The term tuna Mojama comes from classical Arabic and refers to a salted product.
Specifically, tuna mojama is a salted fish made from tuna and more specifically from the backs of tuna and the immediate parts.
The salting technique comes from the Roman era and its purpose was to take advantage of the fish by extending its consumption period, taking into account that there were no current techniques such as freezing.
In Spain, the areas where tuna mojama production is more typical and abundant is the Andalusian Atlantic coast, in Barbate of the province of Cádiz and in Isla Cristina, province of Huelva, enjoying both Protected Geographical Indication zones and also the areas of the Mediterranean coast of Murcia and Valencia that are producers of tuna mojama of very good quality.
For the manufacture of tuna mojama, large tunas, up to 200 kg and even more, are used and the Almadraba technique is used for fishing, which is a labyrinthine network where they are trapped when they carry out seasonal migrations.
The tuna mojama manufacturing technique consists in the extraction of strips from the tuna loins, 10 or 12 per animal from the loins and adjacent areas, then they are pressed and put in fat salt for one or two days, removing the salt afterwards .
They are then purged and washed well and the pieces are air dried for a period of time that varies according to the conditions of dryness and temperature.
There are different qualities of tuna mojama depending on whether the best part of the inside of the tuna loin or the adjacent area is used, considering the quality made and with the Extra category the one made with the best interior part of the loin and first category the one made with the adjacent loin part and sirloin made with the outermost part of the loin, its quality being the simplest of all.
The result of this process is a product of dark color and strong flavor that is served cut into thin slices, washed down with some extra virgin olive oil and that can be accompanied at the source of nuts such as almonds or others.
The tuna mojama is a product, whose consumption is increasing day by day and of quality very appreciated by all those who decide to try it.
The fanaticism of some comes to call tuna as the pork of the sea and Mojama with ham.
La tuna mojama is another of the products that you can buy online through our Gastronomic Spain page, and not have to give up your tasting because you are away and if you have not tried it yet, start savoring another of the exquisite typical products of our land
