As Spain’s answer to Italy’s Prosciutto or Virginia’s Smithfield, Iberico ham outclasses these other hams by packing a huge amount of flavor and a killer umami punch.  It’s drier and thus stiffer than prosciutto but it will also practically melt in your mouth unlike prosciutto which tends to be more chewy.

A lesson I learned early on in my cooking experience was that “more fat” almost always means “more good” and in this regard, Iberico exceeds my expectations, check out the marbling:

Don’t bother setting out your crackers or cheese with this, it really deserves an unbiased and rested palate to truly appreciate the nuances therein.  Also, at $99.99/lb (my nine paper thin slices cost $6) you’re not going to be grinding this up and making croquetas.

From the Roota to the Toota, we like us some porcine anything and there ain’t no denyin. We get together several times a year and frolic in Lardland for a few hours or days (they serve drinks in Lardland). We then return to our regular lives where there are meals that have vegetables and meat from other animals. I assure you the transition is hard on both body and soul and akin to jet lag, but nothing worth anything was easy anyway.

Here’s what we started with at our latest “get together”:

• 180 lbs. of berkshire pork (2 whole pigs)
• 3 Kitchen-aid mixers with optional grinder attachment
• 10 yards, casings
• 1 caja china

I think you know where I am going with this:  We put one in the box and parted out the other into sausages and one large chile verde (I do live in California).

Like croquetas or torrejas, you don’t just make a few sausages, you make a few dozen. The infrastructure setup and take down are 80% of the deal. Even with 3 prep stations going, it was an all day affair. We made:

1. Breakfast – Sage, apple, ginger
2. Italian — Fennel mostly
3. Hot Italian — Fennel, paprika, cayenne
4. Boudin Noir — Cajun spice, with rice
5. Experimental Thanksgiving — Apple, cranberry, chive

We based most of the recipes off of Rhulman’s book Charcuterie. Several “test” patties were made of each and they were all delicious, the breakfast sausage in particular. Sausage making is REALLY easy and you should try it. You’ve probably already made it (dumplings, lasagna, etc.), you just never stuffed it into a casing before.

The roast pig was in my brother’s VERY capable hands. Years ago, he made his own caja china, based on our “family” model. Using our”family” marinade recipe, he has done up quite a few piggies in it. Since then, he has taken both oven and recipe to the next level and makes thing look effortless. The results are always the same. Pork garlic citrus delight. Let me also tell you that these Californinos cannot get enough pork, somebody needs to open a “¡Ño! Que Lechón” franchise out here.

My dad will say how back in the day when they’d make a lechón, the sought after morsels were the fatty ones. Yeah, that’s right, back when eating healthy was something you did when you were sick. Father-n-law tells me that the pigs in Cuba (also back in the day) tasted better because of their diet. Says they mostly ate Palmiche, the fruit of the Royal Palm.I didn’t really think much of that until I visited Spain and had some fine hams, finest of which was the Iberico. Turns out the Ibericos are fed a strict bellota (acorn) diet. Ok, enough talk about pigs on diets. Enjoy pork, breakfast of Campeones.

This 3 ingredient dish (5 if you count the optional salt and lime) is easy to make and is in the top 4 Cuban food names

Fu #1 = 4 Ripe to nearly Rotten Plátanos

Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. Peel the plantains by slicing the tip and cutting a bit into the flesh, longways to the other end. Use the heel of your knife to peel. Cut the peeled bananas into 3/4″ rounds and drop in boiling water. The water should just cover. Turn down heat to low and simmer slightly UNcovered for about 15-20 minutes, depending on ripeness.

They should be mushy but still holding their shape (barely). Using a slotted spoon, remove to a fine mesh colander and drain in a bowl, saving the water that drains for thinning the fufú later.

Fu #2 = 8oz. Smoked Bacon

After you start simmering the bananas, stack the bacon and cut in half long ways. Cut across now to make 1″ squares. Don’t try and be Johnny Cuchillo and cut all the strips in one try. Bacon is greasy as a mofo. Wanna see how greasy? Dump it in a frying pan and brown over medium to low heat for 15-20 mintues, turning every few minutes. You don’t want to be smelling anything near to burning bacon. It should smell smoky and bacony.

Remove bacon to a towel lined bowl. Go ahead and burn your tongue and lips eating a few bacon squares, they are irresistible. Cold lager will heal that nicely.

Right on the stovetop, CAREFULLY pour out the rendered bacon fat into a small bowl or ramekin. Leave the bacon bits in the pan as much possible.

Fu #3 = 4 Garlic Cloves

Mince those bad boys up and cook over low – medium low heat, in 3-4 tablespoons of the bacon fat you saved.

Stir every few seconds and smell, wait, smell, now when the smell starts to go less pungent and a bit sweet, add the drained platanos.

If you cook the garlic too much (sour, acrid smell), START OVER. This dish relies heavily on perfectly cooked garlic more than anything else. But, since you are doing this over low heat (right?), you will have plenty of time to judge when the garlic is at it’s peak.

Final Fu = Mashin, Saltin and Juicin

Mash up the plantains with the garlic and bacon fat jazz-o-ma-tazz. Focus on distributing the garlic pieces throughout the platanos. Add the bacon bits and do the same. If the mix is too dry, add some plátano runoff juice. If the mix is too pasty, add some more bacon fat. If your bacon is weak, add a bit of salt, like a 1/2 teaspoon, to draw out the sweetness of the ‘nanas. Fresh squeezed lime juice always brightens the mood too.

Serve with arroz blanco and a beef dish like Palomilla.