Cecina |
|
| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Spain |
| Region or state | Castile and León |
| Dish details | |
| Course served | Appetiser |
| Serving temperature | Cold |
| Main ingredient(s) | Beef |
| Variations | Jamón |
Cecina de León redirects here
In Spanish, cecina means "meat that has been salted and dried by means of air, sun or smoke". The word comes either from the Latin siccus (dry) or from the Celtic ciercina related to modern Spanish "cierzo" or Northern wind.
The best known cecina is Cecina de León, which is made of the hind legs of beef, salted, smoked and air-dried in the province of León in Northwestern Spain, and has PGI status.
It is often made with horsemeat.
The word cecina is also used to name other kinds of dried or cured meat in Latin America. In Mexico, most cecina is of two kinds: sheets of beef that are marinated and a pork kind that is pounded thin and coated with chili pepper (this type is called cecina enchilada, or carne enchilada).[1] The beef version is salted and marinated and laid to dry somewhat in the sun. The town of Yecapixtla is well-known for its version of the dish which varies from region to region.[2]