When we talk about blood sausage we are talking about a product that has been present in Spanish gastronomy for centuries, a fundamental element in the slaughter of pigs and in a large number of traditional dishes. Well known for its unique flavor and the versatility it offers in the kitchen, many doubt where you can find the best in the country.
In Spain, the tradition of blood sausage has great historical roots and is linked to the country’s own culinary culture, and although Burgos or León is often spoken of as places where the best are made, according to the prestigious publication The New York Times, the best blood sausage in Spain is in another location.
According to this newspaper, the best blood sausage in Spain is eaten in the small town of Tirgo, with just 170 inhabitants and located about 30 minutes from Aro, in La Rioja Alta. Tirgo is the hometown of the Porres family, where its patriarch was nicknamed “pepper” since he was a child, a name he transferred to his business. We are talking about Asador Pimiento, a traditional food restaurant that specializes in grilled meats and where you can consume products of the highest quality.
The New York Times has highlighted blood sausage as a star preparation of La Rioja, explaining ingredients that most likely regular readers in the American environment are not very used to (blood, onion and rice).
Pablo, the owner, reveals his secret, ensuring that the blood sausage must be bland, juicy and buttery, and in his restaurant no spice is added to ensure that it is consumed by all people, regardless of their age, even small children. He himself claims that, when he was a child, he ate it with sugar as a sweet snack, something that was common at that time in La Rioja.
Asador Pimiento, a gastronomic reference
Since Asador Pimiento appeared in The New York Times, they confess to having received more customers from the United States, but also from South America and Asia, especially to visit their wineries. Furthermore, given the prestige of the American media, many Spanish media have echoed the review, which has only increased the already high demand to eat at their restaurant. Open only on weekends, it is usually full.
The gastronomic critic, who assured that the best blood sausage in Spain is eaten in Tirgo, also tried other preparations such as grilled vegetables, Rioja-style potatoes and lamb chops, which are a specialty of the house and come from a local farm. Some time ago, they did the slaughter themselves, although now the sausages come from a highly trusted supplier in the area.
Asador Pimiento has become a gastronomic reference in Tirgo and La Rioja, and many of its diners come from the Basque Country, but also from other points of Spanish geography. The article in which Asador Pimiento was recommended highlighted four other food houses in four towns in the area, all of them with homemade and typical recipes of the region, such as: Casa Tila (Clavijo), La Cueva del Chato (Canillas de Río Tuerto ), Alameda (Fuenmayor) and Casa de Irene (Viniegra de Abajo).
History of blood sausage
For centuries, pig slaughter has been a common practice in rural areas of Spain, especially during the winter months. It was a process in which a pig was sacrificed and all its parts were used for consumption, including the blood, used to make blood sausage.
Blood sausage thus became a staple food in the diet of rural populations, provide a large amount of energy and numerous nutrients. To this we had to add that it could be stored for long periods of time, thus making it a very valid food to be kept in the pantry until times of food shortage arrived.
As time went by, it became a staple of Spanish cuisine, spreading in popularity throughout Spain, although each region developed its own recipe, based on local ingredients and traditional spices. This is what has meant that we can find numerous options to choose from, being, in any case, very present in different traditional dishes such as pinchos, stews, stews, tapas and sausages.
Black pudding is made with a mixture of ingredients that can vary depending on the region and the specific recipe. However, it is basically made up of:
- Sangre: Blood, mainly pig’s blood, is one of the main ingredients of blood sausage. The clotted blood acts as a binder for the mixture and gives it its characteristic dark color.
- Fat: Pork fat is another of its common ingredients, helping to give the sausage juiciness and flavor, in addition to contributing to its texture.
- Spices: they are necessary to give flavor to the blood sausage, usually including some such as cumin, pepper, cinnamon, garlic, paprika, nutmeg…, and the combination can vary depending on regional tradition and the recipe.
- Aromatic ingredients: You can include garlic, onion, parsley and other herbs to add flavor to the blood sausage.
- Additional ingredients: Depending on the recipe, it may contain other ingredients such as rice, raisins, pine nuts, breadcrumbs, fruits, vegetables, etc., which provide flavor, texture and/or sweetness.
