Strictly speaking, Iberico Ham is made from the hind leg of the pig. Ham made from the foreleg of the pig is known as shoulder or paleta. This is a smaller cut, usually about 4-5kg in weight meaning that the ham doesn’t need curing for the same length of time as hind legs and can be cured in as little as 1 year. Like all Iberico ham, however, the meat still carries the characteristic intra-muscular fat of soft, moist nutty flavour of the Iberico pig. Being smaller also means that it is more manageable in a domestic setting, there is less ham to cut or store. Our shoulder hams come in two versions: bone-in Montanegra Iberico Bellota shoulder which will need a ham stand and knife to carve and Montanegra Boneless Iberico shoulder; a cut of about 2kg in weight and an ideal cut for home use especially if you have a small mechanical ham slicer.