Over a Century of Tradition, Craftsmanship, and Excellence

Our production process

At La Prudencia, we carefully oversee every stage in the production of our cured meats, combining family tradition with artisanal techniques in our cured meat factory. The entire process is designed to respect the product, time and the quality that has defined us for over a century.

Zafra's Corner

En nuestras dehesas de Zafra y Alconchel criamos nuestros propios cerdos ibéricos de bellota y de cebo de campo, siempre en libertad y en perfecta armonía con el entorno.

«Los cerdos de La Prudencia viven en libertad y perfecta armonía, integrados con el ecosistema. Cada cerdo de La Prudencia necesita una hectárea para vivir. Son unos cerdos muy felices.»

Slaughterhouse and cutting room

Our facility covers 5,530 m² and has an annual capacity of 200,000 animals.

Once the pigs arrive from Extremadura (Iberian) and Castile and León (Duroc), they rest in holding pens for the necessary period prior to slaughter.

After this resting phase, slaughter is carried out without any suffering, in strict compliance with animal welfare standards. The carcasses are then classified and numbered to ensure full traceability.

Each carcass is weighed and automatically transferred to the chilling and stabilisation chamber, where it is rapidly cooled to preserve the product’s organoleptic properties and microbiological quality.

Salting

Each stage of La Prudencia’s production process follows a traditional, artisanal method.

After trimming, the hams are covered with sea salt for 0.6 days per kilogram of ham. While many producers salt for approximately one day per kilogram, at La Prudencia we use less salt, resulting in a healthier product and a slower, more natural curing process.

The salting chamber is kept at a temperature between 0 and 3 °C, with a relative humidity of 85–95%.

Washing and resting

Once salting is complete, the hams are rinsed with warm water to remove salt residues from the surface. During this phase, relative humidity is maintained between 70% and 90%, and each piece is individually inspected.

The hams are then hung and transferred to a chamber where the resting phase begins. The purpose of this stage is to equalise salt levels and gradually eliminate moisture.

This process takes place at controlled temperatures between 0 and 6 °C, with a relative humidity of 80–90%, and lasts approximately 30 to 40 days depending on the type of ham. As a result, the pieces acquire a firmer, more compact consistency.

Drying

After resting, the hams are moved to natural drying rooms, where temperature and humidity are regulated by opening and closing windows. During this stage, temperatures range between 15 and 30 °C, and the drying period may last between 6 and 12 months.

At this stage, the infiltrated fat gradually melts and distributes evenly throughout the muscle tissue, achieving uniform integration. This process typically takes around 6 to 9 months.

Maturation and ageing

Once drying is complete, the pieces are classified according to weight, quality and shape, and transferred to natural cellars, where the final curing phase begins: maturation.

In the cellars, temperatures are maintained between 15 and 20 °C, with a relative humidity of 60–80%. During this period, complex enzymatic and biochemical changes occur, giving rise to the outstanding aroma, flavour and texture of our hams.

Calado (needle testing)

At the end of the maturation process, a rigorous selection phase begins using the traditional calado technique. This procedure involves assessing the sensory characteristics of each ham and shoulder ham.

Thanks to his experience and expertise, the Master Ham Maker inserts a thin bone needle into different points of the piece to assess its aroma and condition. This determines whether the ham has reached its optimal point of curing and salt balance or requires more time.

This decisive stage ensures that every piece reaches the consumer at its perfect moment.

Now, all that remains is to enjoy it.

Enjoy the authentic flavour of our artisanal hams and cured meats

Shop now in our online store and receive quality and tradition at home.