Iberico Pork: A Culinary Treasure
With a lineage that can be traced back over 12,000 years, Iberico pork’s story is inextricably entwined with the history and culture of the Iberian Peninsula. The breed’s origins are tied to wild boars that roamed what is now Spain and Portugal. The Phoenicians, Celts, and Romans refined Iberico pig breeding over time. The oak-shaded dehesas Iberico pigs evolved on remain their sanctuary today. Emblematic of Spanish cultural identity and culinary tradition, Iberico pork serves as a prized centerpiece at festive tables and in celebrated dishes ranging from rustic stews to the finest charcuterie.
Incomparable Eating Quality
Genetics, diet and environment contribute to the unique taste of the wholesale Iberico pork offered by Marx Foodservice, a specialty meat supplier to restaurants nationwide.
Breeding determines marbling, or intramuscular fat. The Iberico breed is genetically predisposed to developing the deep intramuscular marbling that contributes to its intense flavor and tenderness.
A diverse, natural diet also influences the flavor of Iberico pork. Iberico pigs roam free range on the dehesas, grazing on grass, acorns and other forage augmented by a grain-based feed. By Spanish regulation, Iberico pigs raised in this manner are called cebo de campo (meaning field fed). Iberico de bellota (meaning acorn) refers to pigs that are fattened solely on acorns for their last few months, during the montanera season from October to March.
Tradition plays a role too. Every part of the process, from careful breeding and slow maturation to precise butchering and the natural curing of specialties like jamón Iberico, preserves time-honored techniques and emphasizes sustainability, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship.
Unique Cuts
Jamón Ibérico, considered one of the finest cured hams in the world, is the most well-known example of Iberico pork, but every cut of this lavishly marbled meat offers a fantastic eating experience. Spanish butchers produce a more nuanced list of cuts, especially from the shoulder, than we typically see in the U.S. Here are some examples:
Pictured: Iberico Tira Costilla (Spare Ribs)
· Pluma (End loin)
· Secreto (Skirt-like shoulder muscle)
· Presa (Shoulder eye)
· Chuletero (Frenched racks)
· Tira Costilla Espinazo (Baby back ribs)
· Abanico (Rib cover)
· Cabacero (Collar)
· Secreto Barriguera (Belly filet)
· Panceta (Belly)
· Lomo (Striploin)
· Solomillo (Tenderloin)
· Lagrimas (Boneless spare ribs)
· Tira Costilla (Spare ribs)
Extraordinary on the Plate
In the U.S., Iberico pork is on the menu at restaurants as diverse as Japanese katsu-focused Kubota & Ookami in Seattle and Cavé Bistro in Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey, where the farm-to-table menu often features boneless Iberico pork riblets (lagrimas) with sweet-and-sour mango, and Napa-yuzu slaw.
Iberico pork opens the door to culinary creativity and innovation. For chefs who care deeply about craftsmanship, tradition, and terroir, Iberico pork is a must-have ingredient: extraordinary both in its story and on the plate.
The wholesale Iberico pork available through premium meat distributor Marx Foodservice ranges from 75%-100% Iberico genetics. It is raised free range on Spanish dehesas, fed a naturally diverse diet of grain, corn, wheat, grass, and forage, and raised with no growth hormones or subtherapeutic antibiotics.
About Marx Foodservice
Marx Foodservice is a wholesale meat distributor with more than 20 years of experience. As a restaurant supplier and foodservice distributor, we specialize in the finest meat and seafood for chefs raised or wild caught with the highest standards of animal welfare and the least environmental impact possible. In addition to Iberico pork from Spain, we offer other heritage pork for restaurants, including Kurobuta (Berkshire) pork and Red Duroc pork. Marx Foodservice is also your source for authentic wholesale suckling pig, cochinillo de Segovia, from Spain’s largest producer, and truly wild wholesale Wild Boar, trapped in the Texas Hill Country. We deliver by van to New York, New Jersey & Pennsylvania restaurants and nationwide via FedEx.