The Cœur de Jambon is, as its name suggests, the center of the ham. It is the finest part of the ham, flavorful with a long finish.
We age this piece without a casing to preserve the distinctive character and sweetness of this fat-free cut.
After curing in salt, the ham hearts are aged for approximately 12 months.
Through ageing, a complex and profound flavor develops.
Enjoy it cut into 3mm batons or in thin slices if you have a slicer, for an aperitif or as a carpaccio with onions and olive oil.

Our philosophy: genetic selection, rearing methods with specific standards, and the transformation process.

We see our work not as pork butchers, but as masters of ageing, who allow natural processes to unfold over time.

Genetics

We exclusively use the Gascon pig, a slow-growing animal that produces the intramuscular fat we seek for our cured meats. A relative of the Iberian pig, it is a hardy breed with origins dating back to prehistoric times.

At present, (falsely) artisanal pork is often labeled 'black' to sound rustic, or given village or regional names to suggest tradition. Most of the time, these pigs are crossbred with white pigs and raised confined in buildings.

The Porc Gascon is a pure breed, clearly identified by the IFIP (French Pork Institute), and its purity is monitored by LIGERAL (the collective genealogical record for local pig breeds). It is a pig we know well, as we reared them for 15 years on the estate at a time when the breed was facing extinction.

I discovered this pig at the end of the 1980s; its flavor profile completely captivated me, and I immediately began raising them to craft saucissons, hams... and we focused straight away on the transformation process.
In 1996, we played a modest role in the creation of the Association Nationale de Sauvegarde du Porc Gascon (ANSPG).

Highly advanced rearing methods

For millennia, pigs have been raised outdoors. Productivity-driven industry confined them, seeking speed at the expense of quality; it selected breeds adapted to this 'prison' farming, which the Gascon pig does not tolerate.
We have chosen a highly advanced rearing method in the woods, always seeking respect for the animal's life cycle, both in its way of life and its duration: long-term rearing between 20 and 25 months (three to four times longer than industrial farming and twice as long as artisanal methods). Factory farming is rejected in favor of free-range roaming, utilizing wooded areas abandoned by industrial agriculture. The pigs live a true pig's life, rooting in the soil for their food (grass, leaves, roots, mushrooms, berries, earthworms, field mice, and seasonal chestnuts and acorns). It is this varied diet that produces meat with the pronounced intramuscular fat that defines the quality of our cured meats.

The transformation process

In 1995, we developed the first certified organic sausage, free from saltpeter and nitrites, in partnership with the CRITT and Anvar.

A fermented product

Our cured meats are the result of slow ageing in cellars. They are the outcome of indigenous yeasts working on our meats, as opposed to the chemical yeasts used by the food industry.
Indigenous yeasts are those naturally present in the surrounding air.

The cellars – one on the ground floor and three for ageing – all have different atmospheres. As a result, the cured meats that move from one cellar to another during their maturation will develop different aromas in each. This creates the aromatic complexity and length on the palate of our products.

Bespoke ingredients

Each ingredient is selected to contribute to the aromatic development.

Without saltpeter, without nitrites

Learn more

Tasting advice

Open the packs 48 hours in advance (at least 24 hours), and leave them hanging in a well-ventilated, temperate place.

The Cœur de Jambon can be enjoyed as is for an aperitif, in thin slices, with a salad, as an accompaniment to oysters, or as a carpaccio.

Testimonials

We are very satisfied with the quality of the products you craft and that you have introduced us to:
Your high standards are priceless!

Jean D.

Once again, I am won over. Your Gascon black pork cured meats are absolutely wonderful.
Every time, the pleasure is infinite.
Products of incomparable quality, truly second to none.

Caroline M.

Questions & Answers

• Which ingredients do we use?
  Only 3 ingredients: Gascon pork meat, natural salt, and organic pepper.
• What is the ageing period for the Cœur de Jambon Summer Body?
  We age it for 12 months in a natural stone cellar alongside the hams.
• Does the Cœur de Jambon contain nitrites or saltpetre?
  It contains no additives: no saltpetre, no nitrites, and no other chemical additives.
• How long can it be kept?
  It can be kept vacuum-packed for 6 months. Once opened, it should be consumed within 2 weeks. If you are enjoying the thin slices, the question becomes irrelevant—you will have finished it before even asking how long it keeps!
• How to enjoy the Cœur de Jambon Summer Body?
  For the whole piece, open the vacuum bag 24 to 48 hours before serving and hang it in a cool, well-ventilated place.
  Then, if you do not consume it all within a few days, wrap it in breathable paper (such as a paper towel).
  And keep it in the refrigerator until your next moment of indulgence!
  For the thin slices, remove from the pack 15 minutes before serving at room temperature. You will see the aromas of this remarkable cut reveal themselves. You will be able to appreciate the complexity and length of the Cœur de Jambon.
• What type of packaging is it delivered in?
  All our cured meats are vacuum-packed.
• How does the Cœur de Jambon develop its aromatic complexity?
  Through slow ageing in a natural cellar that encourages indigenous yeasts. These are what support the development of this distinctive complexity.
• Why such a long ageing period?
  To allow the aromas to develop fully in our natural cellars and provide true length on the palate. The longer the ageing, the greater the aromatic complexity, and the longer the flavors of your slice linger on the palate.
• What is distinctive about its taste?
  The Cœur de Jambon has a profile that is long, complex, and subtle. Between the incredibly tender meat, the long finish, the melting texture, and the aromatic lean, it is one of our most sought-after cured meats.
  Due to the rearing time of the Gascon pigs and its long ageing, the Cœur de Jambon is all the more prized by connoisseurs for its rarity.
  Our quantities are strictly limited.
• What is its weight?
  Approximately 500g per piece.
  And 70g for the thin slices.
• What distinguishes the Cœur de Jambon Summer Body from a classic ham heart?
  The quality and the rearing period of the Porc Gascon, combined with its cellar-ageing with natural yeasts, offer an incomparable aromatic richness.
  What is more, you can indulge without gaining weight—perfect for a Summer Body!