León · Spain
Cecina de León
Cecina is air-dried, lightly smoked cured beef from the province of León, traditionally made from the hind leg of the cow. The technique of salting and drying meat to preserve it is pre-Roman on the Iberian plateau, and cecina de León now carries an IGP.
Approximate, per 1 tapa portion of thin slices (~50g). Values vary by recipe and portion.
Where it comes from
Cecina is air-dried, lightly smoked cured beef from the province of León, traditionally made from the hind leg of the cow. The technique of salting and drying meat to preserve it is pre-Roman on the Iberian plateau, and cecina de León now carries an IGP. Cut into thin slices, it is deep red with a smoky, faintly gamey flavour.
Where to eat Cecina de León
0 restaurants worldwide serve it.
The variants
Cecina de León IGP
Beef cecina cured 7+ months with oak/holm-oak smoke.
Cecina de Chivo de Vegacervera
Made from young goat rather than beef.
Cecina de Caballo
Horse-meat cecina, a specialty of some León towns.
Cook it yourself
- Cecina de León
Air-dried, gently smoked beef from León, cecina is sliced whisper-thin and dressed simply so its deep, mineral flavour leads. This is less a recipe than an act of respect: good cecina, good oil, and almost nothing else.