Lacón Gallego
Encyclopedia
Lacón Gallego is a dried ham product from Galicia, Spain
with PGI status under European law.
Historically, Lacón has been mentioned in texts since at least the 17th century.
Under law, production of Lacón Gallego may take place solely in Galicia, from the rearing and slaughter of the pigs, to the curing of the final product. The actual product is only made with the shoulder, rather than the whole leg, as is usual with other Jamón
s.
The following breeds of pig may be used to make Lacón:Celt, Large White
, Landrace
or Duroc
, and in there are two type of Lacón, depending on how the pig is reared;
Those feeds that are unauthorised by the board are forbidden, these include oils and fish, and their derivatives.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
with PGI status under European law.
Historically, Lacón has been mentioned in texts since at least the 17th century.
Under law, production of Lacón Gallego may take place solely in Galicia, from the rearing and slaughter of the pigs, to the curing of the final product. The actual product is only made with the shoulder, rather than the whole leg, as is usual with other Jamón
Jamón
Jamón is the Spanish word for ham. In English it refers to certain types of dry-cured ham from Spain. There are two primary types of jamón: Jamón serrano and Jamón ibérico ....
s.
The following breeds of pig may be used to make Lacón:Celt, Large White
Large White (pig)
The Large White, also known as the English Large White, is a breed of domestic pig originating in Yorkshire, hence also known as the Yorkshire pig. First recognized in 1868, the breed is the progenitor of the American Yorkshire in North America...
, Landrace
Landrace
A landrace is a local variety of a domesticated animal or plant species which has developed largely by natural processes, by adaptation to the natural and cultural environment in which it lives. It differs from a formal breed which has been bred deliberately to conform to a particular standard...
or Duroc
Duroc (pig)
Duroc pig is an older breed of American domestic pig that forms the basis for many mixed-breed commercial hogs. Duroc pigs are red, large-framed, medium length, and muscular, with partially drooping ears, and tend to be one of the most aggressive of all the swine breeds.-Origins:The breed...
, and in there are two type of Lacón, depending on how the pig is reared;
- Traditional Lacón Gallego may be called so when the pig has been fed on a diet of only natural feed, eg. acornAcornThe acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
s, cerealCerealCereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s, chestnutChestnutChestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
s and other vegetable foods for at least the last three months before slaughter.
- Lacón Gallego when the pig has been fed on the feeds authorised by the regulatory board for up until slaughter.
Those feeds that are unauthorised by the board are forbidden, these include oils and fish, and their derivatives.