Visually, we can identify it through the shape of its hoof, a little more elongated than the rest of the hams. Another very unique characteristic of the pata negra is its extremely shiny skin. Although it is popularly believed that the hoof is darker than the rest, this is sometimes not the case, which is why it is not a 100% guarantee.   At Enrique Tomás we identify this type of Jamón/ham with the black flange and label, as well as our black label with the 5 stars.