Extra beef cecina

Extra beef cecina

The best cecina in the world, under the Regulatory Council of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) “Cecina de León”, which certifies that this product complies with all the quality guarantees, making it an exquisite delicacy.

The raw material is fundamental to the essence of cecina. We always select first class adult meats. Each piece undergoes a salting phase determined by our masters, followed by a delicate desalting stage. In this way, only the necessary salt accompanies the sausage.

However, obtaining the best cecina is a matter of patience. Each piece has to settle to obtain a uniform flavour. Later, it will be subjected to a traditional smoking process with oak wood, giving it our characteristic aromas and flavours. And finally, the piece must mature in our cellars. This is the only way for our product to achieve maximum excellence.

Extra cured beef jerky from the mountains of León. Slow and artisan curing of up to 16 months. Slightly smoked with holm oak and oak. The cecina can be referred to as “cow’s ham”.

Extra beef jerky
You will be surprised by the flavour and juiciness together with the smoked touch offering intense flavours. We recommend eating the product at room temperature.

Definition

Etymologically, the word cecina derives from the Latin word siccus, which means dry, or from the Celtic word ciercina, which refers to the wind.

The Diccionario de la Real Academia de la Lengua defines ‘cecina’ as ‘salted, wiry, air-dried, sun-dried or smoked meat’.

Raw material

The raw material used in the production of ‘Cecina de León’, in accordance with the Regulations of the Regulatory Council of the PGI ‘Cecina de León’, is the offal from the hindquarters of older cattle at least five years old and weighing at least 400 kg live, preferably from indigenous breeds of cattle from Castile-Leon.

Four parts or cuts of these hindquarters are used – tapa, contra, babilla and hip – all of which are classified according to the M.A.P.A. as ‘1ª A’ meat.

The production process for ‘Cecina extra de vacuno’ is as follows

The only ingredients used in the production of ‘Cecina de León’ are beef and salt.

Basically two processes are used, one which can be considered ‘artisanal’ and which is carried out using traditional systems and coincides with the coldest periods of the year – from November to March – and another ‘industrial’ or ‘semi-industrial’ process which uses more modern meat curing techniques and which can be carried out throughout the year.

The production process consists of six operations or phases: profiling, salting, washing, washing, settling, smoking and drying or curing. The entire production process lasts a minimum of seven months from the time of salting.

Profiling process

Profiling is the operation by means of which the different pieces that will be salted are shaped.

The purpose of salting is to incorporate the common salt into the muscle mass, favouring the dehydration of the pieces and their perfect preservation, as well as contributing to the development of the colour and aroma typical of cured products.

Salting process

For this purpose, according to traditional systems, the pieces are stacked and covered with coarse-grained sea salt. The salting time lasts a minimum of 0,3 days and a maximum of 0,6 days per kg of weight, depending on the weight and characteristics of the piece. The salting process takes place at a temperature between 2º C and 5º C, and a Relative Humidity between 80 and 90%.

Washing Process

After this phase, the pieces are washed with warm or lukewarm drinking water in order to remove the salt adhering to the surface.

Settling process

The next step is the settling process, which lasts between 30 and 45 days. The piece is hung in the air. The purpose of this post-salting phase is to remove the constituent water, to allow the salt to penetrate homogeneously and uniformly, to encourage the development of the characteristic microflora and to channel the biochemical processes of enzymatic hydrolysis that will produce the characteristic aroma and flavour. As the surface water is slowly and gradually eliminated, the pieces acquire a greater consistency. It is a process similar to that of Iberian ham.

More than 2,000 years of history and its presence in The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha can only guarantee one thing: this is an indisputable gastronomic jewel.

Smoking Process

The pieces can then be smoked using oak or holm oak wood. The duration of this phase is between 12 and 16 days.