Effects of culinary treatment (desalting and boiling) on chemical and lipid composition of dry-cured pork forelegs

In the northwest of Spain, dry-cured pork forelegs are eaten after a process in which they are desalted and boiled. The effects of this culinary practice on the composition (mainly in relation to the lipids) of the external and internal muscles of dry-cured forelegs were studied. The dry-cured pork forelegs after culinary treatment showed a dry matter content of 46–47%, in both internal and external muscles. The culinary treatment caused decrease of ash, NaCl and cholesterol contents and increase of lipid and protein contents. Nitrates and nitrites decreased only in external muscles. No significant changes were observed in the TBA values. The culinary treatment caused significant decreases in phospholipids and significant increases in free fatty acids. The free fatty acids of boiled desalted dry-cured forelegs showed higher PUFA proportions than dry-cured forelegs, mainly in external muscles.