Sobrassada from Mallorca is a cured sausage made with finely minced pork, salt, pepper and paprika. The traditional way to eat it is by spreading it on a slice of bread. Then there are variations. Many people add sugar or honey and even fruit jams. The truth is that, nowadays, it has become a very valuable ingredient in an infinite number of haute cuisine recipes.
Sobrassada from Mallorca, a journey through history.
In prehistoric times, during the Talayotic culture, the black or Mallorcan pig was already being reared. However, it was the Romans who introduced food preservation techniques.
After the loss of this tradition with the Muslim domination, James I of Aragon recovered the old customs and the exploitation of the pig. But it is in the Renaissance that we find the roots of this Mallorcan sausage, specifically in Sicily. There, they used a technique known as sopressa. It is believed that Mallorcan sobrassada is a variant of this technique.
The fact is that, in the 16th century, it was already perfectly institutionalised as a particular and unique way of preserving meat.
The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
In 1996, the European Union awarded the PGI to sobrassada from Mallorca. This quality designation establishes two types with their respective labels:
- Sobrassada from Mallorca, made with pork.
- Sobrassada from Mallorca made from black pork. For the latter, only Mallorcan pork is used and it is stuffed into natural intestines. The pigs must be reared and fed on the island, mainly on figs and carobs.
Recipes with sobrassada from Mallorca
It is a very versatile ingredient that can be used in stews, soups, meat, fish and even desserts. One of the specialities is figatella de porc negre or toast with sobrassada and quince jelly. It is ideal for meat fillings, whether poultry, lamb or pork. It also enriches fish such as cod.
Other Mallorcan sausages
Mallorcan sausages are internationally famous. One of them is butifarrón from Mallorca. It is made with offal and meat, and can be eaten raw, as it is cooked.
Mallorcan camallot is one of the most emblematic. It is made with minced lean meat from the local pig, salt, pepper, aniseed and pepper.
Mahonese cheese has a protected designation of origin. It is a cured cheese, pressed and uncooked, which can be made with pasteurised cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk.
As you can see, in the Balearic Islands we have unique specialities, such as the sobrassada from Mallorca, now, we can take it to you wherever you request.
Sources:
https://los40.com/los40/2021/10/25/planes/1635163234_463017.html
http://www.sobrasada.es/consejo-regulador-sobrasada-de-mallorca.html
http://sobrasadademallorca.org/recetas/
https://queseros.com/queso-de-mallorca/