Iberico Pork Secreto with White Wine Mustard Sauce
This simple (yes, the ingredients list is long, but trust us, it’s easy!) recipe was a big hit with the staff at a recent Iberico recipe development session in the Test Kitchen.
“The secreto is a very well marbled & rich cut. I wanted to make sure to pair it with acidic and ‘clean’ flavors to cut the fat. Pork goes great with mustard, and I love mustard. With the cauliflower, I wanted something again that is great for fall and winter.A lot of Dijon pork sauces (esp. French) add cream, which I think is too rich for this pork. So I did the most minimal, bright pan sauce. It’s easy to throw together but it’s so tasty and satisfying.”Liv
Makes 2 Servings
Rich, incredibly succulent Iberico pork secreto (a very well marbled “secret” cut hidden behind the shoulder joint) balanced with tangy pickles, earthy-nutty roasted cauliflower and a mustard white wine sauce.
It’s a fine dining quality meal that doesn’t require fine dining quality levels of time. Give it a try!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Iberico Pork Secreto
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- High Heat Oil
- Quick Pickled Shallot
- 2 Shallots
- ½ cup Water
- 1 cup White Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
- Pickled Mustard Seeds
- 1 cup White Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2 tsp Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Water
- 1/3 cup Mustard Seeds
- Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 head of Cauliflower
- 1-2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Paprika
- ¼ cup Oil (or leftover rendered Iberico Pork Fat!)
- ½ tsp Lemon Juice
- Mustard White Wine Sauce
- 1 cup Dry White Wine
- 2 tbsp Dijon and/or Stone Ground Mustard
- 1 ½ cup Chicken Stock
- 2 tsp Unsalted Butter, cubed
- Optional: Flat Leaf Parsley for Garnish
- Plus: Starch Side of Choice (Crusty Bread, Roasted Potatoes, etc)
DIRECTIONS
- Make the Quick Pickles:
1
Peel & thinly slice the shallots.
2
Stir together all the pickled shallot ingredients (not including the shallot slices) in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the salt and the sugar, then add in the shallots.
3
Do the same with the mustard seed ingredients, except the mustard seeds, in a separate pot.
4
The mustard pickling liquid to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt & sugar.
5
Add the mustard seeds to their pickling liquid. Continue to simmer gently for five minutes. Turn off the heat and let them sit for ten minutes.
Test a mustard seed – if it isn’t tender, repeat the simmering & sitting process.
- Roast the Cauliflower:
1
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2
Cut the cauliflower into florets.
3
Toss the cauliflower florets with the 1-2 tbsp of oil, salt, and paprika. Spread them out on a baking sheet.
4
Roast the cauliflower for 30 minutes, using tongs to turn all the florets half way through.
5
While the cauliflower is roasting, whisk together the ¼ cup oil (or melted pork fat) with the lemon juice in order to create a dressing.
“I roll the lemon on the counter or cutting board under my palms, pressing down, before cutting it open. That way the juice releases more easily.”
– Liv
6
When the cauliflower has finished roasting, remove it from the oven & immediately toss the florets in the dressing.
- Sear the Secreto:
1
Dry off the secreto & season it on both sides with salt.
2
Get an oiled frying pan or cast iron skillet very hot over medium-high heat.
3
Gently lay in the secreto and let it sear for 4-5 minutes (to develop a browned crust) before flipping.
Drain off any excess fat that collects in the pan.
4
After flipping, continue to cook to preferred doneness (we recommend an internal temperature of 135°F for Medium Rare*).
“I sear Iberico plumas & secretos to a temperature of 135-140°F, so they’ll coast to 140-145°F as they rest (Medium/Medium Rare). I think pork tastes better that way, especially this pork. You don’t need to cook pork to Well Done anymore*… unless you like it that way.”
– Liv
5
Remove the secreto from the pan to a clean plate to rest, loosely covered with foil, while you make the pan sauce.
- Make the Mustard Wine Pan Sauce:
1
Drain the rendered pork fat out of the pan, reserving 2 tablespoons.
2
Return the pork fat to the pan. Stir in the white wine, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring the wine to a simmer & cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
3
Stir in the mustard and chicken stock. Continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
4
Turn off the heat & slowly whisk in the butter, one cube at a time.
5
Keep the sauce warm until you’re ready to serve.
- Plate the Meal:
1
Thinly slice the secreto against the grain. Put some on each plate with the cauliflower, along with the mustard sauce. Scoop some of the mustard seeds and shallot out of their pickling liquids & add them to the plates. Garnish with parsley (if desired) and serve with your starch side of choice.
* The USDA recommends cooking all pork to an internal temperature of 145°F, followed by a three-minute rest.