ALJOMAR
Our Environment
Nestled at the foot of the Central System mountain range, the Guijuelo region benefits from a privileged microclimate with cold, dry winters and mild, short summers, ideal for the curing and aging of Iberian hams. This environment has allowed local artisans to perfect the production of Guijuelo Iberian Ham for centuries, a product renowned worldwide for its exceptional quality.
The charcuterie tradition of Guijuelo has deep roots. Since the 15th century, the muleteer has played a significant role in the local economy, initially linked to the regional capital of Salvatierra. According to the Ensenada Cadastre, 19 muleteers were registered in Guijuelo, while none were registered in Salvatierra, indicating a shift in the region's economic dynamics. These muleteers began by trading grain and, after the War of Independence, specialized in collecting hams in areas such as Sayago and Benavente.
The consolidation of the cured meat industry in Guijuelo materialized with the construction of the Municipal Slaughterhouse, inaugurated in 1935, which in its first year recorded the slaughter of 30,000 pigs. Although the post-war period brought a crisis, the industry recovered and, from the 1960s onwards, experienced remarkable development that has lasted to this day, positioning Guijuelo as a national benchmark in the world of Iberian pork.
The production of ham in Guijuelo is based on the breeding of Iberian pigs, a native breed of the Iberian Peninsula characterized by its marbled meat, which makes it especially flavorful and juicy. These pigs are raised in the dehesas, pasturelands that provide the animals with a natural diet of acorns, grasses, and other forage, contributing to the distinctive flavor of Guijuelo Iberian ham.
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In this environment, family businesses such as Jamones Aljomar, founded in 1989 by Don Alfonso Sánchez Bernal and his wife Doña Mª del Carmen Sánchez Álvarez, have contributed to the development and recognition of the Guijuelo charcuterie industry, keeping alive the tradition and quality that characterize this land full of flavor.
