If you have been researching Iberico Pork, you have probably come across the Pork Secreto cut. Despite being easy to cook and full of flavor, it’s one of the lesser-known cuts of meat that come from Iberico Pork.
Everything You Need to Know About Pork Secreto
Pork Secreto is not one of the prettiest pieces of meat - this is one of the reasons why it’s served less often in restaurants. It’s just a long and flat sheet of meat that almost looks like a skirt steak. Don’t be fooled though, it is completely different from a skirt steak in terms of flavor and tenderness.
Even though the meat may not be very attractive to look at, it’s still full of flavor and should definitely be on your list of meats to try. Unlike other cuts of Iberico Pork, the Secreto is easy enough to prepare on a weeknight when you don’t have much time to spare when it comes to making dinner.
The meat comes from the outside of the shoulder muscle on the famous Iberian pigs, only found on the Iberian peninsula. Since it comes from the shoulder, it has a large amount of intramuscular fat. This is part of how it gets its rich and full flavor!
Pork Secreto is a delicacy in Spain and pretty much everywhere in the world since it’s expensive and can only be found in some butcher shops.
Although Pork Secreto is completely unique, many people compare it to a Ribeye Cap Steak. If you’ve had this, you’ll know it’s the piece of meat just under the fat cap on a pork tenderloin. The meat is much darker than the rest of the pieces you get on a tenderloin.
The Secreto is like having a large piece of just the fat cap which means you get a chunk of dark meat that is rich, tender, and flavorful.
Unlike other pieces of tenderloin meat or meat that comes from Iberian pigs, the Secreto is thin and can char quickly on the grill or in a pan on the stove. If you need a super simple dinner, you can season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper, hard sear it in a frying pan, and then add a little garlic butter.
How to Cook Pork Secreto
There are many different ways to cook Pork Secreto ranging from super simple to more complicated. However, we know how important it is to have quick dinner ideas for the whole family, or even just for you on busy nights.
Searing Pork Secreto
If you want to make this quickly and with little fuss, fry it on a hot griddle or in a pan on direct heat. Remember that the meat is thin and only needs to be cooked for a few minutes on each side. If you leave the meat on the grill or stove for even half a minute longer than it needs to, you risk ruining the cut and dinner.
If you want to make the meat the traditional way as they do in Spain, you only need to cook the meat until it is medium-rare. So, the inside of the meat only needs to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
To make it even more simple, you don’t need to add anything but salt. If you like black pepper on your meat, you can also add some, but you definitely don’t need it to enjoy the meat.
Cooking Pork Secreto on Low Heat
If you’re not into fast searing, you can cook the Pork Secreto on low heat for an extended amount of time. This makes the meat more tender, but of course, has a long cooking time which may not be convenient for everyone.
After cooking on low heat, you still need to sear the meat on high heat for about a minute on each side.
You can cook the meat on low heat on the stove or in the oven, but we recommend using the oven for perfectly tender meat. Put the meat in an oven-proof dish that has a lid. Cover the meat in olive oil and then place the meat inside the dish with the lid on.
Make sure you have the oven on low heat and remove the Secreto as soon as it reaches 140 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit depending on how done you want it to be. Take it out and sear it on high heat for one minute on each side.
Serving the Meat
You can serve this meat alone with a glass of bold red wine, or you can pair it with rustic potatoes, Brussel sprouts, or baked vegetables.
Final Thoughts
Pork Secreto can be a quick dinner. Simply searing it for a few minutes gives it an amazing flavor and makes it juicy and tender. The high-fat content also makes a tasty crust around the meat when you sear it for just a few minutes.
