Presunto de Barrancos

Presunto de Barrancos and Paleta de Barrancos are unsmoked, dry-cured hindleg and foreleg cuts, respectively, produced from pigs of the 'Alentejana' breed (Sus ibericus) slaughtered between 12 and 20 months of age. The animals must complete a fattening and finishing phase of at least 60 days under the 'Montanheira' system, feeding exclusively on grass and acorns in the 'montado'. Processing is confined to the municipality of Barrancos.

About this designation

Registered as a PDO under file number PDO-PT-0010, with EU protection dating from 3 May 1996 and eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013415, the designation covers two products: Presunto de Barrancos from the hindlegs and Paleta de Barrancos from the forelegs. Both are salted, dried, cured and unsmoked. Pigs must be of the 'Alentejana' breed (Sus ibericus), born, reared, fed and slaughtered within the defined geographical area for raw material production, which spans municipalities across the Alentejo region. Slaughter age is between 12 and 20 months. The suckling phase lasts 45 to 60 days on maternal milk, which may be supplemented with compound feed. A growth phase of more than 8.5 months follows on cereals, stubble, and natural and cultivated pastures. The fattening and finishing phase under the 'Montanheira' system lasts at least 60 days, during which animals graze exclusively on grass and acorns from oak and cork oak trees between October/November and January/February. Fresh hindlegs must weigh over 6 kg; fresh forelegs over 4 kg. Presunto de Barrancos has a minimum finished weight of 5 kg, a drying-maturing period of at least 6 months and a cellar-ageing period of at least 6 months. Paleta de Barrancos has a minimum finished weight of 3 kg, with drying-maturing and cellar-ageing periods of at least 4 months each. All processing takes place in the municipality of Barrancos. The hoof remains attached to facilitate identification. Labelling must state 'Presunto de Barrancos — Protected designation of origin' or 'Paleta de Barrancos — Protected designation of origin' as applicable.

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

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 3 May 1996 under file number PDO-PT-0010 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013415).
• The designation covers two products: Presunto de Barrancos from the hindleg and Paleta de Barrancos from the foreleg; no other cuts are included.
• Animals must complete at least 60 days under the 'Montanheira' system feeding exclusively on grass and acorns; no other feed is permitted during this phase.
• All processing, curing and drying is confined to the municipality of Barrancos; raw material production covers a broader defined area across Alentejo.

Tasting notes

Alentejano dry-cured Iberian ham DOP from Barrancos (Beja province), exclusively from porco preto Alentejano (Iberian black pig) raised in montado oak meadows on Bellota acorn diet. Aged 18-24+ months. Deep ruby meat with characteristic golden-yellow fat marbling, dense buttery-firm texture, intensely complex flavor: nutty-acorn base evolving to umami-savory mid-palate with sweet-floral finish — Portugal's most prestigious cured ham, equivalent of Jamón de Jabugo for Portugal.

HoReCa use

The specification states that both Presunto de Barrancos and Paleta de Barrancos may be sold whole or in pieces, on or off the bone, or in slices.

Packaging

• whole-leg-bone-in-7-9kg
• whole-leg-boneless-vacuum-5-7kg
• hand-sliced-vacuum-100g
• hand-sliced-vacuum-80g
• gift-pack-200g
• professional-bulk-1kg-fatiado