When we start ordering meat again, we are always looking for cuts that we have not had on the grill before. This time we came across Iberico Abanico. A cut of meat that sits on the outside of the ribs behind the pig’s shoulder. It is a beautiful piece of meat with a nice amount of fat.
Iberico is probably the best pork we have eaten. It is wonderfully tender and full of flavour due to the many inter- and intramuscular fat Iberico is so famous for. We are never opposed to using a tasty spice mix for meat, but for Iberico meat in general, we only use salt and pepper. But that’s no reason to surround this Iberico Abanico with a great sandwich.
The Iberico Abanico is a thin cut of meat that’s made to grill. You only have to make sure that you keep moving the meat on the grates to prevent it from burning. The fat is very soft and drips onto the coals. That creates serious flames.
To prevent this kind of flames, you would typically just close the lid. Due to the lack of oxygen, the flames disappear, but you keep on grilling. Because this meat is very thin, we want to keep a close eye on it. The only option is to move and turn it regularly.
In the Kamado Joe classic 3 you can place the grates at 3 different heights with the divide and conquer system. Because of the difference in distance between the grates and the heat source, you also get different grilling temperatures. Because the grates consist of 2 parts, you can also grill at different temperatures simultaneously. Or you can even grill on one side and barbecue indirectly on the other. Perfect for a reversed sear if you want to prepare thicker steaks.
After a few minutes of turning and flipping, you will be rewarded with this beautiful steak. The soft fat is golden brown, and the rest of the meat has a lovely crust. Check the core temperature from time to time during preparation. You don’t want this higher than 65°C (149F). This means that we pull the steak from the grill at 62°C (144F). The meat will cook a little further while resting.
With this perfectly grilled Iberico steak, we make a fantastic sandwich. We have opted for some fresher flavours that compliment the meat. The sauce is a bit more tangy barbecue sauce than usual, and we had made a delicious relish that goes great with this recipe. The bun is an Italian bun that we warmed and rubbed with a little butter and chilli flakes.
Ingredients
- Iberico Abanico
- Pepper and salt
- Italian bun
- Slightly sour barbecue sauce
- Baby spinach
- Zucchini relish
Instructions
- Grill the Iberico Abanico alternately over direct heat to a core temperature of 65°C (149F).
- Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, and then cut it into thin slices against the grain. Then sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper.
- Make the sandwich with barbecue sauce, baby spinach, Iberico and zucchini relish.
