Meats and Sausages
Alheira de Mirandela
In 1497 Jews in Portugal were given the choice of either being expelled from the country or converting to Christianity. In order not to attract the attention of the Portuguese authorities they started to make sausages with other meats, such as poultry and game which were mixed with bread. The sausages tasted good and in time became popular amongst Christians who started to add pork to them. Alheira sausages made today may contain any type or combination of meats. The geographical area of production of “Alheira Mirandela” is limited to the municipality of Mirandela.
| Materials | Metric | US |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 400 g | 0.88 lb |
| Veal | 200 g | 0.44 lb |
| Chicken | 200 g | 0.44 lb |
| Wheat bread | 200 g | 0.44 lb |
Ingredients per 1000g (1 kg) of materials
| Salt | 18 g | 3 tsp |
| Pepper | 2.0 g | 1 tsp |
| Paprika | 2.0 g | 1 tsp |
| Cayenne | 1.0 g | 1 tsp |
| Garlic, smashed | 10 g | 3 cloves |
| Olive oil | 45 ml | 3 Tbsp |
Instructions
- Place meats in skillet and cover with 1 inch (25 mm) of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until done. Drain meats and save the broth.
- Slice the bread, place in bowl and add the broth. When the bread is soft, mash it adding salt and spices.
- Grind meats through 3/8” (10 mm) plate.
- Stuff into 32 mm casings, making 8” (20 cm) long links.
- Smoke with a thin cold smoke at 18° C (64° F) for 2 days.
- Refrigerate. Fry in oil before serving.
Notes
The minimum percentage of meat is 60%, including a pork share (if used) varying between 10 and 15% and a proportion of poultry ranging between 45 and 50%. The percentage of bread varies between 15 and 25% and the proportion of Tras-os-Montes brand olive oil (PDO), or olive oil with similar organoleptic characteristics, is between 4 and 8%.
Alheira de Mirandela carries PGI, 2016 classification.
