It is against US law to import jamón ibérico - the hind leg of an Iberian pig, hoof attached, swaddled in fat, covered in a thin green layer of protective mould, occasionally sprouting wiry black pig hair - because Spain does not have a single slaughterhouse that conforms to the regulations of the US Department of ...

The finest grade is called jamón ibérico de bellota (acorn). This ham is from free-range pigs that roam oak forests (called dehesas) along the border between Spain and Portugal and eat only acorns during this last period.

We should read the following: Jamón de bellota ibérico 50% raza ibérica, if it is of this purity. If it is 50% Iberian it means that the mother is 100% Iberian and the father is a 100% Duroc breed pig, the only breed allowed under the regulations that can be crossed with Iberian pigs.

While Jamón Ibérico de Bellota is the most expensive ham in the world, there are other varieties of Spanish ham that are also highly prized and luxurious. Jamón Ibérico de Recebo is another type of Iberian ham that is slightly less expensive than Jamón Ibérico de Bellota but still considered a delicacy.