Ibérico- a region of Spain located on the border with Portugal has a long food filled and cultural history. Being so close to Portugal, the language and food culture largely reflex that intermixing of ideas and cultures, similar to the French influence over Europe in the 20th century. The jamón of the region is closely regulated and may only be made with black Ibérico pigs with a genetic similarity of 50% or more which preserves the idea of authenticity as only certain ingredients may be used. The preservation and strict regulation of the product is in line with many other European ideas about preservation of nationally important foods; ones that define a region and are iconic of that place and plate.
The specificity of the pig is key in developing the actual distinct flavour of the jamón due to the genetic makeup and protein content of the pig. The pigs are grown in an area that has an abundance of acorns, which the pigs must eat during the finishing off phase of their growth to be classified as Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. The process of salt curing, the traditional method favored over the industrialised nitrite process, changes flavourless proteins into savory amino and peptide chains which give the meat the appropriate flavour. This above all causes an increase in the level of glutamic acid which gives the meat it’s famed mouth-watering characteristic.
Glutamic Acid Amino Peptide
The protected rearing and processing of the meat is maintained to ensure that the quality and authenticity of the meat which, when couple with strong regional pride that only food can give, is so important for identity and community.
http://science.jrank.org/pages/2814/Food-Preservation.html
http://www.jstor.org.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/stable/pdf/25741179.pdf
http://www.jamon.com/iberico.html
‘European Pork Chains: Diversity and Quality Challeneges in Consumer-orientated Production and Distribution’, Trienekens J,Petersen B, Wognum N, Brinkmann D. Wageningen Academic Publishing, 2009.
Images
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glutamins%C3%A4ure_-_Glutamic_acid.svg
http://www.sielc.com/Compound-Amino-Acids.html
https://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/reusch/virttxtjml/protein2.htm
http://www.recipesforlinux.com/2014/12/29/jamon-iberico-etiquetas-identificativas-por-colores/
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