If you recently took a trip to the butcher or to a specialty meat store, you may have seen Pork Pluma. If you’re new to this cut of meat, you might be wondering what the big deal is. A quick online search about the Pork Pluma cut will show rave reviews and countless recipes you can try. 

Without knowing much about the Pork Pluma, it can be confusing to know which recipe to choose. You might also be curious about why this cut of meat is talked about so much and what makes it so special. 

What is a Pork Pluma?

You might also hear this called the Iberico Pluma because its meat comes from specialty black pigs from the Iberian Peninsula. Pluma in Spanish means feather. This cut of meat got its name because it’s known for being extremely lightweight and delicate. 

Don’t worry though. Despite its delicate qualities, it’s still easy to cook if you have the right recipes and tricks which we will give you later in the article! 

Pluma is taken from the neck end of the pork loin giving it a tender and fatty quality. You can barbecue pluma just like you would any other cut of meat, or you can cook it on the stovetop, or in the oven. It’s incredibly versatile and can be paired with many different vegetables and side dishes. 

How to Cook a Pork Pluma 

The best, and easiest way to cook the pork pluma cut is to fry it on both sides quickly in a pan. You can also cook it in with a stew to give the stew a heartier and meatier flavor. No matter how you are cooking it though, you want it to be at room temperature before you cook it. 

If you are adding salt, you want to put it on before you cook it. If you are cooking in the oven, make sure the oven is preheated so that the meat will come out tastier and be able to sizzle in its own juices. 

As you can see, there are many different ways to cook the Pluma depending on your personal preferences and how you want to serve it. 

Here is one of our favorite dishes that showcases the versatile nature of the pork Pluma and how it can be served with a basic sauce and some warm vegetables.  

Iberico Pluma with Brussel Sprouts and Romesco Sauce 

If you like your meat with a flavorful sauce and healthy vegetables, this is a great recipe to try out. 

Here are the ingredients you will need for the romesco sauce:

• Jar of roasted peppers
• 1 cup pieces of stale bread
• 1.2 raw almonds 
• 2 cloves of garlic 
• 1 tbsp spicy paprika 
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 
• ½ cup olive oil 
• 2 tsp salt 

Once you have gathered all the ingredients, you can start making the sauce:

1. Toast the almonds in an oiled pan with the garlic cloves and bread pieces. Only use a medium-low heat. Cook for about 6 minutes. 
2. Put the ingredients into a food processor and make sure the almonds become fully chopped. Add in the roasted peppers, sherry vinegar, paprika, and one tsp of salt. 
3. Process all the ingredients until it’s a smooth puree. 
4. Drizzle the olive oil in and then run the food processor again. 
5. Taste and add salt if you want. 

For the Brussel sprouts, you can roast them in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes. Make sure to cut them in half first. If you want, you can toss them in a bowl with some seasonings and canola oil. 

Now, it’s time for the best part. You can follow these tips for making the Pluma:

1. Dry off the Pluma and season both sides with salt. 
2. Put some oil in a frying pan and let it get very hot before moving on to the next step. 
3. Lay the Pluma into the pan and sear it on one side for 4 minutes, then flip it over. 
4. Drain off any fat that collects in the pan. 
5. After flipping, continue cooking until it has reached the doneness you want. 
6. Remove the pluma from the pan, cover it loosely in foil, and let it sit for 10 minutes. 

Serving the Pluma 

Now that you have this amazing collection of food, make sure you serve it in the right way. We recommend spreading the sauce on the bottom of the plate and then arranging the sliced meat on top of the sauce. You can then serve the Brussel sprouts on the side and sprinkle everything with some parsley. 

Final Thoughts 

Pork Pluma is beautiful and tender meat that can be served alone or as part of a larger dish. The focal point will always be the meat though because of its flawless and fatty texture.