Jamón de Los Pedroches

Dry-cured ham and shoulder ham produced exclusively from Iberian pigs, at least 75% Iberian breed, reared entirely within the Valle de los Pedroches dehesa in the north of the province of Córdoba. The designation covers three grades—Bellota, Recebo, and Cebo de Campo—defined by the feed regime applied during the final fattening stage on registered dehesa holdings.

About this designation

The protected designation 'Los Pedroches' covers hams and shoulder hams from Iberian pigs of all strains that are at least 75% Iberian and a maximum 25% Duroc or Duroc Jersey, with the dam required to be pure Iberian. Every stage of the animal's life, from birth through final fattening, must take place on holdings registered under the designation within the defined geographical area. Three grades are recognised. 'Bellota' hams and shoulders come from pigs fattened exclusively on acorn and grass under a free-range montanero system, at a density not exceeding 1 Iberian pig per hectare. 'Recebo' hams and shoulders come from pigs that, after a period of acorn and grass feeding, have gained a minimum additional weight of 8,75 kg and are supplemented with cereal and legume-based feed authorised by the Regulatory Board, at a density not exceeding 2 Iberian pigs per hectare. 'Cebo de Campo' hams and shoulders come from pigs grazed in dehesa on natural resources, supplemented as necessary with authorised feed, at a density not exceeding 12 Iberian pigs per hectare. Ageing in natural stores must last a minimum of 18 months for hams and 12 months for shoulders. The Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen «Los Pedroches» affixes to each cut a label bearing the words 'Denominación de Origen "Los Pedroches"' and indicating the grade, applied so as to render re-use impossible. The designation was registered as a PDO on 9 November 2005 under file number PDO-ES-0506, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013916.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 9 November 2005 under file number PDO-ES-0506, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013916.
• Pigs must be at least 75% Iberian breed, with the dam required to be pure Iberian; no other breed composition is permitted.
• The Bellota grade requires a stocking density not exceeding 1 Iberian pig per hectare to ensure sufficient acorn supply.
• The dehesas in the north of the province of Córdoba are stated to be the only part of the country in which the gall-oak acorn ripens significantly, occurring some 20 days earlier than in the rest of the Quercus genus.

Tasting notes

Andalusian Iberian dry-cured ham from Córdoba province (Valle de Los Pedroches), from Iberian pigs raised in dehesa. Aged 24+ months. Deep ruby meat, dense firm texture, intensely savory with characteristic Pedroches-dehesa profile.

HoReCa use

Premium Iberian ham service.

Packaging

• Same as Jabugo