Process. How to create “Admiración”
Tradition and innovation for sublime experiences from the dehesa pastures to your palate
Discover, step by step, the whole process that takes our “Admiración” products to the restaurants and gourmet establishments of 47 countries. Infinite dehesa pasturelands, careful control of livestock breeding, and a tradition handed from one generation to the next are the starting point for the selection and breeding of the finest Iberian pigs. Method and innovation in the preparation of our hams, cured and fresh meats that are individually supervised. And an exacting sales channel and customer services department for professionals and individual clients.
Stringent selection of piglets and pigs
The only way to create an “Admiración” product is to be involved from the first breath of each Iberian piglet that will eventually bear the Blázquez mark. This is a difficult, demanding road that implies individually selecting each piglet and pig depending on strict biological criteria, quality control and experience. Our commitment to the control of each point of the food value chain is acknowledged as a guarantee by our clients.
Feeding and care of each pig
Over 30,000 hectares of dehesa pastures, abundant with the most sought-after acorns to feed Iberian pigs, guarantee optimum conditions for fattening. Each time acorn-feeding season arrives, it brings with it an explosion of autumn and winter colour, a smell of Nature in the air and the taste of spring water. The perfect setting for each animal to enjoy its surroundings and develop into the basic ingredient for the best hams, cured and fresh meats.
Slaughter and homage
The slaughter of each Iberian pig is a homage to all of those who have made it possible to rear such a magnificent animal, worthy of its next role: to become the “Admiración” of gourmets the world over. And this happens, again under the strictest controls in our own installations, which become a hive of activity from January to March each year.
The art of Cutting
The skill of craftsmen, who have learned from previous generations the art of sculpting perfect cuts, is one of the most important steps in the whole process of creating our “Admiración”. Firm hands precisely cut each part of the pig in completely controlled atmospheres at our installations in Peñaranda and Crespos.
The ritual of Salting
Each factor in the salting and curing process is rigorously controlled to balance the best conditions of humidity and temperature in our hams and shoulders. Constant supervision means that each piece is treated according to its individual characteristics until reaching the right conditions for cleaning and post-salting, which precede the drying and curing cycle.
Curing
The curing process of each "Admiración" ham or shoulder is carefully choreographed by the best professionals in the world, as the pieces have yet to complete the most important phase of their journey. An “Admiración” ham matures between three and five years in our state-of-the-art storage facilities before becoming the most desired of Iberian products.
These “temples” have been inspired by centuries-old tradition, shared over the generations, married with the latest technological and architectural innovations. Here, each piece undergoes a first drying that calibrates the progressive temperature change and reduction of humidity until it can be moved to a natural drying room.
Each room protects our hams and shoulders at ambient temperature regulated using shutters to channel or control factors such as the mountain-scented breeze and the amount of light.
Each element is supervised by a production team who constantly control the required quality of each piece and the progressive curing process, based on strict methods of analysing texture, aroma and lipid content.
Passing this stringent internal classification control as an “Admiración” ham confers the responsibility of being the ambassador for a sublime experience worthy of the Blázquez family. Recognisable by its shape, size, weight, flavour, texture... conquering the palates of clients who demand luxury is the justly deserved reward that is its birthright.
International Markets
Since our origin we have been a reference for chefs, hotels, caterers and gourmet establishment professionals, first in Spain and later in 47 countries. All thanks to the guarantee that trust in our company offers and which culminates the process of husbandry, preparation and production with a sales and distribution network that is not only efficient and fast but also has a customer services department fully committed to each point around the world where Blázquez products are served.