Recipe for grilled iberico presa with puree and pointed cabbage
A delicious dish with plenty of grilled flavor. The charred pointed cabbage pairs well with a creamy Jerusalem artichoke purée, a tender piece of presa, and finally a touch of grilled lemon juice and winter truffle on top. The truffle can of course be omitted, but it adds the final 5 percent.
Iberico Presa, perhaps the best piece of meat in the world, is my favorite dish. I have eaten almost every kind of meat available, and the Spanish black-footed pig is one of my absolute favorites. The pigs roam freely and primarily eat acorns, which are incredibly rich in oils and give the meat an astonishingly beautiful marbling, almost reminiscent of wagyu beef. Pork does not need to be well-done and can be enjoyed medium rare or pink, much like a quality piece of beef.
The presa cut is not available from Danish pigs but is carved from the neck of the black-footed pig.
Grilled Iberico Presa with puree and pointed cabbage
Equipment
- Deciliter Measure
- Kitchen Scale
- Grill
- Meat Thermometer
- Cutting Board
- Pre-Slicing Knife
- Pot
- Hob
- Blender
- Ovenproof dish
- Brush
Ingredients
Iberico Presa
- 1 pcs. Iberico Presa about 700 grams
- Salt and Pepper
- Flake Salt
Artichoke Puree
- 500 gram Jerusalem Artichokes
- 150 gram Whipping Cream
- 150 gram Whole Milk
- 20 gram Butter
- Salt and Pepper
Grilled scallions
- 1 pcs. Pointed Cabbage
- 30 gram Fat melted butter, neutral oil or ghee
- Salt and Pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
Sides
- 1/2 pcs. Lemon
- 10 gram Truffle can be omitted
- Fresh thyme
Instructions
Grilled Iberico Presa
- Season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Brown the meat on both sides over the highest possible heat.
- Remove the meat from the grill and reduce to low heat (if using gas) or place the meat on indirect heat with a meat thermometer in.
- The meat should reach a core temperature of 57 degrees Celsius (135 degrees Fahrenheit) and be removed from the grill.
- Let it rest (uncovered) for 5-10 minutes.
- The meat has muscle fibers in different directions at each end, so be sure to cut across the fibers when slicing. They should be 0.5-1 cm thick.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt and serve.
Jerusalem Artichoke Puree
- Pour milk and cream into a pot.
- Peel the Jerusalem artichokes and cut them into smaller pieces.
- Place them directly into the pot as you go.
- Bring the pot to a boil and stir continuously to avoid burning.
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, until they are completely tender and can easily be made into a puree.
- The trick to a successful puree is to ensure the pieces are fully tender and to scoop all the tender pieces directly into your blender without taking any liquid with them.
- Blend with 1/2 dl of the cooking liquid until completely smooth.
- Add butter and blend.
- Add a little more liquid and blend again.
- Continue until the consistency is sauce-like.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Grilled Pointed Cabbage
- Heat the grill to maximum temperature.
- Cut the pointed cabbage lengthwise, then do it again. You should have 4 even pieces.
- Place the fat in a small dish large enough to fit a quarter of the pointed cabbage.
- Add salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Be generous with the seasoning, it should be well-distributed. Use a spoon or fork to mix.
- Dip a piece of pointed cabbage in the fat on both cut sides.
- Place it directly on the grill and repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Grill for 5 minutes on each cut side.
- Brush the outside with the remaining fat.
- Grill the outside of the pointed cabbage for 3 minutes. At the same time, grill a halved lemon, cut side down.
- Squeeze the grilled lemon juice over the cabbage pieces before serving.
Serving
- Serve a couple slices of meat with 2 tablespoons of puree and a quarter of the pointed cabbage.Optionally, grate truffle on top of the puree along with fresh thyme.
Notes
The meat can be cooked sous vide for 3 hours at 57 degrees Celsius (135 degrees Fahrenheit) and then quickly browned on both sides on a grill/pan.