Paleta is the meat from the shoulder (the front leg) of the Ibérico pig. The deep red dry-cured meat is marbled throughout with fat. Smaller than jamón (the back leg), it needs less time for aging, a minimum of 18 months. The meat is intensely flavorful and well balanced with a mix of savory and sweet. The rich, buttery fat melts in your mouth. The boneless Paleta is trimmed with ample fat remaining so it stays moist and flavorful. All Dehesa Cordobesa® products are “de Bellota 100% Ibérico,” meaning they come from 100% purebred, acorn-fed Ibérico pigs. This is the highest possible classification of Ibérico meat, and is quite rare. Much more common are several lower quality categories that are still classified as Ibérico, but are non-free-range (Cebo) or only 50%/75% Ibérico. For this Paleta, the pigs spend their last 3-4 months eating acorns until they reach the correct weight for slaughter. They roam freely within the nearly 1 million acres of dehesa (oak forest) in the Valle de los Pedroches in Córdoba. This dehesa is notable for its Encina Oak trees, which produce acorns considered to be the sweetest in Spain, giving the meat its unparalleled sweet and savory flavor. Bone-in preorder only.