(Paleta de Barrancos, Barrancos ham)
Presunto de Barrancos is a cured ham specialty originating from the small town of Barrancos in southeastern Portugal. Barrancos ham comes from the Alentejo region, which has a Mediterranean microclimate with high summer temperatures, high relative humidity, and steady winds.
These are the ideal conditions for air-drying ham. The regions dense oak forests enable the Alentejo pigs to roam free, feeding on acorns and grass. This ham is therefore finely marbled, and the oleic acid in the acorns provides an additional distinct flavor.
The ham matures for at least 6 months in cellars. Fully-ripened Barrancos ham has an elongated, tapered shape and a minimum weight of 5kg per leg. The surface is rosy to red in color, the fat is glossy and very fragrant, and the meat is very tender.
The taste of Barrancos ham is pleasant and mildly salty with a slightly piquant aftertaste.
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