A photograph of oak trees helps us picture the world of Iberian ham. Choosing a ham, however, calls for a closer look at what that landscape tells us. The dehesa brings together scattered trees, pasture and human management. Understanding these elements helps separate feeding explanations from the specific facts about a piece.
The dehesa is a managed agroforestry system. Its landscape provides context; the ham’s designation and label establish its classification.
Three elements sharing one space
Trees, mainly holm oaks and cork oaks, leave clearings where pasture grows. Their canopies provide shade and resources such as acorns. This combination distinguishes a dehesa from a dense tree plantation or a treeless meadow: different layers of the landscape are used together.
A landscape that needs management
Maintaining a dehesa involves decisions about livestock, pasture, trees and regeneration. It can support livestock and woodland uses beyond pig farming. It should therefore not be described as an untouched forest devoted exclusively to ham, nor should every oak landscape be assumed to offer identical grazing conditions.
Jamones Paco Heredia for this article
Current selection from the related collection. Check format, weight and directions on each product page.
Jamones Paco Heredia
Current selection from the related collection. Check format, weight and directions on each product page.
View the collection →From landscape to the pig’s feeding
The dehesa provides the setting for montanera, when animals use acorns and pasture during the relevant finishing stage. But trees in a photograph cannot reveal a pig’s complete feeding history, breed percentage or a ham’s traceability. These questions require information about the particular product.
The selection follows the Jamones Paco Heredia catalogue. Check the collection for current products and their details.
Putting this knowledge to use when shopping
To explore this designation, start with our acorn-fed Iberian ham selection and check each product’s full description. Compare formats in all hams. The landscape explanation draws on CICYTEX’s dehesa information; it does not certify the origin of any particular ham.