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PATA NEGRA
to let the air circulate. As winter turns to spring
and summer, incredible changes take place. The
salted hams begin to sweat in the heat, losing almost
half their weight as the fat drips away. The remaining
fat becomes the monounsaturated kind,
which studies have shown to be good for the heart,
losing weight and rheumatoid arthritis, among
other things. Then, as it gets cooler, the hams start
to dry out and the flavors deepen. These hams will
spend a year to 18 months in the cur ing rooms before
going down to the bodega to mature for another
three to four years, like a Reserva wine.
Maldonado – the fourth generation of butcher
in his family – has been honing his craft for the
past 20 years. His flagship product is Albarragena
jamón which comes with its own DNA certificate
as proof of authenticity. It costs in the region of
$1,955 a leg, making it the world’s most expensive
ham. “The pigs are handpicked,” he says. “They
are from the ancient Lampiña breed and eat up
to 100kg of acorns each montanera. They are fullgrown
adults when they are killed, which has a
massive impact on the flavor. There’s great acidity
in the fat, and in the mouth it’s sensational.”
In the tasting room Maldonado has put out
some specialties for us to try, although he’s under
strict instructions from Tristancho not to give us
any jamón. (Ever the actor, our host seems to be re -
Choice cuts:
Aldebarán in Badajoz is
the only restaurant in the
region that serves Pais de
Quercus’s jámon Ibérico
de bellota; Maldonado’s
cathedral of ham (right)
92 DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013 SCANORAMA