Iberico Abanico with patatas bravas is a classic Spanish dish with a modern twist. The combination of juicy, tender pork steak and crispy, spicy potatoes hits all the right notes and is guaranteed to impress your friends and family.
The tenderness and deep flavour of the Iberico Abanico cut is something else. This pork stays incredibly juicy on the grill thanks to its beautiful marbling. Pair it with patatas bravas and roasted vegetables, and you have a complete meal with proper Spanish flair.
This is the kind of easy recipe that works for any occasion. Whether you’re hosting a barbecue for friends or fancy something special on a weekday evening.
So, what exactly is Iberico Abanico? It’s a cut from around the ribs of the Spanish Iberico pig. Those fine white lines you see in the meat? That’s intramuscular fat, which gives this steak its legendary flavour and melt-in-the-mouth texture. The pigs are raised on a diet of acorns and fresh herbs, and you can taste the difference.
You could simply season Iberico with salt and pepper, which would taste amazing. But we like to take it a step further. We made a simple dry rub with Spanish-inspired spices that work beautifully with the pork. It ties in perfectly with the seasoning for the patatas bravas.
We season the potatoes with the same dry rub and fry them in a cast iron skillet with a shallow layer of sunflower oil. We do this on the barbecue since it’s already hot and has plenty of space, but you can use a deep fryer if that’s easier for you.
We also had a bag of leftover stir-fry vegetables in the fridge, so we chucked those in with the potatoes at the end.
When grilling the Iberico steaks, you have to keep an eye on them. The fat content can cause flare-ups. Make sure to turn them regularly, and don’t walk away. Burnt meat is nobody’s idea of a good time.
We like to serve the steaks with a spicy red bell pepper sauce and a cold beer. That’s about as good as it gets. If you make these Iberico Abanico steaks yourself, let us know in the comments below. Please take a photo and share it on your socials as well. Tag @bbqhelden so we can check out what you’ve grilled.
Ingredients
For the Iberico steak
- 500 gr Iberico Abanico (also called pork rib cap or collar flap)
For the dry rub
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried coriander
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the patatas bravas
- 500 gr baby potatoes
- 2 tsp of the dry rub (reserved)
- 200 ml sunflower oil
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of the rub evenly over both sides of the Iberico steaks.
- Cut the baby potatoes into quarters and parboil them for around 10 minutes until tender. Then, let them dry.
- Set up your barbecue for direct grilling and place a cast iron skillet over the heat with the sunflower oil to warm up.
- Fry the potatoes in the skillet until golden and crispy. Remove them from the pan, drain slightly, and toss them with 2 tsp of the reserved dry rub while still hot.
- Grill the Iberico steaks directly over the coals, turning them regularly to avoid burning. For perfectly cooked, slightly pink pork, aim for an internal temperature of 65°C (149°F).
