WHAT DOES PATA NEGRA MEAN?

Pata Negra simply means “Black Hoof” in Spanish and refers to the fact that one of the distinctive characteristics of an Iberico Ham is the black hoof of the animal (vs. white pigs which usually have white hoofs). However, this characteristic is unreliable as black hoofs can be found on non-Iberian pigs and not all Iberian pigs have black hoofs.

Iberian pigs roaming freely in dehesa

IS PATA NEGRA THE SAME AS IBERICO?

Pata Negra is a term that has been used for centuries to describe an Iberico Ham but it is a colloquialism rather than an official grade.

This is important to know as in 2014, the Quality Act was passed to officially govern the labelling of Jamón Iberico under Spanish Law to protect consumers. Under this law, there is no reference to the term “Pata Negra” but it is widely accepted to be Jamón Iberico de Bellota from 100% purebred Iberian Pigs.

Whilst this is the widely accepted definition, in the absence of any legal protection, this term can still be used to describe any grade of Iberico Ham so the buyer should always refer back to the official grading system to make sure they know exactly what they are buying.

Iberian pig with black hoofs

IS PATA NEGRA HEALTHY?

Naturally produced dry-cured ham contains lots of healthy unsaturated fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals and can be eaten as part of a healthy Mediterranean diet. The health risks which are usually associated with processed red meat comes from the industrial use of nitrites and nitrates which are widely considered carcinogenic. All of our meat products are guaranteed to be free from chemical additives and preservatives and are 100% natural.

HOW TO ENJOY PATA NEGRA

The best way to enjoy Pata Negra is to eat it on its own so you can truly savour the unique flavour and texture. The meat is infused with nutty fats derived from the pig's acorn diet and this needs to be consumed at room temperature to optimise the experience. The ideal slice should appear slightly oily which shows the fats are liquid and the flavours are running through the meat.

Freshly sliced Pata Negra

OUR PATA NEGRA SELECTION

We have been sourcing the finest Iberico Ham exclusively from highly-skilled, artisan producers since 2011. These producers don't tend to work with the larger importers and it is rare to find this quality of Jamón in the UK. All of our products are traditionally made, 100% Natural and do not use any of the artificial additives commonly found in Iberico Ham (even from expensive and famous producers).