Presunto de Vinhais

Appearance & taste

The ham keeps the shape of the leg: it is long and elongated and has the trotter. According to the specification, the elongated shape comes from the build of Bísaro pigs with their very tall, long and bony hind legs. On the cut face of the leg it is reddish brown on the outside from paprika and smoke; the rest of the surface is covered by the rind.

When cut, it is pink to dark red, oily, glossy and streaked with pearly white fat. It tastes slightly salty and smoky, is not very fibrous, very tender and juicy and smells lightly of smoke. A ham weighs 12 to 18 kg on average.

It is sold whole, in pieces or in slices and always prepacked in the area of origin. Each piece carries a numbered certification mark that can be traced back to the producer. Outside the area, retailers and restaurateurs may only slice it in front of customers, so that the mark and label can be seen.

Production

The Bísaro pigs are entered in the breed’s herd book and are kept semi-extensively; according to the specification, they eat plenty of chestnuts, which gives their meat special characteristics. The hind legs of adult animals are used, but not those of uncastrated boars. Today it is recommended to remove the thigh bone and the surrounding meat when trimming.

The fresh legs weigh over 8 kg. They rest for about 24 hours and are then pressed by massaging so that liquid comes out. They are then left for about 30 days, depending on weight, completely covered in salt at below 6 °C and 80 to 90 % humidity. The remaining salt is washed off. After draining, the surface without rind is rubbed with a mixture of paprika and Trás-os-Montes oil or lard from the Bísaro pig. The legs are then very lightly smoked over a low fire of dry oak or chestnut wood. Finally they mature in a cool, not very humid place, in a cellar or in maturing rooms. Production takes at least 12 months in total.

Origin & history

The pigs are born, reared, slaughtered and cut up in municipalities of the districts of Bragança and Vila Real, including Bragança, Mirandela, Chaves, Montalegre and Vila Real. The ham is made, sliced and packed only in the twelve municipalities of the district of Bragança: Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Carrazeda de Anciães, Freixo de Espada à Cinta, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Miranda do Douro, Mirandela, Mogadouro, Torre de Moncorvo, Vila Flor, Vimioso and Vinhais.

Animal figures found in the region, and land charters of several municipalities that mention levies on pigs and pig products, attest to the long tradition of pig farming. According to the specification, the regional breed, its feed from the area, the know-how in trimming and curing, the light smoke of wood from the region and maturing in very cold, dry air link the ham to its area.