Iberian shoulder steak seared hard, rested pink, and finished with a glossy sherry reduction. Pedro Ximénez plays off the cut's nutty, acorn-fed sweetness — a Sevillian restaurant classic.
Serves 4Prep 10 minCook 15 min
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Ingredients
- 1 presa ibérica (700 to 900 g), trimmed of any silverskin
- Coarse sea salt and black pepper
- 200 ml Pedro Ximénez sherry
- 200 ml beef or veal stock
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Method
- 1Bring the presa to room temperature, pat dry, and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- 2Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until shimmering. Sear the presa 3 minutes per side, plus 1 minute on each edge, until a deep crust forms.
- 3Transfer to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest at least 8 minutes (target internal: 54 °C / 130 °F).
- 4Pour off most of the fat. Add the shallot to the same pan and soften for 1 minute.
- 5Pour in the Pedro Ximénez and reduce by two-thirds, scraping the fond. Add the stock and reduce until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter off the heat.
- 6Slice the presa against the grain into 1 cm slices. Spoon over the sauce and serve with roasted potatoes or a bitter-leaf salad.
Chef's tip
Acorn-fed (de bellota) presa renders a lot of fat — sear in a smoking-hot pan to crust it before the fat starts to leak. If the meat is leaking water rather than crusting, your pan wasn't hot enough.