Sobrasada: Mallorca, Spain’s Spreadable Sausage

Exploring Spanish cuisine feels like an archaeological excursion sometimes. There’s always some traditional Spanish food you’ve never tried waiting to surprise you. Sobrasada or sobrassada is one of those delicacies.

You’ll find this spanish sausage across Spain today, but what is it?

Sobrasada is a type of cured sausage made from combining chopped pork with seasoning. It’s a local Balearic island delicacy from Mallorca that has since spread across Spain. The distinctive hot flavor makes it a common fixture in many recipes. It’s also commonly eaten as a standalone delicacy.

The rest of the article will cover all you need to know about sobrasada.

Can’t visit Spain? We’ll also cover how you can make some homemade sobrasada.

What is Sobrasada?

Sobrasada is a spreadable sausage featuring chopped pork, locally-grown red peppers, and paprika. After seasoning with salt and other ingredients, the chopped pork is inserted into casings and hung out to cure in the open air. 

Depending on the size of the casings, the sobrasada may stay outdoors for 1-8 months to fully cure.

The part of the pig used for the process determines if you’ll get your sobrasada in a short casing or a long one.

Traditional sobrasada is made with pork from the porc negre (black pig) found in Mallorca, the largest Balearic island.

The pig is closely related to the ibérico pig (the Iberian pig), which produces the famous jamón ibérico and mostly found on the mainland. 

Other forms of sobrasada are made using meat from other pig breeds, but the black pig variant made in the islands delivers the authentic flavor.

Check for the black pig symbol on the packaging if you’re after traditional sobrasada.

History of Sobrasada

Pork consumption returned to the Iberian Peninsula in the Middle Ages after the centuries of Muslim rule ended in the region. The locales started to explore pork-based cuisine shortly after.

The paprika spice reached the region from the Americas in the 15th Century and quickly became a regular fixture in most meals.

The method of preparing sobrasada first started as a way for commoners to preserve their meat. It received the designation of origin in 1996 from the European Union.

Adding Sobrasada to Your Cuisine

Once cured, the sobrasada looks similar to chorizo in appearance.

However, it looks a lot different in texture.

It’s softer, so you don’t have to cut it up into slices when you want to spread it over your pasta, eggs, onto your toast or part of a tapas charcuterie board.

You can also add it to other dishes, such as your Spanish soups and stews, for a Mediterranean flavor.

The locals in places like Valencia also use sobrasada topping for flatbreads.

Across Spain’s towns and cities, you can find it in baguettes nestled between some soft cheese and honey.

If you visit the Balearics, you’re sure to find it in all kinds of foods, from side dishes to mains.

Where to Find Authentic Sobrasada

The best place to find authentic sobrasada is in the Balearic islands. The air in the region is humid and salty, making it perfect for curing the delicacy.

Many factories and farms across the islands focus on producing their own sobrasada. It spreads to the grocery stores and supermarkets around Spain from the factories.

Remember, authentic sobrasada is one made with pork from the black pig.

If you find any packs without the black pig logo, it means the pork used is from another breed.

Such products still taste great and are popular because black pig sobrasada factories can’t keep up with the demand for the delicacy in Spain and abroad.

They use light-coated European pigs for their variant, and first-timers can barely tell the difference.

How to Make Sobrasada at Home

If you can’t find authentic sobrasada, you should probably consider making yours at home.

The result will largely be the same as ordering the alternate packs mentioned above.

You can make your own sobrasada with the following ingredients:

• Hot paprika
• Pepper
• Salt
• 1/3 lard and fatback (equal sizes)
• 2/3 pork tenderloin
• Casings

With your ingredients gathered, you can take the following steps:

• Finely mince your lard, fatback, and meat.
• Add seasoning, including hot paprika, pepper, and salt.
• Insert the mixture into natural or artificial casings.
• Store them in a cool environment around 50°F (10 °C).
• Wait two months for the thinner sausages to cure and 4-5 months for the thicker ones.

The thicker sausages are typically around 3-5 inches in diameter, while the thinner ones are around two inches.

Once the sobrasada cures, it will taste as good as others not made with pork from the black pig.

Final Sobrasada Thoughts

The next time you travel to Spain, be sure to get a taste of the delicious authentic sobrasada.

Check the labels for the black pig symbol to be sure you’re buying the real thing.

If you can’t wait until you hop on the plane for a taste, you can make yours with a few ingredients, including hot paprika and salt.

You should also check Spanish food stores to see if they allow international orders.

Or if in the United States, you can buy sobrasada here.

Once you get a taste of this special sausage, it’s likely to become an integral part of your cuisine.

To learn more about spanish sausages, check out Morcilla, Spanish Blood Sausage and Salchichon, Spain’s Cured Pork Sausage.

And to buy other spanish chorizo shop Amazon.

Sources

• Food Sun Earthed: OUR NEW SPREADABLE CHORIZO – SOBRASADA DE MALLORCA
• Culture Trip: A Brief Introduction to Sobrasada, the Delicious Spanish Sausage

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