Jambon de Lacaune

Jambon de Lacaune is a dry-cured ham produced exclusively within eleven named municipalities in the Tarn department. Salting is performed with dry sea salt only, and the flavouring preparation consists mainly of pepper with saltpetre as the sole additive. The product is never smoked. Minimum drying and maturation periods are determined by the weight of the fresh ham at trimming.

About this designation

Jambon de Lacaune holds PGI status under file number PGI-FR-1208, registered at EU level on 3 March 2014, with eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014554. The defined geographical area comprises exactly eleven municipalities in the department of Tarn: Barre, Berlats, Escroux, Espérausses, Gijounet, Lacaune, Moulin Mage, Murat-sur-Vèbre, Nages, Senaux and Viane. All stages from salting through the end of maturation must take place within this area. Fresh hams must weigh a minimum of 9 kg after trimming and must carry a fat cover of 10 mm or more, including rind, measured in line with the top of the femur. Frozen ham is prohibited. Pigs of 25 kg or more must be fattened on a diet containing at least 60 % cereals, cereal-based products and legume seeds, with a maximum linoleic acid content of 1.9 % of dry matter. Salting is carried out exclusively with dry sea salt. The flavouring preparation consists mainly of pepper, with saltpetre (NaNO3, E252) as the only additive; the specification sets a maximum NaNO3 content of 250 mg/kg and a maximum total soluble sugar content of 1 %. The product is never smoked. Product labelling must state the minimum duration of drying and maturation: 7, 9 or 12 months, corresponding to fresh ham weights of 9 kg, 10 kg and 11 kg respectively. The applicant group is the Syndicat des Salaisons de Lacaune, based in Lacaune.

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

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 3 March 2014 under file number PGI-FR-1208 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014554).
• The geographical area is limited to exactly eleven named municipalities in the Tarn department, all within the Monts de Lacaune.
• Frozen ham is expressly prohibited; fresh hams must weigh at least 9 kg and carry a fat cover of 10 mm or more.
• Labelling must declare the minimum drying and maturation period — 7, 9 or 12 months — and the product is never smoked.

Tasting notes

Tarn dry-cured ham from Lacaune mountains, aged minimum 7 months. Deep ruby meat, balanced sweet-salty flavor with characteristic mountain-aged character.

HoReCa use

Plateau de charcuterie alongside Bayonne; sliced thin; pairs with Languedoc wines.

Packaging

• whole-leg-bone-in-7-9kg
• whole-leg-boneless-vacuum-5-7kg
• deli-sliced-vacuum-100g