Understanding the Essence:
At its core, lomo en manteca is pork loin simmered after which preserved in seasoned manteca (pork fats). The loins of pork are usually simmered in manteca Iberica with dried pink peppers, dried wild oregano, garlic, and salt. This course of imbues the meat with a deep, savoury flavour and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. As soon as cooked, the pork meat is both sliced or saved entire then lined with the liquid manteca to protect it. Each pocket of air is full of the luscious orange (the color comes kind the dried pink peppers) manteca, thus eliminating any oxygen. The addition of the phrase IBERICA alongside manteca implies that the fats used is from the Iberian pig. That is the pig that lives on a food regimen of Omega 3 infused acorns. That is, imagine it or not, a wholesome and wanted fats.
A Culinary Heritage:
Lomo en Manteca is greater than only a dish; it’s a testomony to the resourcefulness of the Andalusian folks. Historically, pigs had been an important supply of sustenance, and each a part of the animal was utilized. Lard, a shelf-stable fats, served as a pure preservative, permitting households to retailer meat for lengthy durations. The identical approach is used for preserving cooked tuna too. Historically, earlier than the arrival of refrigeration, tuna and pork had been saved in clay pots/amphors, submerged in manteca.
Throughout cooking, bits of pork fall off the loin and land on the backside of the pan. They’re scraped up and put right into a dish, then lined with manteca to present you manteca colorá. That is the standard native breakfast when unfold on a big slice of toasted nation bread. Divine!
