The Real Spaniard’s Guide to…Eating Meat

The lower levels of red meat in Spanish cuisine is part of what makes the Mediterranean diet such a famously healthy one. Shellfish, chicken, legumes, cheeses and other vegetarian options all mean that there is less time for rich meat in Spanish cuisine, which is altogether much better for cholestrol and overall health. However, don’t let this healthiness fool you. They may eat it less often, but when the Spanish eat meat - they do it properly.

Celebrations!

A really great piece of meat in Spain is reserved for special days and special occasions. Family meals on Sundays, birthdays, celebrations, religious events - you name it. By treating great meat with this kind of respect, the Spanish maintain a healthy diet, create lovingly prepared meat dishes and enjoy their meat to the full.

Christmas Eve, as we explained in last month’s festive blog, is an especially good time for fans of carnivorous Spanish cuisine, as families choose their favorite extravagant meat to celebrate with. Roasted lamb and suckling pig are particularly popular treats. These meats are generally given the utmost care during preparation with perfect seasoning and cooking, to ensure the very best is gotten from the animal.

Offally good

Another way in which the Spanish treat meat with respect comes from their attitude to offal. In Spain, very, very few parts of the animal go to waste. While many countries now shy away from eating lungs, kidneys, hearts, ears and their ilk - many Spanish tuck into at least a few of these with great gusto!

The Spanish gypsy tradition, located around Grenada, is particularly fond of offal and uses minced pigs brain to stuff tortilla sacromonte. In fact, in Spain many joke that there is no part of the pig which can’t be eaten, from salted tails and breaded ears to meatballs wrapped in pig’s cauls (stomach lining) and chanfaina a stew made of liver and lungs cooked in oregano, almonds and garlic - many Spanish make sure that no piece of prized meat goes to waste.

As for other meats, veal and lamb kidneys cooked in wine are a popular tapas dish, while broiled lamb’s intestines (zarajos) and lamb tails are also much loved.

Charcuteria

If the Spanish approach to offal leaves you feeling a little less than hungry, never fear - offal is not the be all and end all of the great carnivorous tradition in Spain. Charcuteria is a huge part of Iberian cuisine, so much so that many locals take it entirely for granted!

Cured and or thinly sliced, delicatessen meats are a massive component of Spanish cuisine and the tapas tradition in particular. From the meats you’ll know like Serrano ham and chorizo to lesser known regional specialties like salchichon (a type of Spanish salami) , cecina (slow cured, prime cut beef) and morcilla (a type of blood sausage, like black pudding) - the charcuteria tradition in Spain is incredibly rich, delicious and inspiring.

In the Ataula menu, we’ve made sure to include some charcuteria delights of our own; our Canelons (free range chicken) are dusted with sweet, salty Serrano ham powder, while our famous Rossejat is enriched with rich chorizo. To step out of the charcuteria for some carniverous indulgence, why not order our delicious Meloso (lamb shoulder, dry peach coulis, catalan beans) Reserve your table at Portland’s best authentic Spanish restaurant today on 503-894-8904 or send us an email to info@ataulapdx.com