Last rains in late October and early November We prepared a feast for the Iberian pig, which has just started its montanera season, the last ninety days of his life before his sacrifice.
“Extremadura grasslands are full of acorns,” he celebrates Demetrio Arias, CEO of Extrem, Company of ham, shoulder, loin, chorizo and sausages from 100% Iberian pigs, as well as dried Iberian products of Extremadura Origin produces a variety of fresh Iberian meats: feathers, secrets, acorn hunts and organic meat.
Two-year-old animals now face the final stage of their lives become distinguished morsels on a diet rich in fat and sugar, surrounded by a stress-free environment pastures, holm oaks, cork oaks and waterholes Where is the mud thrown?
Extraordinary Montanera
Arias says 12,000 Extreme Iberian pigs resting in the green, wide fields of Extremadura gobbled up the first acorns to fall from cork oaks and holm oaks in a montanera that was expected to be spectacular despite the extreme heat wave that has smothered Spain this summer. , Happy “For the quality of the fruit from oak trees, which this year produced large numbers of acorns rich in sugar and oil.”
70% of the quality of the meat of these pigs depends on their nutrition and, above all, This three-month montanera period is when the animal’s body fat changes.
Recent heavy rains recorded in Extremadura They made the acorn grow very well and gain a lot of weight, Therefore, it has more sugar (starch), it has more fat (rich mainly in oleic acid), and its shell is thinner, making it easier for the animal to peel it before eating it.
Each pig eats on this company’s 18,000 hectares of pasture Up to 12 kilos of acorns are planted per day and require an area of 1.5 hectares allowing you to gain one pound per day while fixing significant amounts in your fat tissue. polyphenols, tocopherols and other natural antioxidants.
“An Iberian pig enters the Montanera weighing up to 115 kilos and From then on, he must gain weight on acorns and grass. minimum 46 kilos,” adds Demetrio Arias.
The animals roam freely across the landscape, traveling up to 14 kilometers a day in search of valuable acorns. They peel it with their lips to throw away the shell. The feast is completed with wild fruits, roots, mushrooms, aromatic herbs, small insects and nuts. During this time, herds graze under holm oaks and cork oaks, bask in the sun and get muddy in ponds.
First they eat with appetite, But when they consume fresh, sweet, large acorns full of excellent oleic acid, they become lazier, According to a study conducted at the Juan Ramón Jiménez hospital in Huelva, it is very beneficial for people’s cardiovascular health because it induces a good mood.
Extremadura on the plate
“A pig can eat about 900 kilos” acorns and 330 kilos of grass During the presentation of the “Extremadura on a plate” campaign, the Extrem manager insists, “along the montanera before being sacrificed.” A limited collection of two plates and two trays, handmade by the company Cerámicas Anoru, inspired by the cuisine of chef Toño Pérez (Relais & Châteaux Atrium, three Michelin stars) It was drawn by artist Mercedes Bellido, a tribute to the cuisine of Extremaduras..
Pérez has four culinary stories he tells These are what inspired Mercedes Bellido’s lines and later evolved into ceramic plates and trays: pastoral and monastic kitchens, the Alcántara recipe book and Alentejo cuisine.