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PGI — Auvergne
Rubbed with dry salt, dried in the crisp air of the Massif Central, cured over long months — Jambon d'Auvergne rivals the great European dry-cured hams, with characteristic Auvergnat discretion.
Charcuterie speciality from Auvergne, PGI (IGP) since 2016.
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Jambon d'Auvergne has its roots in an ancestral necessity: preserving fresh meat through the winter in the absence of refrigeration. Production traditionally took place in winter, as only the wintry conditions of the cold mid-altitude mountains of the Massif Central made it possible at the time to properly control salting and drying operations. Rubbed with dry salt, the hams slowly turned into charcuterie gold over the months.
Following the agricultural revolution of the 19th century, the arrival of the railway enabled Auvergne cured meats to be exported far afield, mainly towards the Paris region and the south-eastern quarter of France. From 1830 onwards, the emigration of many Auvergnats to Paris — where they developed the bar and brasserie trade in the wake of wine, timber and coal — contributed significantly to the spread and renown of cured meats from their home region. Several curing firms established in the area today thus emerged as early as the 19th century: Salaisons Limoujoux in Clermont-Ferrand (with business attested since 1845) and Salaisons des Monts in Tence (1870) are among the oldest.
After long years of efforts led by the Consortium des Salaisons d'Auvergne, Jambon d'Auvergne was awarded its Protected Geographical Indication on 10 February 2016. The PGI defines a strict area (most of Cantal, Puy-de-Dôme and Haute-Loire, part of Allier, and a few communes in Corrèze and Lot), a minimum curing of 8 months, and above all a unique flavour signature: the addition of garlic — as pulp or powder — to the salting salt. This discreet hint of garlic is the hallmark distinguishing Jambon d'Auvergne from its Lyonnais or Savoyard cousins.
Appearance
Rounded leg of uniform colour, firm without being hard, bone-in or boneless; when sliced, cohesive slice with little outer fat, red to dark red lean meat, white to slightly yellow or pink fat
Aroma
Characteristic of cured pork, never smoky, with hazelnut-like aromas, sometimes accompanied by a faint scent of garlic
Taste
Clean, distinct taste, occasionally with hazelnut notes, lingering long on the palate; a discreet touch of garlic at the finish
Texture
Supple to dry depending on curing duration, never grainy
The PGI product specification provides for several forms of presentation for sale, either pre-packaged or cut to order for immediate handover to the consumer: unwrapped or packaged, bone-in or boneless, whole, in halves, quarters or sixths, or sliced under vacuum or modified atmosphere.
Whole ham or portions, bone-in — The trimmed fresh leg weighs at least 8.5 kg at salting; the finished ham weighs at least 6 kg bone-in at the end of curing, after a weight loss of at least 28% throughout the entire process.
Boneless ham — Deboning takes place after curing, on finished products already meeting the requirements of the specification, in preparation for slicing.
2 to 7 days at a temperature of 15 to 30°C, which develops hazelnut-like aromas.
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Jambon d'Auvergne is best enjoyed thinly sliced (2 mm), at room temperature (18–20°C), on its own or served with toasted wholemeal bread and fresh butter. Its garlic flavours express themselves best without sweet accompaniments. Wine pairings: light red Côtes d'Auvergne (Gamay), Mondeuse de Savoie, or dry white (Marsanne). In cooking: generous over a salad with walnuts and lardons, diced in a split pea velouté, or on an end-of-meal platter with Alpine cheese (young Cantal).
Since: 2016
Area covered: Cantal (15), Puy-de-Dôme (63), Haute-Loire (43), Allier (03) — plus ten communes in Corrèze (19), including Ussel, and the commune of Labastide-du-Haut-Mont in Lot (46)
Key requirements: Dry salting with added garlic, no geographical origin restrictions for the pigs (only processing, from salting to curing, takes place within the PGI (IGP) area), minimum curing of 8 months (240 days), never smoked, sold whole or in portions (half, quarter, sixth), bone-in or boneless
Cooperative / PGI management body
Craft manufacturer
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