Secreto Ibérico with Sauce Choron & Fennel Slaw

Secreto Ibérico is one of those cuts that doesn't get nearly enough credit. It sits between the shoulder and the belly, it's laced with more marbling than most steaks you'll find, and it sears beautifully while staying juicy almost no matter what. The sauce is a fresher take on classic Choron, built with a whole-stem tarragon gastrique and a fine tomato brunoise instead of paste, so it stays bright rather than heavy. A fennel and apple salad, shaved paper-thin and ice-cold, does a lot of quiet work cutting through all that butter. It's a lot of small techniques stacked together, but the dishes you love are easier than you think! 👨‍🍳 Fanatic home cook, 2 new recipes every week. Follow @thechefslibrary1 if this is your kind of thing. Cheers, TCL INGREDIENTS (serves 4) 800g Secreto Ibérico, room temperature Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper A splash of high-smoke-point oil 2 fennel bulbs, fronds reserved 1 crisp, tart apple (Granny Smith or similar) Juice of 1 lemon 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Fine sea salt, to taste 100ml dry white wine 100ml white wine vinegar 2 shallots, finely minced Stems from 1 bunch tarragon (leaves reserved) 10 black peppercorns, crushed 4 egg yolks, room temperature 200g unsalted butter, cold, cubed 2 firm tomatoes, fine brunoise, unpeeled Lemon juice, to finish (optional) METHOD 1. Dice the tomatoes into a fine, even brunoise, skins on, and set on a paper towel to draw off moisture. 2. Shave the fennel paper-thin on a mandoline and ice-bath for 5-10 minutes, then dry well. Julienne the apple, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt, toss everything with the fronds and keep chilled. 3. Simmer the wine, vinegar, shallots, peppercorns and whole tarragon stems until reduced to 3-4 tbsp, then strain, pressing on the solids, and cool to lukewarm. 4. Off the heat, whisk the yolks and cooled gastrique until pale and foamy. 5. Whisk over low-to-medium heat until thick and ribbony, around 65-70°C, lifting the pan off the heat whenever it catches on the bottom. 6. Off the heat, whisk in 2-3 cubes of cold butter, then return to very low heat and add the rest piece by piece until glossy and thick. 7. Take it off the heat and fold in the tomato brunoise and chopped tarragon leaves. Season, add lemon juice if it needs lifting, and keep warm away from direct heat. 8. Pat the pork dry, then sear in a smoking-hot heavy pan with a small splash of oil for 2-3 minutes per side until deep mahogany. Pull at 54-56°C. 9. Rest for 5-7 minutes under loose foil, then slice against the grain on a slight bias and season the cut surfaces. 10. Plate on warm plates with the sauce alongside and the cold fennel-apple salad next to it. #secretoiberico #sauceChoron #frenchcooking #iberico #porkrecipe #fennelsalad #homecooking