TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Spanish Fresh Meat Types
Cordero de Extremadura is a lamb born and pastured in the region of Extremadura. There, sheep are bred and raised according to a strict set of rules and guidelines that ensure that the meat of these lambs is of exceptional quality. The animals graze freely pasturing on the green meadows, and their nutrition is only supplemented with a small portion of straw and grains.
The age of the animals at the time of the slaughter never exceeds 100 days. The meat of Cordero de Extremadura is pale to bright pink and has a relatively low fat content. This meat is extremely juicy and succulent with a pleasant aroma resembling that of wild grasses and herbs that the lambs pasture on.
Ternera Asturiana is fresh beef from the Asturiana de Los Valles and Asturiana de la Montaña cows that are born, reared and fattened in the Principality of Asturias. Depending on the age of the animal at slaughter, two categories of this meat can be found on the market.
One category is Ternera meat from cattle slaughtered at a maximum of 12 months old and Añojo, from cattle slaughtered at between 12 and 18 months of age. Ternera Asturiana meat is valued for its superior flavor and tenderness.
Ternera Gallega is veal of the indigenous Rubia Gallega and Morena Gallega breeds that are born, raised and slaughtered in Galicia. The meat that is sold under the yellow-labeled Ternera category comes from calves bred in small family farms fed on fodder of vegetable origin and cereals.
The meat sold under the pink certification label of the Suprema category comes from calves bred in traditional farming that are fed exclusively with their mother's milk until they are seven months old. Characterized by its light pink to pale red color and creamy light yellow fat that has, the meat of Ternera Gallega is exquisitely soft, succulent and flavorful.
Carne de Ávila beef comes from the Iberian Black Avileña breed or a cross breed between cows of the Avileña-Negra Ibérica breed and breeding bulls of the integrated Charolais and Limousin breeds.
The animals fall in one of three categories depending on their age; calf, yearling or young bull. This beef is highly valued due to its bright red color and intense flavor. Meat fibres are intertwined with white fat that gives this meat very juicy flesh with a firm consistency.
Ternera de Navarra is fresh beef from the Pirenaica, Pardo alpina, Blonde d'Aquitaine and Charolais cow breeds, reared and slaughtered in the Navarra area. The first four to six months of their lives they suckle their mother’s milk and later roam freely on the pastures.
Their feed mostly consists of cereals, soy beans and legumes as defined by the Regulating Authority. The animals are slaughtered in a controlled environment, and their meat is immediately labeled and refrigerated. In order to make the meat more tender and succulent, it is matured for seven days before being put on the market.
Gall del Penedès is the meat of roosters bred in the historical region of Penedès, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. These roosters are bred and raised in harmony with nature, fed only with green grasses and herbs, supplemented only with a little grain.
These roosters are known for their black color and large bright red crests, and this type of poultry is praised especially for the exceptional quality of its meat. Their meat is darker in color than the meat of roosters raised elsewhere. The flavor and taste of this meat is intense and very rich.
Cerdo de Teruel refers to pork that originates from the Teruel province in Aragon, Spain. This area is known for its high-quality pork products, particularly for the jamón de Teruel, which is a type of cured ham similar to but distinct from the more widely known jamón Ibérico.
The pigs raised in Teruel are of particular breeds (Landrace and Large White) that are well-suited to the local conditions. These animals are typically allowed to roam in large, open spaces, which contributes to the quality of their meat through natural exercise and a stress-free environment.
Cabrito de Extremadura is a protected designation (PGI) indicating a specific type of goat meat from the autonomous Spanish community of Extremadura. Cabrito de Extremadura includes meat from kids (young goats) born, raised, and slaughtered within Extremadura.
These goats belong to various local breeds such as verata, retinta, florida, malagueña, murciano-granadina, blanca andaluza, serrana, payoya, or their crossbreeds. The designation covers two categories: "cabrito lechal de Extremadura", referring to young goats slaughtered under 50 days with a carcass weight of up to 6 kilograms, and "cabrito de Extremadura", encompassing broader specifications.
Carne de Salamanca is beef from the Morucha breed traditionally pastured in the province of Salamanca. The herbs and plants found in the mountains and in the meadows where animals graze freely give this beef its characteristic taste and texture.
This highly valued meat is bright pink to red in color and has very fine muscle fibres with evenly distributed fat. All this contributes to this meat being juicy and tender with a distinctive taste and flavor. There are three categories of Carne de Salamanca depending on the time of the slaughter; Ternera, Añojo and Cebón.
Cordero de Navarra is a pure-bred Navarra and Lacha breed lamb born and raised in the province of Navarre. There are two different categories of these lambs; Cordero Lechal, baby lambs whose carcasses do not weigh more than eight kilograms at the time of slaughter, and Cordero Ternasco, which usually weigh between 9 and 12 kilograms at the time of slaughter.
The meat of Cordero de Navarra is exceptionally tender and juicy with characteristic aromas resembling those of wild grasses and herbs that the lambs pasture on.
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