Jamon Iberico de Bellota, The Really Expensive White Meat

Hankering for some $179-a-pound ham? Central Market has you covered. The grocery store, on the southeast corner of Lovers Lane and Greenville Avenue, is now selling the Spanish delicacy that comes from acorn-fed pigs.

Apparently, the U.S.D.A. had to sign off on the slaughterhouse in Spain where the little piggies go “wee wee wee all the way home.”

The folks at the Startlegram say the Fort Worth Central Market is one of only a handful selling it, so count Dallas’ Central Market in that hammy hand.

According to Central’s deli, if you can’t afford to pony up for the muy expensivo jamon, fear not, they have a $119-a-pound version (plain ‘ol black-hoofed Iberico).

What’s the difference? Tienda.com serves up a tasty answer.

There are two types of black-hoofed Iberico pigs - one that lives the life of a normal pig and one that is free-range fed on acorns (bellotas) and wild plants. These are the coveted Bellota hams. The only difference is in diet and exercise, but those things make all the difference in the world.

The rare Bellota Jamón Ibérico hams are infused with the flavor of their favorite food, the acorn (bellota) from a cork tree. The paper-thin slices, glistening with healthy mono-unsaturated fat, provide a rich nutty flavor and tender texture. Spaniards consume the vast majority of these hams in their own country.