Spanish Black Pudding has been an integral part in the Spanish food tradition for generations. It recently gained massive popularity around the world when a few scientists claimed it was a nutrient-dense superfood, such as broccoli, kale and spinach. Well, you can’t escape the fact that Spanish black pudding is made from the pig’s fat and blood. Although its dark colour is a bit premonitory to many, this dish was specially made with the intention of consuming a hearty by-product.
It is believed that the original version of the Spanish black pudding comes from Greece, where it was invented by a Greek man named Aphtonites. However, nowadays it is very popular throughout the Spanish mainland and many regions of the nation have their own version. The País Vasco, Murcia, Asturias, Valencia, Extremadura, León, Zamora and Castilla-La Mancha are some of the most renowned provinces when it comes to making Spanish black pudding. Recipes can range from rice-stained black pudding to rice sausage, the variety made with onions and rice.
It’s best to try them with French fries, poached eggs and parsley, even mixing them into a lentil stew with finely chopped red onions, shaved fennel, mint and dill. However, the classic combination of squid-stuffed onion black pudding is the best.
Spanish Black Pudding, one of the best classic cold meats in Spain.
Black pudding is a classic Spanish cold meat. One of the most traditional, I would say. This type of cold meat from cooked blood, usually from cow. The different types of Spanish black pudding are dark mahogany in colour and are often mixed with pork fat. Some of them usually contain some other non-meat ingredients to increase their volume, such as the rice black pudding or the onion black pudding. Spanish black pudding is a food made in many countries and of which there are many varieties.
Spanish black pudding is very popular and traditional, but South American countries also make their own cold meats such as Colombian black pudding or Argentine black pudding. You can experiment with different versions of black pudding. Although the basic preparation style remains the same, it is the flavour profile and sometimes the texture profiles that differ from place to place. The different varieties reflect the agriculture and history of each region, be it the local area or the country’s region. But in this article, we are going to focus on some of the most popular Spanish black pudding and therefore, available in Gastronomic Spain’s online store.
Spanish black pudding from Burgos or rice black pudding
Burgos’ Spanish black pudding is a cold meat made from pig blood typical of Burgos’ gastronomy. This is special because rice is added, hence also the name of rice black pudding. During 2018, the European Union recognized Burgos’ black pudding with the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). Serve this delicious fried cold meat sliced, inside a sandwich or in the form of a tapa or appetizer accompanying other Spanish foods such as peppers.
Onion Black Pudding
Onion black pudding, as its name suggests, has as an added ingredient wellchopped fried onion. It is a variety of Spanish black pudding, well known and used in Spanish kitchens. Onion black pudding is also known as the León’s cold meat. Normally this type Mof pork blood cold meat is prepared in different recipes: onion black pudding quiche with cream, puff pastry pie or simply fried or roasted.
Asturian Black Pudding
Asturian black pudding is a type of cold meat, typical of the Principado de Asturias. It is highly recognized in Spanish gastronomy due to its characteristic flavour and thanks to the introduction in northern Spanish stews. Asturian stew is one of the main dishes where this black pudding participates, just like the compango. This Spanish black pudding differs from the rest by its ingredients: pig’s blood, onion, bacon and paprika. In addition to the paprika, another of its most outstanding differences is its preparation: once it is stuffed into the animal’s natural casing, it is blanched in boiling water before being hanged on ristras, where it is finally subjected to a smoking process.
Iberian Black Pudding
This type of Spanish black pudding has the same ingredients as the typical Spanish black pudding, but in this case the meat comes from the Iberian pig. It is a pig breed that comes from the Iberian branch, breed that predominates in the Iberian Peninsula. They are highly appreciated animals in the food sector for the production of Iberian ham and all kinds of cold meats, with the selection of one of the best meats in Spain.
Orza Fried Black Pudding
Orza fried black pudding comes from Cuenca. It is a handmade Spanish black pudding with the top quality raw products. Its preservation in oil is an ancient technique to ensure the conservation of meat products for a long time. This type of Spanish black pudding can be enjoyed hot or cold. So you have no excuse not to try it.
Black pudding and other Spanish cold meats
The Spanish cold meats are very traditional in Spanish gastronomy. Cold meats tend to be the name given to the pieces of, generally, minced meat, cured and seasoned with spices and aromatic herbs. This meat is stuffed into the natural pork casing, responsible for the final flavour as it enhances the curing process.
Chorizo
Chorizo is one of the cold meats par excellence. Spanish chorizo is made on a base of minced pork meat and well marinated with spices. One of its most outstanding spices is paprika, which gives chorizo that reddish colour and sometimes, a spicy kick.
Salchichón
The salchichón is the result of the mixture between bacon ad lean meat with well seasoned with salt and spices (pepper, nutmeg, cloves, coriander). Salchichón is the cold meat that allows most meat combinations, such as pork-wild boar or pork-beef. Among the best-known cold meats, we find: the salchichón from Vich, salchichón from Aragon or Iberian salchichón.
Sobrasada de Mallorca
Sobrasada is another typical Spanish cold meat, especially in the Balearic Islands. Sobrasada from Mallorca, with Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), is offered in Gastronomic Spain as a whole piece or in a tub. A typical cold meat with a rich and essential spicy flavour. These types of cold meats are some of the most demanded among the Spanish population, but there are others such as fuet, longaniza, pork bacon, the typical pork loin, or beef jerky that are also found in many Spanish cuisines. Another cold meat to highlight and considered to be the best above the rest is HAM. But to talk about ham, both Iberian and Serrano, we need more than one article. Here I will show you one that might interest you.
To buy Spanish Black Pudding in Gastronomic Spain.
If you live outside of Spain and cannot find your ideal and perfect Spanish black pudding, the Gastronomic Spain online store will be your salvation for life. In addition to an infinity selection of black puddings and other Spanish cold meats, Gastronomic Spain is the online supermarket with the largest offer of Spanish food on the market. It has a catalogue of more than 900 typical products of Spanish gastronomy.
Take advantage of this opportunity and buy your favourite Spanish food and enjoy the Spanish flavour wherever you are because Gastronomic Spain serves all of Europe and its shipping is totally FREE with orders over €79,99. Quite a deal, right?
