Chef Isabel
Abanico Ibérico a la Plancha
Extremadura's dehesa gives us this fan-shaped, marbled rib cut: salt it at the last moment, lay it on a fierce plancha, and count in seconds so the centre stays juicy.
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Presa Ibérica a la Plancha
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Presa ibérica is western Andalucía's richly marbled shoulder cut: salt it, sear it fiercely on hot iron, rest it well, then slice across the grain while the centre is still rosy.
Main Dishes
Spanish
Special Occasion
Dinner Party
BBQ
20 min
Active Time
18 min cook•45 min total
Yield4 servings
Presa ibérica a la plancha belongs to the dehesa country of western Andalucía, especially the Sierra de Aracena in Huelva. Presa is the thick, marbled piece nestled where the shoulder meets the loin. Here it needs no marinade and no sauce to hide behind, only salt and a fierce plancha, the flat iron that gives the meat its dark crust while the middle stays rosy.
The method that decides it is simple: dry the meat thoroughly, put it onto properly hot iron, and stop cooking at 63°C in the centre. The fine fat then softens through the meat instead of draining away while the muscle tightens. Rest it for five minutes and slice against the grain. That's what keeps each mouthful juicy rather than stubborn.
If presa cannot be found where you are, ask for well-marbled pork collar or neck, aguja de cerdo in a Spanish butcher's shop. It has a coarser grain and less of the sweet, nutty fat of presa de bellota, but it takes the same treatment honestly. No hace falta haber pisado España. My Margin for this one says only: dry meat, hot iron, five quiet minutes. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.
Presa comes from the upper shoulder of the Ibérico pig raised across the dehesas of western Andalucía and Extremadura, including the oak country of the Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche in Huelva. During the montanera, pigs destined for the de bellota designation range beneath holm and cork oaks, eating acorns and pasture that give their fat its distinctive sweetness. At the household matanza, much of this richly marbled part once went into prized chacinas, cured pork preparations, while careful butchery preserved the whole presa for cooking over hot iron or coals.
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Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
presa ibérica de bellota
Quantity
800g
cut into 4 steaks about 3cm thick
fine sea salt
Quantity
7g
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
10ml (2 teaspoons)
flaky sea salt (optional)
Quantity
1g
for finishing
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| presa ibérica de bellotacut into 4 steaks about 3cm thick | 800g |
| fine sea salt | 7g |
| extra virgin olive oil | 10ml (2 teaspoons) |
| flaky sea salt (optional)for finishing | 1g |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy carbon-steel plancha or cast-iron pan, preferably 35cm or wider
- •Long kitchen tongs
- •Instant-read thermometer
- •Sharp carving knife
Instructions
- 1
Dry the presa
Take the presa from the refrigerator twenty minutes before cooking. Note the direction of the muscle fibres now, because the crust makes them harder to see later. Trim away only any tough silver skin, leaving every seam of soft fat in place, then press the meat completely dry with kitchen paper.
Do not leave the meat out for an hour in the hope of warming its centre. Twenty minutes is enough to take off the refrigerator chill without keeping raw pork sitting about. - 2
Heat the plancha
Set a heavy plancha or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat for six to eight minutes. It should be very hot, about 230°C at the surface, before the meat touches it. A lukewarm pan melts the fat before it browns the outside, and that is how a fine piece of presa becomes grey and greasy.
- 3
Season by weight
Rub the steaks with the olive oil and distribute the 7g fine salt evenly over both sides. Pésalo, no lo adivines, weigh it, don't guess. Season immediately before cooking so the surfaces remain dry.
- 4
Sear without crowding
Lay the steaks on the hot plancha with space between them. Cook in two batches if the iron is smaller than 35cm. Leave the first side untouched for two and a half to three minutes, until it carries a deep brown crust and releases cleanly. Turn once and cook the second side for two minutes, then hold the fatty edges against the iron with tongs for about thirty seconds each.
- 5
Finish to temperature
Insert an instant-read thermometer sideways into the thickest part. If the centre has not reached 63°C, lower the heat to medium and turn the steaks every thirty seconds until it does. Temperature decides this more reliably than the clock. The meat should feel springy, not hard, and remain rosy within.
If cooking in batches, wipe out any blackened salt between them and let the empty plancha heat again for two minutes. Do not add a pool of oil. - 6
Rest and slice
Move the presa to a warm platter and rest it uncovered for five minutes. Do not wrap it tightly, or the crust softens. Slice across the remembered direction of the grain into pieces about 5mm thick, spoon the collected juices over them, and finish with the flaky salt if using. Serve at once.
Chef Tips
- •Look for presa ibérica de bellota with dense, fine marbling running through the muscle. De bellota means the pig completed the montanera feeding on acorns and pasture; the word ibérico alone does not promise that.
- •Imported presa is often sold frozen, and that is no disgrace. Thaw it slowly on a rack in the refrigerator for about twenty-four hours, then dry it very well. Its generous fat protects the texture better than it would in a lean cut.
- •If presa is unavailable, use well-marbled pork collar or neck steaks, called aguja or cabezada. The meat will be more fibrous and less sweet, so slice it particularly thin across the grain. Lean loin and tenderloin are different cuts and won't give the same result.
- •For a barbecue, place a heavy iron plancha over fully lit coals and heat it before cooking. The flat surface keeps the precious fat beneath the meat instead of losing it through the bars to a flare-up.
- •Serve the presa simply, with fried potatoes, roasted green peppers, or a dressed tomato salad when tomatoes are properly in season. A dry oloroso from Jerez stands up well to the rich pork.
- •Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and keep them for up to three days. They are better sliced cold in a bocadillo than reheated until the rosy centre turns dry.
Advance Preparation
- •Frozen presa can be thawed on a rack in the refrigerator twenty-four hours before cooking.
- •Up to twelve hours ahead, trim the steaks, pat them dry, and refrigerate them uncovered on a rack. This dries the surface for a better crust. Add the salt only immediately before cooking.
- •Presa should be cooked just before serving. The resting time is five minutes, enough to settle the juices without letting the fat turn waxy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 160g)
Calories
570 calories
Total Fat
47 g
Saturated Fat
17 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
30 g
Cholesterol
135 mg
Sodium
900 mg
Total Carbohydrates
0 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
0 g
Protein
36 g
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