DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHITE HAM AND IBERIAN HAM

For neophytes in the world of ham / palette, you can be a bit confusing when choosing to purchase within the huge variety of products, which differ by race animal feed and healing broadly.

This time we will try to clarify the differences between them by race. According to the Federation of Livestock Selecto, currently they exist in Spanish territory 12 breeds of white pigs and 6 varieties of Iberian race. But simplifying and as a base, a ham or palette can be: either Iberian or white.

Prosciutto or cellar are some denominations for white or Iberian ham. Generally they come from the Duroc, Landrace, Large White and Pietrain races.

A pig to market it as Iberian must have a minimum of 50% of racial purity. It is the mother should be 100% Iberian. It can also be 75% pure, 50% pure father and mother 100%. Finally 100% Iberian, whose parents are also 100% pure both.

After the adoption of the new standard 2014 Iberian, hams and shoulders are classified by color according to their racial purity:

Black Label (100% pure and finished montanera)

Red Label (75% and 50% purity and finished montanera)

Green label (with purity of 75% and 50% and fed on feed field)

white label (50% pure and fed with feed in barns)