Top 25 Local Cured Meats
in Alentejo

Alentejo ham is a regional specialty made from the legs and shoulders of Alentejo pigs produced in the districts of Castelo Branco, Portalegre, Santarém, Évora, Beja, Setubal, and Faro. These areas typically have hot and dry summers and cold winters. Throughout the centuries, the residents of these regions learned to work with this climate to develop a natural drying process for ham that does not resort to the use of smoke or any other external factors besides the addition of salt. When cut, the ham is reddish-pink to dark red and highly marbled. It has a soft and mildly fibrous texture that is tender and succulent when sliced. The ham has a sweet and slightly salty flavor with a lingering spicy note, and its aroma is pleasant and mild. It is traditionally served in slices with bread or cheese. To make the most of this ham, the leftover bone is often used to flavor soup stock.Expand

Presunto de Barrancos is a cured ham specialty originating from the small town of Barrancos in southeastern Portugal. Barrancos ham comes from the Alentejo region, which has a Mediterranean microclimate with high summer temperatures, high relative humidity, and steady winds. These are the ideal conditions for air-drying ham. The regions dense oak forests enable the Alentejo pigs to roam free, feeding on acorns and grass. This ham is therefore finely marbled, and the oleic acid in the acorns provides an additional distinct flavor. The ham matures for at least 6 months in cellars. Fully-ripened Barrancos ham has an elongated, tapered shape and a minimum weight of 5kg per leg. The surface is rosy to red in color, the fat is glossy and very fragrant, and the meat is very tender. The taste of Barrancos ham is pleasant and mildly salty with a slightly piquant aftertaste.Expand

Beja paio sausage is a smoked meat product made from pork of the Alentejo breed of pigs. Roughly 70-90% of the sausage consists of lean meat, while the remaining 10-30% is fat. The pork meat and fat are diced and mixed with water, garlic, paprika, and salt before being stuffed into sausage casings. The smoking process lasts for several days, and is carried out at a low temperature using local oak wood. Paio has a firm consistency and a pleasant, delicate flavor that is savory and slightly spicy. Served with bread, this sausage is a traditional meal that is brought to the fields by local farmers during the harvest. Today, it is most often served as an appetizer. The typical flavor of the Beja paio sausage is closely tied to the local oak – not only is the wood used during the smoking process, but the acorns from the trees are one of the main food sources for the Alentejo pigs used in the sausage.Expand

The Campo Maior and Elvas ham and paleta are made using pork taken from Alentejo breed pigs raised in the municipalities of Campo Maior and Elvas in Portalegre. These pigs are raised outdoors, feeding on grasses, cereals, and legumes. The ham is made from the hind leg of the pig, while the paleta is made from the foreleg. In both cases, the hoof and the outer skin is left on. The production process is based on local methods, and is divided into several stages: cutting, salting, the post-brining (drying), and curing or aging, which lasts up to a year under natural conditions. The finished hams usually weigh more than 5kg. When cut, the meat is red, bright, marbled, and has an oily surface. The aroma is very mild and pleasant, and the taste is moderately salty. The ham should be stored in a cool, dry place after it is sliced, otherwise it may spoil easily. This ham is traditionally served sliced and undoctored – it is so good raw, cooking it is considered a waste. It goes well paired with a good local wine.Expand

This smoked sausage is similar to chorizo, but longer. It is made with the meat and fat from the Alentejo breed of pigs, along with flavorings and seasonings such as paprika, pepper, salt, garlic, and wine. The mixture is marinated briefly before being stuffed into sausage casings which are subsequently smoked and dried. The texture is smooth and marbled, while the flavor is slightly salty with a typical smoky aroma. This sausage is often sliced and pan-fried for a typical breakfast dish. Extra thin slices also make for a great pizza topping or a filling for francesinha, a traditional Portuguese sandwich. It can also be used in feijoada, a bean stew containing a variety of pork sausages.Expand

This sausage is made with fatty cuts of pork taken from the Alentejo breed of pigs with the addition of wheat flour, garlic, paprika, salt, and water. The animals are fattened and fed mostly on acorns, which imparts a distinctive flavor to their meat. The meat is cut into small pieces and mixed with seasonings, after which it is stuffed into sausage casings and smoked slowly over an oak fire. The final product is a horseshoe-shaped sausage that is yellow to orange in color, with a semi-soft, pasty texture. The flavor is pleasant and slightly sweet with hints of garlic and a fine balance between sweet and savory. It can be consumed boiled, roasted, or fried, and it's also commonly served as an appetizer or paired with aperitifs.Expand

Santana da Serra ham is made using pork taken from Alentejo breed pigs, which are raised outdoors and feed on a diet consisting of wild herbs and cereals. Santana da Serra presunto is made of thigh meat, while paleta is made from shoulder. The skin is left on the hams in both cuts. The production process is a lengthy one – the meat is first cut, and then salted and hung to dry for several days before being left to cure for one to two months. The meat is then dried for two to four months, and then aged under special conditions for three to six months. The finished product is a bright red in colour and well-marbled, soft, and quite fibrous. The aroma is very mild but pleasant. Santana da Serra ham should be stored in a cool, dry place as its fat deteriorates easily with exposure to air and high temperatures. It is traditionally served as an appetizer in thin slices.Expand

This chorizo sausage is made with pork taken from Alentejo breed pigs raised in the municipalities of Borba, Estremoz, Vila Viçosa, and Alandroal in Portugal's Portalegre district. The pigs feed mainly on acorns, which provide a unique, unmistakable flavor to the meat used for these sausages. The meat is cut into small pieces and mixed with garlic, paprika, salt, and water. The mixture is then stuffed into sausage casings and smoked until it develops a dark-red to black color and wrinkled texture. The sausages have a pleasant, smoky, garlicky aroma and a well-nuanced balance of sweet and savory flavors. This chorizo can be eaten raw, roasted, fried, or boiled, and it is often used as a basic ingredient in traditional Portuguese dishes, stews, and soups, such as sopa de panela.Expand

According to EU directives, Portalegre blood sausage can only be produced from the fat and blood of Alentejo pigs in the Portuguese district of Portalegre. The first written records of this smoked black pudding date to the mid-18th century, but one can assume that the farmers of the region have been making it since much before. This product was yet another ingenious way of making use of all possible parts of a slaughtered animal, even the fat and blood, and the smoking process additionally extended its shelf life. To make Portalegre black pudding, soft fatty tissue is crushed, blood is added, and the two ingredients are mixed into a paste. This paste is then combined with salt, dried garlic, cumin, paprika, and local wine, and it is finally stuffed into sausage casings and twisted into a horseshoe shape. The smoked sausage is black and has a glossy surface, while the dark interior is marbled with fat. Portalegre blood sausage has an unmistakable, pleasant flavor with delicate hints of garlic and smoke.Expand

This smoked chorizo sausage is made with meat taken from the Alentejana breed of pigs. The meat is cut into pieces and mixed with water and various seasonings before being manually stuffed into sausage casings and left to smoke slowly over an oak fire. The finished sausages have a pleasant, mild, and delicately spicy flavor and a smoky aroma. They can be preserved in oil and are often used as a key ingredient in a variety of traditional Portuguese dishes. The unique flavor of this chorizo sausage stems from the fact that the pigs feed almost entirely on acorns which impart a distinctive flavor to their meat.Expand

Mestre Henriques, established in 1978, is a family-owned Portuguese company specializing in traditional charcuterie and sausage production. Their products are crafted using fresh pork, carefully selected seasonings, natural casings, and are smoked over holm oak wood, adhering to authentic Portuguese methods. Located in Rio Maior, the company offers a diverse range of items, including traditional chouriço, black pudding, and paiola. Mestre Henriques is committed to upholding high-quality standards, catering to discerning palates both domestically and internationally.Expand

Casa do Porco Preto is a renowned Portuguese producer specializing in Presunto de Barrancos DOP, a dry-cured ham made from free-range Alentejano black pigs. Located in the Alentejo region, the company emphasizes sustainable farming practices, allowing pigs to roam freely and feed on acorns, which enhances the flavor of the meat. Their presunto is aged for extended periods, often over 24 to 36 months, resulting in an intense, nutty, and melt-in-the-mouth flavor. Casa do Porco Preto has received numerous accolades for its dedication to artisanal craftsmanship and adherence to traditional curing methods. Their products are exported globally, making them a symbol of Portuguese culinary excellence.Expand

Montaraz de Garvão is a Portuguese producer of traditional pork products based in the village of Garvão, in the municipality of Ourique in the Alentejo region. The company specializes in products made from Porco Preto Alentejano, the traditional Iberian black pig raised in the montado ecosystem of southern Portugal. These pigs are typically raised outdoors and feed on natural resources such as grass, roots, and acorns, which contribute to the distinctive flavor and texture of the meat. Montaraz produces a wide range of cured and processed products, including presunto, chouriço, paio, and other traditional sausages, following methods rooted in regional culinary traditions. The curing process is generally slow and natural, allowing the meat to develop a rich aroma and balanced flavor. Through its focus on local raw materials and traditional techniques, Montaraz reflects the gastronomic heritage of Alentejo and the longstanding culture of Iberian pig farming in the region.Expand