There are many stalls selling jamón ibérico, in la Boqueria. If you want nothing but the best, look for Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. This means dry-cured ham coming from “Iberico” (Iberian) race pigs that have been raised in the wild in the traditional way (not in farms) in Spain’s southwestern pasture lands (Extremadura, Huelva). They’ve been fed acorns (“bellotas”) and grass during their finishing period. From there it’s time to choose which Ibérico de Bellota you want. The safest bet (to ensure a consistently high quality) is to go for a ham from a producer that is inscribed in a Denomination of Origin (DO). There are four Jamón Ibérico DOs in Spain: Dehesa de Extremadura (Extremadura); Guijuelo (Salamanca); Huelva (Huelva); Los Pedroches (Córdoba). The first one, D.O. Dehesa de Extremadura, is known for enforcing the strictest quality controls. Another option is to shop by brand. These producers aren’t actually backed by any DO but are regarded as some of the best jamón brands in Spain: Maldonado, Joselito, or Cinco Jotas.
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