Jamon iberico bellota prices

[kgian]

Hello everybody. This is my first post and the reason why I stumbled upon this wonderful site.

Since I tried jamon iberico bellota I have been hooked to it. Since I can't buy it locally where I live, I have to get it online. While searching online, I found this on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JAMON-IBERICO-100-EXTREMADURA-BELLOTA-8KG-PATA-NEGRA-/230519034723?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_186&hash=item35ac015363

This is 176 euros for 8kgr jamon including P&P to Greece.

This is almost half price from all the other online retailers like http://www.ibergour.co.uk/en/productos/ficha_producto.html?id_prod=jmcex who sell for 350 euros for 7 kilos including P&P.

How can there be such a big price difference? Is it because the ebay one is direct from the manufacturer? Is this price possible? Or is there any kind of scam involved? Anyone who lives in Spain close to the manufacturing regions can confirm these prices possible?

[poppalarge]

2 things.

1) The guys on ebay are undercutting the other guys, the "specialist" websites do charge a huge premium for things such as ham. However...

2) There are different catagories of jamom, with a broad price range. Even the "pata negra" hams have a broad range of "quality" so some are much more expensive than others. In Spanish supermarkets you can find whole hams all in the same area ranging from 40 euro's to 300 euro's. The layperson wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Edited September 3, 2010 by poppalarge (log)

[kgian]

I have read some stuff about jamon and am informed about various types.

I have read the description on this particular ebay jamon. The seller claims that it is real bellota grade ham, not recebo or cebo. If you search on ebay "jamon" you get whole legs of iberico for far less but the don't say anything about "bellota", they say it is 3 star rating recebo.

This guy though says bellota.

What I would like to know is if it is possible in Spain to get bellota grade (not recebo) for this kind of price...

[poppalarge]

Looking at what he says on his site it looks like they're home cured by the man himself. I guess if they are his own pigs then he can sell them for whatever he likes. His feedback looks ok.

Not really the same thing but last christmas I was in Spain and I wanted to have wild boar. My friend pointed me in the direction of a guy he knew. They kept boars on their land roaming free and he grabbed a live one and killed it for me. It cost a fraction of what it would have cost at the butcher.

So I guess if they are doing it themselves with their own stock there's no reason why you should have to pay the extreme prices they charge in the shops and "museu de jamon"

[budrichard]

As with any endeavor when there is money to be made, you can be sure of more suppliers, some not so honest and some just plain dishonest.

There is always some reason if it sounds too good to be true. I stick to reputable suppliers and when reputable products become too costly because of increased popularity I search for other suppliers.

I was the first to place my order for an Iberico Bellota jamon in the US from Tienda.com. I waited over 4 years for the USDA to allow importation. It was expensive, excellent quality and made for a grand party but now I order from a domestic producer in the US where the cost is substantially less. Is it Iberico, no, does it have the same exact taste, no but it is an honest product at an honest price. I would suggest you try for an artisan product produced where you reside.-Dick

Edited September 3, 2010 by budrichard (log)

[Rogelio]

It will always depend on the quality of the ham. A top Notch brand like Joselito, Carrasco, Sanchez romero Carvajal... are about 40-50€ per Kg. Then there are second brands like COVAP, Maximiliano Jabugo...

I'd try to find a reliable supplier in order to guaratee the best quality.

One of the best shops in Madrid is http://cuenllas.es/ the're not cheap but they serve worldwide.