SECRETO IBERICO

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
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“Secreto Iberico” is a special cut between the shoulder and loin of the iberico pig and full of flavour. In addition the spicy&smoked spanish pimentón of the marinade gives a certain extra kick to the dish.

Ingredients
250-300g Secreto Iberico

Marinade:
3tsp spicy pimentón
3tsp sugar
4tsp dark soy sauce
1tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic
1tbsp chopped parsley
1tsp oil
1tsp white wine vinegar
1tbsp water

Preparation
http://www.berlinkitchen.com/berlinkitchen/Slideshow_Secreto_Iberico.html

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Very Nice Marbling on that cut of Pork!!

I don’t think I have seen cuts trimmed like that before… almost looks like a skirt steak cut ( for lack of better words )?

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After our vacation in Spain last year, I have been salivating when I remember Spanish ham.

It’s kind of crazy how hard Spanish pork products are to find here. Either they are unavailable, or ridiculously priced.

Sure does look good though, Martin.

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Just like they’ll have a difficult time in Spain finding a good burgers, bagels, pizza, and dry-aged steaks.

In any case, there are places where you can look up Spanish products and order online. Despana has a very nice store/tapas bar in NYC. The Spanish Table in Berkeley (CA) has a good variety of Spanish products. Of course, it’ll be very tough to find a freshly-butchered “secreto Iberico” in these stores. They’re not the same as the good and very fresh ones that you’ll find all over Spain, but products like sausages and jamon are available in these stores.

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It’s a bit more difficult/complex due to USDA regulations/approval process as explained in this article:

I find the jamón ibérico de bellota to be a bit too fatty for my tastes, when eaten raw, thinly sliced like prosciutto. @$160/lb was the price last time I asked Norb, he recommended I go for the less fatty verison, which also seemed to be a bit less salty.

But the top of the top is jabugo… insanely priced of course.

links to sources/ads in this story below:

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What a surprise. I just had one of these 4 days ago. Yes, it is a skirt steak. My butcher explained that the skirt is not usually cut out of regular hogs, but the Iberian pig has the frame to yield a skirt steak, hence the secret cut. I pan seared mine with a dash of olive oil for 4-5 min/side, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of honey while it rested. The maillard reaction on the exterior was reminiscent of bacon, and the interior was almost as rich as a Flannery pork rib cap. Worth doing. Properly seasoned this cut could make fajitas rivaling those served in heaven.

Served with a 2009 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Spatlese, fiddlehead ferns, and ramp & hog jowl biscuits (http://www.earthy.com/Buttermilk_Ramp_Biscuits_W840.cfm) .

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Wow…

Thanks for the tip… Rich

btw… where did you get it?

This looks to me the cut of the future… meat heads!! [wow.gif] flirtysmile [cheers.gif]

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Also in Germany, iberico pig is not cheap.

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Wagshal’s down in DC, 202-363-0777. Lots of other Bellota cuts there too. I have some baby back ribs and chops in the deep freeze.

ABout $30 USD here. It was about 2/3 the size of a beef skirt steak, and it modestly fed 2 adults and a 6 year old. By no means a feast, but adequate with side dishes.

Enjoy,
Rich

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About 15 Euro here in Berlin for 250-300g.

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Thanks Rich…

I have some tenderloins I have yet to get at soon!!

Paul

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Actually, it’s not that difficult to find dry-aged steaks on par with what’s available in the States, and in many cases better. We’re talking Luger’s on a good day…

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The marinade is worth a try for other cuts.

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Some expensive piggie: http://www.tienda.com/food/products/ip-02.html

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I’m in Madrid right now, had some Iberico de Bellota at Mercado San Miguel for lunch. Would love to bring some back, but something tells me customs is a lot tougher on meat than raw milk cheese (less than 90 days). I’ve gotten the cheese in - I just declare it and they shrug. But they always ask me then if I have any meat prodcuts.

The top stuff would be around $100/lb here.

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You can NOT declare meat products when returning from Spain. They will take the products away from you.

I have neighbors who wrapped some good Spanish ham elaborately and hid it in their suitcases. Obviously that poses a risk. They managed to bring home a few packets of the ham that way. Probably what you are risking is not so much jail as loss of the ham, if you try that.

I tried to buy ham at the duty free shop in the Madrid airport and when they learned we were flying to the US they wouldn’t even sell it to us. Of course the same packets are cheaper at the Museo del Jamon stores.

PS a couple of days ago my neighbor invited me over for some American prosciutto from la Quercia. He had bought a whole leg, and fashioned his own cutting stand. This stuff is expensive but these are acorn fed pigs and honestly the ham was far closer to what I had in Spain than any prosciutto I have ever tasted. Wow!! Easily the best I have had since Spain a year ago, and better than a lot of what I had in Spain.

http://www.themarketreport.net/2009/01/american-prosciutto.html

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This is what’s for lunch today.

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You can get it around Xmas at Bon Apetit in Princeton. Pata negra, very good. For a small fortune, of course.

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Nola, stop boasting! [smileyvault-ban.gif] [cry.gif]

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As a coincidence, a chef friend gave me two packages of these as a gift. Probably going to grill one of them tonight.