Israel Romero / Wednesday, June 15, 2022 / Categories: Spanish Brands When Iberian products become a sign of identity. Iberian products, a sign of identity We already know they are one of our star products: 100% acorn-fed Iberians. But for us, products are like the people who make them, and Ibéricos Maldonado are exactly how they should be—the best of the best. Ibéricos Maldonado: Unbeatable, Wonderful An artisanal and ancestral production The ham, simply the best Spain is a very fortunate country because it has no fewer than four top-quality Iberian zones for its sausages, hams and meats. Guijuelo (Salamanca), Sierra de Huelva-Jabugo (Huelva), Valle de Pedroches (Córdoba) y la Dehesa extremeña (Badajoz and Cáceres). Imagine if France had four regions of BOURGOGNE—that would be impressive. Well, we have that blessing. And despite everything, our Iberian products have not yet conquered the world, and it seems impossible that they haven’t already. They are unique products of unparalleled quality and are also highly recommended (although, as with everything, in moderation). Well, that’s what we’re at Made in Spain Gourmet for: to help the best Spanish brands, the ones that do things really well, achieve the recognition they deserve. Ibéricos Maldonado: Unbeatable, Wonderful We are lovers of the Iberian pig—because of my roots in Huelva (my parents are from the Sierra de Huelva)—and Xavi Lahuerta, our Chef & Gastronomy Ambassador, had a professional period in Badajoz that marked him forever. Choosing a brand that gathered all the values we demand from our partners—quality, values, respect for the territory, packaging—was not easy. In my case I knew the product very well, but not the people behind it, and that initially worried me, because we don’t want only an excellent product—we want everything. In other words, if there aren’t people behind it with human values like professionalism, honesty and transparency, we understand that one day the product could fail. And we could not allow that. That’s when Xavi told Svetlana and me that the Iberians we should have in our online store were in Alburquerque, Badajoz, and were called Ibéricos Maldonado. The best thing about working with Xavi is that we almost understand each other at a glance, and his smile after making the choice was enough to know we already had an Iberian brand in our project. I was fortunate to meet Manuel Maldonado, his CEO and owner, in mid-2020, and I then understood Xavi’s peace of mind. The way he spoke about the pigs, how important their lineage and diet were, and that in Spain 100% pure Iberian pigs were still not truly valued—I was impressed. I wanted with all my heart the opportunity to market his products on our site. Manuel granted it to us. It was an important moment for us because we were establishing a top-level relationship with a person who holds widely recognized national and international prestige. As I always remember, life is about relationships and people, and finding the Iberian guru and being a partner acknowledged by him and his brand moved us. And then the best part began: spreading his products and his story through our channel. An artisanal and ancestral production What do we have in common with Ibéricos Maldonado? That the most important thing is the origin of the products—and in our case, the origin of the relationship with the people as well. The Dehesa Extremeña is a natural area touched by a divine wand, a perfect and balanced ecosystem, unique in the world, essential for a superior quality production like that offered by Embutidos Maldonado. Products made artisanally following ancestral methods. Behind Manuel, one could say there were even three generations who worked the Iberian pig before him, and what he learned especially from his father Sebastián Maldonado—the importance that pigs brought to the balance of the dehesa. And in 2022 it marks 20 years since he took the reins of the company, raising it to a professional level that is a reference in its sector in Spain. Maldonado’s facilities are in Alburquerque, Badajoz, and include the production facility and drying cellar, as well as their own slaughterhouse. On their own dehesa they have different native species beyond the selected-lineage Iberian pig; they also have Merino sheep and berrendo oxen. Maldonado acts, in fact, as a kind of “maverick” who contributes so much to enhancing food quality in Spain, although his trajectory and approaches are not always understood by everyone. Manuel defends the extreme quality of the best pure Iberian lineages, some ancestral, with DNA testing to preserve that lineage—a whole declaration of principles to offer simply the best product. Their sausages are easy to recognize—on the palate, of course, they have a different flavor; you not only notice the quality of the meat but the care with which those kings of the Dehesa have been raised. That fat is simply heavenly and sets their pigs apart from the rest. That’s where you understand how that pig lived: free-range, with the best diet and in an unbeatable climate. For our website we chose the chorizo de vela and the salchichón vela, which are made from the leanest and highest-quality parts of the pig, to which seasonings and spices are added. The lomo in all its variants, folded, whole and the small loin (lomito), and the salchichón and the chorizo de campaña, which are real bestsellers!! The ham, simply the best Their ham, 100% pure Iberian breed, is our own “Stradivarius”—100% pure Iberian breed with a minimum curing of 42 months. A grand reserve that, when you place a thin slice on your tongue and make it touch the palate… its explosion of flavors leaves you speechless. Produced artisanally with a constant pursuit of excellence, it is an award-winning ham in the most prestigious international competitions. It is characterized by a delicious, slightly sweet and very balanced flavor, with an excellent texture and a special aroma of authentic acorn-fed pure ham. Maldonado ham is one of our most outstanding gastronomic exponents, a true Spanish delicatessen. Also, its presentation matches what’s inside, so we recommend it as a gift in its 100-gram box, in two 50-gram hand-sliced portions. The Spanish countryside where acorns grow is limited, so there cannot be a market for 100% pure Iberian-breed pork that grows exponentially—quality would be sacrificed (the animals’ diet would not be the same, because other foods like feed would have to be added, and then purity would be in question). The sheen, the texture, the succulence and that flavor are unique; they are unique to these Maldonado pigs. These pigs can reach up to 180 kilos (about 397 lbs) before slaughter, and are then dried and cured for 4 years. For what Maldonado has done and continues doing—a sacrifice to offer a product that makes others happy—that is professionalism and passion! [caption id="attachment_20380" align="aligncenter" width="800"] When Iberian products are a sign of identity[/caption] Long rearing and low productivity is, from Maldonado's point of view, the way to guarantee quality. So all that’s left is to try it. You won’t regret it. El Priorat: a culinary paradise Why is it so difficult to sell our gourmet products in Europe? Print 4 Rate this article: No rating Tags: gourmetacornSpainGuijueloJabugo Please login or register to post comments.