The perfect marriage of Spanish and Italian cuisine? Ibérico pizza! We all know that top quality ingredients are essential to making the best dishes, so let’s go all-in on these pizzas with arguably the best pork you can find!
Ibérico pigs are known for their rich flavor and smooth and buttery texture. It is often served in thin slices, allowing the natural flavors to be savored and appreciated. We love Ibérico meats and therefore we had to put it on pizza!
What Is Ibérico?
Ibérico refers to a premium quality breed of pigs known as “Iberian pigs” or “pata negra” pigs. The Iberian pig is indigenous to the Iberian Peninsula, which includes regions of both Spain and Portugal. They are well-adapted to the Mediterranean climate and have been raised in this area for centuries. These pigs have a unique and distinct genetic makeup, making them different from other common pig breeds.
What sets Iberian pigs apart is their free-range upbringing and unique diet. Traditionally, Iberian pigs are allowed to roam freely in the dehesa, an oak forest ecosystem abundant in acorns and wild herbs. During the autumn months, the dehesa is carpeted with fallen acorns, which become a crucial part of the pig’s diet. The acorns contribute to the rich and nutty flavor profile of the meat and also play a role in the marbling, giving the meat its exceptional texture.
And therefore, these pigs are celebrated for producing some of the finest and most sought-after cured hams in the world, known as “Ibérico ham” or “Jamón Ibérico” but are many other cuts as well.
If you’re wondering where you can get Iberico, the variety pack we used in our pizzas today, you can find at Cost Plus World Market. But if you want to go all in, check out our personal favorite: Jamones Blázquez!
Or, if you are in Madrid, we recommend you go check out Mercado Jamón Ibérico!
Why Is Ibérico So Perfect For Pizza?
Because cuts of Ibérico meats are renowned for its unparalleled taste and texture! The long curing process, which can last up to three years, contributes to the complexity of flavors and the characteristic marbling of the meat. The deep, nutty undertones and buttery texture set Iberico ham apart from any other cured meat, making it a true delicacy.
This makes them delicious for pizza – if you can keep from eating it all before putting it on your pie!
Fatty Ibérico Pizza
Obviously, you’re going to need Ibérico! As mentioned, you can purchase pre-packaged Ibérico ham, or if you’re really lucky you can get it right from the source. When carving Ibérico, there’s a lot of fat and you really don’t need that much fat. But, if you have some fattier pieces, those can be great for a pizza since the fat will render down and add flavor!
Variations on Ibérico Pizza
There are numerous cuts of meat from Ibérico. And also different ways of curing Iberico. Today, we’re using a selection of meats from a package Finca Helechal Tapas Entertainment – available from Cost Plus World Market (and note the price in the store was cheaper than online!).
And we’re going to make them all!
- Ibérico Ham and Tomato
- Ibérico Loin with Red Pepper and Arugula
- Ibérico Chorizo and Arugula
- Ibérico Pork Salchicon with Roasted Vegetables
Four Spanish-Italian pizzas? Sounds like a pizza party! Let’s get started!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Although Ibérico meats are very flavorful, we want to be careful in what we pair it with. It’s important that the meat be the start of the show. That means using a limited number of toppings and ones that will highlight the Iberico rather than mask it.
Choosing Your Dough
To begin with, you should make your Ibérico pizza using a fairly simple pizza dough, but made from scratch. We recommend using our Easy Peasy Pizza Dough or Neapolitan Pizza Dough if you are making it in an outdoor pizza oven.
Choosing Your Ibérico Pizza Toppings
Your primary topping will be your Iberico meat. There are a number of cuts out there with Iberico ham being the most common (and coveted), loin probably next, and then perhaps some interesting cured versions like the salchicon (which is summer sausage) and chorizo.
The more pure the cut, the less additional ingredients you should probably use. For example, for our Iberico Ham pizza, we paired that just with cherry tomatoes from our garden and top quality mozzarella cheese.
Your toppings should be an expression of your favorites but if you’re going to use Iberico, don’t cut corners with the rest of your ingredients!
Ibérico Ham Pizza with Tomato and Arugula
- 1 pizza dough ball (~14 ounces)
- 1 ounce of Ibérico ham, sliced thinly
- 3 ounces of pizza sauce
- 1.5 to 3 ounces of fresh and/or roasted vegetables, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup of cheese of your choice (fresh mozzarella is especially good)
Ibérico Loin Pizza with Red Pepper & Arugula
This one was my favorite. Although arugula is a stronger flavor, by putting it in the sauce, under the cheese, the loin got a bit of heat and developed an even stronger flavor. The roasted red pepper balanced the flavors out. And smoked provolone was a tasty accompaniment!
- 1 pizza dough ball
- 1 ounce of Iberico loin, sliced thinly
- 3 ounces of Neapolitan pizza sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup of arugula, cut into 2″ pieces
- 3/4 cup of coarse grated smoked provolone
Ibérico Chorizo Pizza with Arugula
Because chorizo has a bit more spice to it, we opted to put the arugula on after cooking to preserve its tang. This worked well as the chorizo really came to life after being baked on top of the pizza.
- 1 pizza dough ball (~14 ounces)
- 1 ounce of Iberico ham, sliced thinly
- 3 ounces of pizza sauce
- 3/4 cup of coarse grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup of arugula (added last)
Ibérico Salchichon (Sausage) Pizza with Roasted Vegetables
Ibérico Salchichon is a dry-cured sausage is made with Ibérico meat and in the same traditional Spanish way. However, it is made without pimentón (used for Iberico chorizo).
We wanted something that would compliment this dry sausage, so for the salchicon, we added a variety of roasted vegetables and used a mix of shredded cheeses (mozzarella and smoked provolone).
- 1 pizza dough ball (~14 ounces)
- 1 ounce of Ibérico Salchichon, sliced thinly
- 3 ounces of pizza sauce
- 3.5 ounces of roasted vegetables, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup of cheese grated cheese (we used a mix of mozzarella and smoked provolone)
Now Go Forth and Make Your Own Ibérico Pizza!
Hopefully you’ve found some inspiration to try Ibérico on your own pizza! Just remember not to eat it all before you put it on top!
Todd’s cooking skills have revolved around the grill since about age 12, when he developed a love for grilling and took over for Mom at the BBQ. He worked at Wendy’s and at Earl’s Tin Palace (a restaurant chain in Canada) but never really did any sort of baking…until he and Heather started making pizza together! Now he’s often making dough in the mornings and pizza in the evenings.