The Noir de Bigorre pig is a member of the Mediterranean pig family. It is an “ambulatory” pig, which has always moved around to find its food. It lives freely in la Bigorre, its territory of origin, within the boundaries of the Hautes Pyrénées, the Gers and the Haute Garonne, in a gentle and peaceful landscape at the foot of the mountains.
The Noir de Bigorre pig lives in small herds on stretches of grassland and undergrowth. It thus benefits from healthy nutrition, based on the resources of its natural environment, cereals, grass and fruit. Its way of life, in an unspoilt landscape, makes it an animal with a calm and endearing nature. So it grows in peace amidst its original ecosystem. The Noir de Bigorre pig is representative of the ancient heritage of pig farming in Bigorre. Its very particular qualities are closely linked to its history, to its environment and its extensive rearing method. These are expressed in the very unique taste and flavours which are so characteristic of its products.
Cut into thin slices and eaten at room temperature, it gives out a beautiful, aromatic complexity, dominated by dry fruits. Its sublime aromas come mainly from its fat, rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids. The creation of a black Bigorre ham is linked to natural conditions of temperature and humidity and the fœhn effect, specific to the climate of the Pyrenean foothills. It demands a specific expertise and great perseverance. From natural salting to the end of maturing, a period of 20 months minimum up to 36 months or more, each ham is identified individually. It requires personalised attention which will allow it to express its unique aroma and flavour. So the Master Maturer carries out several olfactory tests on each ham in order to check that it is developing well aromatically.