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Morcón
Morcón is a type of chorizo, eaten in much the same way. The difference is the meat with which it is made, which is usually lean without much fat content, and that the meat is stuffed into a section of pork large intestine.
The marinade used to flavor the chorizo is mainly composed of paprika, garlic, and salt. Due to the thickness of the sausage, the maturity period is quite long.
It is typical of some regions in Spain such as Andalucía, Salamanca, and Extremadura.
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Catalan Pork Sausage
Butifarra is a product of Catalan origin, it is a pork sausauge that is seasoned with spices of which there mainly two types, the fresh butifarra and the dried sausage. The Catalan butifarra’s origin begins in the 14th century and its name is derived from the Latin root of Botillo Berciano or Galician butiello.
Over time a great variety of butifarra has emerged not only from Catalonia, this delicious sausage has spread through the Balearic Islands, Aragon, Valencia and as far as the Murcia region.
Unlike other sausages it contains no fat only lean meat from the tip of the loin and sometimes other cuts of lean pork. At most, a bit of chopped bacon is added as a condiment, but it never reaches large proportions (for example, half) as in other sausages from other countries. Sometimes the minced meat can be cooked lightly in the oven or can be seasoned with, for example, chopped mushrooms before being stuffed.
The sausage mixture is kneaded manually and then stuffed into thick pork casings 32-36mm. Then, the intestine is marked at each span with thick cotton thread and separated into different sausages, uncut, rolling each one with the casing.
The sausage is served with mongetes (white beans) it is the traditional most popular way of consuming this product, typically also in a bocadillo (bread roll) with manchego cheese or grilled with mustard or aioli. But beyond these preparations, the Catalan culinary culture has always claimed the prominence of the butifarra in a diverse and abundant cookbook.
Butifarra with its delicate aniseed and peppery flavours this sausage will harmonize with fleshy, light, dry to medium red wines.
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Iberico Ham
The black Iberian pig lives primarily in the central and southwestern region of the Iberian Peninsula, which includes both Portugal and Spain.
Immediately after weaning, the piglets are fattened on barley and maize for several weeks. The pigs are then allowed to roam in pasture and oak groves to feed naturally on grass, herbs, acorns, chestnuts, and roots, until the slaughtering time approaches. At that point, the diet may be strictly limited to olives, chestnuts or acorns for the best quality jamón ibérico, or may be a mix of acorns and commercial feed for lesser qualities.
The hams from the slaughtered pigs are salted and left to begin drying for two weeks, after which they are rinsed and left to dry for another four to six weeks. The curing process then takes at least twelve months, although some producers cure their jamones ibéricos for up to 48 months.
In particular, the ibérico hams from the towns of Guijuelo in the Salamanca province and Jabugo in the Huelva province have their own denominación de origen.
The hams are labelled according to the pigs' diet and the percentage of the pigs' Iberian ancestry, with an acorn diet and pure-bred Iberians being most desirable. The current labelling system, based on a series of color-coded labels, was phased in starting in January 2014.
- The finest is called jamón ibérico de bellota (acorn). This ham is from free-range pigs that roam oak forests (called dehesas) along the border between Spain and Portugal and eat only acorns during this last period
- The exercise and diet have a significant effect on the flavour of the meat; the ham is cured for 36 months. This grade is divided into black-label jamón 100% ibérico de bellota, produced from pure-bred Iberian pigs, and red-label jamón ibérico de bellota from free-range pigs that are not pure-bred.
- The next grade is called jamón ibérico cebo de campo. This ham is from pigs that are pastured and fed a combination of acorns and grain.
- The third type is called jamón ibérico de cebo, or simply, jamón ibérico it is cured for 24 months and is the most popular due to its cheaper prices and shorter curing time. This ham is from pigs that are fed only grain.
Green Chorizo
The Iberians have been on the trail of interesting and new smallgoods and we are loving the results. Inspired by the Los Angeles street taco scene Dez has been on the hunt for the secrets behind green chorizo’s, and it looks like he has found them. We have sourced a producer with the knowhow to create the vibrant Mexican green chorizo (Chorizo Verde). The specialty sausage originates from the area of Toluca, Mexico and is made from a combination of green chilli peppers, coriander, spinach, seeds and garlic to give the chorizo a very natural flavour that seasons the pork thoroughly with a spicy kick, but doesn't overpower the meat, creating a link with great flavour and balance.
This is a fresh take on the more traditional Spanish red chorizo and provides endless possibilities for your menu. Green chorizo is traditionally removed from its casing and used as a filling in tacos, but it has been reimagined by hundreds of chefs across the USA in its sausage form. It has been included as an element in seafood dishes and often as a breakfast item served with eggs. However, you decide it could be used on your menu, we know it will be a new addition to the Sydney and Melbourne dining scene.
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Chorizo of Pamplona
The chorizo of Pamplona (chorizo pamplonica) is the most popular and widely known of all of the pork sausages. Typically, in Pamplona and in other Navarre Pyrenees villages chorizo is stuffed into natural sausage casing 60-55mm wide and traditionally presented in the form of a horseshoe shape or in enchiladas, 10cm sections tied with natural cotton.
In southern Navarra the chorizo is smaller in diameter similar to the typical sausage, and in the central region and in the north, you will find them candle shaped which is unique to this region and called Cular (the lower part of the intestine considered a delicacy). With the fantastic climatic conditions of the north east of Navarra there are some truly delicious sausages to be had of which jaurrieta is the most prominent.
The most famous of the chorizo without a doubt is chorizo Pamplona with its specific characteristics of finely chopped pork, it is widely appreciated across Spain. The recipe is no secret – finely chop 80% of first quality pork with 20% pork fat, marinate with a dash of salt and smoked paprika add a head of chopped garlic all bought together with a little spring water. The mondongueras is left to macerate overnight and then stuffed into either artificial or natural candle shaped casings 65mm in diameter. Chorizo de Pamplona is the quintessential reflection of the Spanish nature - full bodied, spicy with delicate portions and generous flavours.
The weather of Pamplona is also another essential factor in the drying process as it takes a minimum of three months to become perfectly cured, giving the chorizo one of its most favored flavour characteristics. The chorizo is then wrapped in paper to prevent the sausage from oxidising and changing to yellowish tones, though it does not spoil its quality it will be rejected by the commercial market.
The tradition has origins from a time when people slaughtered their own meat at home and cured the sausage in their cellars. The making of this chorizo begins in winter when families traditionally slaughter the pigs and then communally make the chorizo, curing it in the cellar until the fiesta of San Fermín. Then the festival of Pamplona begins when the Chupinazo is launched (miniature rocket) and the running of the bulls commences.
In Spain this cured sausage is typically served in thin slices and has an important role in the festivals of Pamplona with the most famous “the running of the bulls”.
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