Buying Iberian Arm-Shoulder Pork Online
Enjoy a wide range of good priced Iberian Arm-Shoulder Pork shipped to whole Europe
At Gastronomic Spain we offer a variety of Iberian arm-shoulder pork in its different formats: sliced, in a piece or the whole leg. We are an online store specialised in sending Spanish food products abroad, we offer more than 1500 Spanish products with free shipping to whole Europe in orders over 79,99€ or 89,99€ depending on the country (United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway included).
Gastronomic Spain is store when looking for affordable ham and Iberian arm-shoulder pork in Europe and we have a big catalogue of arm-shoulder pork in its different formats. If instead of looking for an Iberian arm-shoulder pork, you seek a Serrano arm-shoulder press HERE.
What is an arm-shoulder pork or an Iberian arm-shoulder pork?
The Iberian arm-shoulder pork, also known as shoulder blade, are the pig’s front legs cured following the same process used in hams.
It is considered an Iberian arm-shoulder pork the legs that come from pigs of at least a 50% Iberian race and that have been breed and cured in the Iberian Peninsula.
Characteristics of the Iberian arm-shoulder pork
It is true that abroad people use the term ham even when talking about arm-shoulder pork. How many times have you heard someone say: ham shoulder blade or arm-shoulder ham when referring to a cured arm-shoulder pork or an Iberian arm-shoulder pork? That is because visually these can be interpreted as the same product but with a smaller size.
At the time of buying an Iberian arm-shoulder pork it needs to be taken into account the various characteristics that these have that are different from the Iberian ham ones.
1.- Size and morphology
The Iberian arm-shoulder pork comes from the front leg of the Iberian pig and its average weigh is of 4 and 5,5 kg.
Besides having an inferior weigh, the Iberian arm-shoulder pork has a bone structure very different from the one of the ham. In the arm-shoulder pork there is a bigger percentage of waste as the bones that form it are the scapula, the humerus and the radius.
On the other side, this has more of a square shape, whereas the ham has an elongated and slimmer shape.
2.- Taste and texture
Although the arm-shoulder pork and the ham come from the same animal, their taste and texture are different. Firstly, the arm-shoulder pork has a higher amount of salted fresh lard, also the curation process followed and the muscles that form it make the slice obtained from an arm-shoulder pork different.
Its taste is delicious, people used to eat Iberian ham will different the arm-shoulder pork from the ham because it has a stronger texture, it also has a more intense flavour, and they visually differ as the slices obtained from the arm-shoulder pork are bit as squared as the ones from the ham.
3.- Curation
The curation time can vary depending on the Iberian arm-shoulder pork that we are dealing with. It usually takes from approximately 14 to 36 months, being the Cebo arm-shoulder pork the fastest and the one of 100% Iberian race fed with acorn the slowest.
4.- Price
The price of the arm-shoulder pork will depend on the type of Iberian that it is and its weigh. The most expensive and best quality arm-shoulder pork is the Pata Negra Acorn Iberian arm-shoulder pork. Yet if you are looking for something cheaper with also a good quality the Recebo Iberian arm-shoulder pork is a good option.
Types of Iberian Shoulder Blade. Labels and certifications
Like the hams, the Iberian shoulder blades differ depending on the race and the nourishment the pig has had, that is why there are different types of cured Iberian arm-shoulder pork that need to be known at the time of buying one.
All Iberian arm-shoulder pork and hams, as a rule of quality and certification, are obliged to wear one of the 4 identification seals. This coloured seal is based on the nourishment of the animal as well as its life style and race purity. The Spanish ministry of agriculture implemented this type of labelling in order to certified and guarantee the origin of the animal from which the arm-shoulder pork comes.
Cebo, recebo, acorn and pure acorn are the different types of Iberian arm-shoulder pork that exist and that we have at Gastronomic Spain. We will see now their differences.
Cebo Iberian Arm-Shoulder Pork – White Label
The Cebo Iberian arm-shoulder pork (Cebo arm-shoulder pork) is a piece that comes from the front legs of an Iberian pig. The race of the pig can be 50% or 75% Iberian.
That Iberian pig has had a nourishment of organic feed and has live in captivity. It curing takes a minimum of 12 months and it has a weigh between 4 and 5,5 kg and it’s the less fatty shoulder blade.
From all the Iberian arm-shoulder pork is the cheapest one. It is the most common one and you may find it in three different formats: whole leg, semi-boneless leg or sliced.
While label seal: pigs that have lived in farms, fed with feed and cereals. The label does not state the purity of the race.
Recebo Iberian Arm-Shoulder Pork – Green Label
The Recebo Iberian arm-shoulder pork comes from the Iberian pigs that have lived in freedom and whose nourishment has been natural grass, feeds and some acorns. The race is or 50% or 75% Iberian and it curing takes more than 12 months.
On rare occasions 100% race Iberian pigs can be seen. At Gastronomic Spain we also offer Recebo 100% Iberian arm-shoulder pork. The percentage of salted fresh lard may vary depending on the race of the pig.
Without any doubt, this a good quality product if you are looking for a cheap and delicious Iberian arm-shoulder pork.
Green label seal: pigs that have grown in the countryside, fed with natural grass and feeds and of 100%, 75% or 50% Iberian race.
Acorn Iberian Arm-Shoulder Pork – Red Label
The Acorn Iberian arm-shoulder pork or Acorn arm-shoulder pork is an Iberian shoulder blade that come from pigs that have lived freely and that have been nourished from natural grass and acorns all their lives. Their race is 50% to 75% Iberian and their weigh of between 4,5-5,5 kg. Being an arm-shoulder pork of more Iberian purity, it also has a bit more fat.
The Acorn arm-shoulder is a type of arm-shoulder pork quite coveted. You may find it as a whole leg, boneless or cut by machine or knife, different formats for you to choose from. It has a higher price than the Cebo arm-shoulder pork as pigs have lived freely and their nourishment has been better.
Red Label Seal: it certifies that it comes from a 75% or 50% Iberian race pig, fed with acorns in meadows.
Pata Negra Arm-Shoulder Pork – Acorn 100% Iberian Arm-Shoulder Pork – Black Label
The Pata Negra arm-shoulder pork or Acorn 100% Iberian shoulder blade is an Iberian arm-shoulder pork of higher quality. It comes from purely Iberian pigs, meaning an 100% race Iberian pig. Its nourishment has been based in natural grasslands and acorns and that has lived all its life in freedom. Being of a 100% Iberian race it has a higher fat percentage from the rest of arm-shoulder pork.
From all the arm-shoulder pork, this is the one with the highest price completely justified for its flavour and quality.
Black label seal: this colour guarantees that both parents of that pig were of a 100% Iberian race. And, also, that during its fattening stage has been feed acorns in meadows.
Iberian Shoulder Blades with Guijuelo’s and Extremadura’s meadows guarantee of origin
There are a series of businesses groups that have decided to stablish guarantees of origin to assure the quality of their ham and arm-shoulder pork, and reinforcing their own brand.
From the different guarantees of origin of Iberian ham at Gastronomic Spain we offer arm-shoulder pork with Guijuelo’s and Extremadura’s meadows guarantee of origin.
Arm-Shoulder pork with Guijuelo’s guarantee of origin
The arm-shoulder pork that have Guijuelo’s guarantee of origin are made in Salamanca and they are characterised for having a less than 50% Iberian race. At Gastronomic Spain we offer Cebo, Acorn and 100% Iberian arm-shoulder pork for a reasonable price.
Arm-Shoulder pork with Extremadura’s meadows guarantee of origin
The meadows of Extremadura only certify Recebo Iberian arm-shoulder pork, Acorn one’s or Acorn 100% Iberian one’s. At Gastronomic Spain we offer Acorn 75% Iberian race arm-shoulder pork ecologically certified. You may find it as a whole, sliced or boneless.
Different formats: whole arm-shoulder pork, boneless arm-shoulder pork and sliced arm-shoulder pork
At Gastronomic Spain we are aware that not everyone like to cut their ham. We know that it can be hard for those who do not have experience.
Because of that, in our catalogue you may find different formats for you to choose the one that suits you best:
• Boneless arm-shoulder pork: easy to cut, without bone
• Whole arm-shoulder pork: to be cut in a ham holder
• Sliced arm-shoulder pork: ready to be served
So, take advantage of this unique opportunity and buy a good Iberian arm-shoulder pork from anywhere in Europe, so as many other typical Spanish gastronomic products. FREE SHIPPING!
