Cecina is a cured meat popular in Spain and Mexico, made from different types of meat and cured using air drying, sun drying, and smoking. The process takes seven months and involves six steps, including cutting, salting, washing, air drying, smoking, and drying. It can be served on its own or used as a main ingredient in dishes such as enchiladas and tacos. Its origins are traced to Castile and León, Spain, and the word “cecina” has uncertain origins, possibly from the Latin word “siccus” or the Celtic word “ciercina.”
Cecina is a type of cured meat popular in countries such as Spain and Mexico. Its appearance resembles that of a ham, although it is more finely sliced and has a more reddish colour, probably due to the smoking or drying process. It is also said to have a stronger and saltier taste. This cured meat can be served on its own with a bowl of guacamole or sour cream as a dip, or it can be cooked as a main ingredient in many dishes such as enchiladas and tacos.
Cecina’s roots can be traced to a northwestern Spanish region called Castile and León, where the mountainous geography, dry climate, and abundance of wild game made it an ideal location for making cured meats. There are some uncertainties, however, as to where the word “cecina” comes from. Some sources cite “siccus” as the origin, a Latin word meaning “dry”, while others point to the Celtic word “ciercina”, translated as “north wind”.
Different types of meat can be used to make cecina, the most common of which are horse meat, beef and pork. Bull, goat and rabbit meat can also be used. Cecina can be cured in three possible methods: air drying, sun drying, or smoking, and it is not uncommon to use two or all three of these methods in combination. The process is often divided into six steps, the first of which is “perfilado,” or “cutting,” in which the meat is thinly sliced. In this first step, it is very important to use a very sharp and thin knife to ensure that the slices of meat are very thin and have smooth surfaces.
The second step is the “salado” or salting stage, where huge amounts of salt are rubbed into the meat and left that way for a number of days to make sure the meat absorbs the flavor of the salt. Salt also helps “cook” the meat. When the salt is already absorbed, the third step, “lavado” or washing, takes place to remove the excess salt from the meat. After the salt has been washed off, the fourth step would be the asentamiento where the slices of meat are hung up to air dry, possibly for a couple of months.
The fifth step is the “ahumado”, which involves the smoke itself. Usually, the hanging meat is contained in a room with windows that can be kept closed or open to maintain the ideal temperature in curing the cecina. Fragrant logs are smoked in the room for a number of weeks. The last step would be the “secado” or drying and curing stage, where the meat is left to dry for many months. The whole process takes a long time, usually seven months. After the curing process, the cecina will have a brown crust that is removed before the meat is sold or eaten.
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