Rubia Gallega (pronounced “roobeeyah gah-yeh-gah”) is the most famous Spanish heritage breed from Galicia, a region on Spain’s north-western tip that borders Portugal, and is surrounded on two sides by the Atlantic Ocean.
“Galician Blond”, translated directly from Rubia Gallega, has a beautiful and noble solid color of cinnamon through to orange. They are horned breeds and certainly got more muscling, which makes the breed extraordinary and exceed other animals. A Rubia Gallega cattle can produce more than 700 kilograms of meat, almost double the size of any other animal.
So what is it that makes an old cow from the lush hills of Northwestern Spain so delicious?
It comes from older cattle than in other countries. This particular breed graze on the meadows of Galicia for at least up to 8-12 years where they grow big and fat and put on layers of marbled fat. This gives the beef an extraordinary flavor, a very fine texture, an intense beefy-ness and succulence brought about by the high marbling of the meat. Some cattles graze longer than 15-18 years. During this time the marbling matures, ultimately giving the beef a distinctly earthy and nutty flavor with a refined taste. The consensus used to be that old means tough, but this beef is dry aged which not only further intensifies the flavor but also tenderizes the meat.
This beef is traditionally cooked over charcoal. However, it will cook beautifully on a plancha or on a cast iron griddle or pan – something heavy that will hold the heat evenly. The important thing to remember is that Rubia Gallega beef has sufficient fat and long yearling brings out the personality of the meat. An adequate amount of fine oil, salt and fire is enough for a signature dish.
Rubia Gallega, one of the most popular premium beef from Europe in Spain.
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