Meat recipes
Roasts, chops and the prized cuts of the Ibérico pig.
12 recipes
Botillo del Bierzo
A big, smoky cured sausage from El Bierzo in León, stuffing paprika-seasoned rib and tail meat into a pig's caecum before smoking and semi-curing. Boiled long and slow, it is the centrepiece of a hearty mountain winter feast.
Carrillada
Pork cheeks braised low and slow in red wine until they surrender to the spoon, this Andalusian tapas classic turns a humble, gelatinous cut into something velvety and deeply savoury. The long cooking dissolves the connective tissue into a glossy sauce that begs to be mopped up with bread.
Chuleton
A colossal bone-in rib steak from a mature cow, grilled hard over embers until the crust is charred and the inside stays scarlet and juicy, the chuleton is the altar of the Basque asador. Salt, fire and good meat are the whole secret.
Cochinillo
Segovia's roast suckling pig is milk-fed piglet slow-roasted until the skin turns to shattering glass over meat so tender it is traditionally carved with the edge of a plate. It is the grand centrepiece of the Castilian asador.
Entrecot a la Plancha
A boneless rib steak seared quickly on a screaming-hot plancha, entrecot is the everyday Spanish grill: fast, simple and all about good salt and a proper crust. A tumble of blistered Padron peppers and fried potatoes rounds it out.
Lechazo / Cordero Asado
The pride of the Ribera del Duero: milk-fed baby lamb roasted slowly in a wood-fired clay oven with almost nothing added, so the meat stays impossibly tender and the skin crackles to gold. Its whole philosophy is restraint, letting superb lamb speak for itself.
Pollo al Ajillo
Pollo al ajillo is rustic Spanish garlic chicken, browned hard and simmered with a whole head of garlic, white wine or sherry and a splash of brandy. It is quick, cheap and deeply savoury, the kind of dish that turns pantry staples into something worth mopping up with bread.
Presa Iberica
Presa ibérica is a beautifully marbled shoulder cut from the acorn-fed Iberian pig, prized for tenderness and a rich, nutty fat that renders as it cooks. Treated like a fine steak, it is seared hard, rested and served pink, needing little more than good salt.
Rabo de Toro
Rabo de toro is Córdoba's celebrated oxtail stew, braised for hours in red wine with vegetables until the meat surrenders from the bone into a glossy, deep sauce. Rich and unhurried, it is a dish that rewards patience and tastes even better the next day.
Secreto Iberico
Secreto is the grill cook's secret weapon: a heavily marbled, fan-shaped cut of Iberian pork that stays juicy and rich over fierce heat. It needs almost nothing beyond salt, high heat and a short rest.
Solomillo al Whisky
A Sevillian tapas-bar classic, solomillo al whisky bathes tender pork medallions in a punchy, garlicky sauce sharpened with lemon and whisky. It comes together fast and is best mopped up with bread and a plate of chips.
Ternasco de Aragon
Ternasco is Aragón's prized young lamb, roasted slowly until the meat falls from the bone and the potatoes beneath drink up all the juices. It is unfussy country cooking that rewards a low oven and time.
Prefer to eat out? Browse meat dishes →