat that irresistible moist and firm texture that is so prized by chefs. The free-range pigs eat only acorns during montanera—between by late summer and early autumn—and are known as jamón ibérico de bellota, the finest grade in ibérico hams. The next grade is jamón ibérico de recebo (pigs fed with acorns and grains), followed by jamón ibérico de cebo (pigs fed only with grain).

Thanks to its unique diet, the ibérico pig can’t be branded tubby and unhealthy: more than 60 percent of its fat consists of monounsaturated fatty acid, which is believed to bring down your low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol level. Apart from being served as ham, the loin, collar and cheeks also make delicious ingredients.

David Senia, executive chef of Capella Singapore, uses ibérico pork from Fermin, an established producer based in Salamanca. “The Knolls, our restaurant in Capella Singapore, serves Mediterranean food, so ibérico pork fits well into our menu,” he says. Senia prefers not to marinate the meats as he’d like to keep, as much as possible, the real aroma of the pork.

To bring out the best of ibérico pork’s flavour, Senia cooks the loin, collar and cheeks differently, taking into consideration the unique texture of each cut. “The pork cheek, for example, tends to be a bit firmer because the muscles were used for chewing food, so braising it softens it more effectively,” he explains.

Excerpt from June 2013 issue of epicure