A well-marbled cut seared over high heat until crisp on the outside and tender in the center, served over a bed of potatoes gently confited in olive oil with melting peppers and onions.
Ingredients
- 800 g Iberico pork secreto
- 900 g all-purpose medium-firm potatoes (such as Monalisa or Yukon Gold)
- 2 pieces sweet green frying pepper (such as Italian frying pepper or Cubanelle)
- 2 pieces yellow onion
- 4 cloves white garlic
- 250 ml extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Hojiblanca)
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar PDO
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp fleur de sel
- 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
Method
- Take the Iberico pork secreto out of the refrigerator 30 minutes in advance so it can come up to room temperature before cooking.
- Peel the potatoes, rinse them briefly, and slice them into even rounds about 4 to 5 mm (1/5 inch) thick.
- Rinse the green peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and cut them lengthwise into 1 cm (1/2-inch) strips. Slice the yellow onions into strips of similar size. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat of your hand, leaving the skins on.
- Pour the olive oil into a large skillet or heavy-bottomed pan. Heat over medium heat until it reaches around 140 °C (285 °F), then add all the vegetables: the potatoes, pepper strips, onions, and crushed garlic cloves. Season with fine salt.
- Lower the heat to low (around 110 °C to 120 °C / 230 °F to 250 °F), cover the pan, and let the vegetables confit gently for 25 minutes. Stir gently with a spatula every 5 minutes until the tip of a knife slides easily into the translucent, tender potatoes.
- Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium-high for 3 minutes to add light golden color, then deglaze with the sherry vinegar. Let it simmer and reduce for 1 to 2 minutes until the sharp vinegar vapors have mostly evaporated.
- Drain the vegetables thoroughly with a slotted spoon to remove any excess cooking oil, then keep the garnish warm over very low heat or loosely tented with foil.
- Heat a plancha or cast-iron skillet over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until it reaches at least 220 °C (430 °F), without adding any oil.
- Place the secreto on the very hot surface; it should sizzle immediately. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes and 30 seconds until a deep, crisp crust forms, then flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes, reaching an internal temperature of 54 °C to 56 °C (129 °F to 133 °F) for medium-rare to medium.
- Transfer the meat to a warm cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 4 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Slice diagonally against the grain into 1 cm (1/2-inch) thick pieces.
- Spoon a generous bed of warm patatas a lo pobre onto the center of each plate, arrange the sliced secreto on top, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and finish with coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 695.5 kcal
- Protein
- 41.38 g
- Carbohydrate
- 42.01 g
- Fat
- 40.81 g
- Fibre
- 5.77 g
- Calcium
- 26.54 mg
- Iron
- 1.42 mg
- Magnesium
- 7.5 mg
