Bayonne ham

[1] The area concerned is the basin of the river Adour and this geographical limitation is now enshrined in the regulations for the production of Bayonne ham.

The meat itself does not have to come from the Adour basin but has to be produced from one of eight clearly defined breeds of pig reared in an area from Deux-Sèvres in the north to Aveyron and the Aude.

[3] The temperature conditions at this time of year, 6 to 8 °C (43 to 46 °F), are ideal for the initial preserving process and the hams were left hanging in the drying room until the end of January or early February.

In the next part of the process, a mixture of pork fat and flour called pannage is used to seal the cut end of the joint.

At some point during this time many of the producers will also rub a paste of piment d'Espelette (Basque chile pepper) into the skin, giving a unique tang to the end product.