Roberto Ruiz, chef at Hika Gastronomiko (Villabona, Guipúzcoa), together with Francisco Carrasco, commercial manager at Carrasco Ibéricos, and the CEO of Exclusivas Mardu Jon Izaguirre, take us from the Basque Country to Guijuelo (Salamanca) to present the brand’s products and prepare three dishes with three of its pieces.  

The activity based on Carrasco Ibéricos products has been organised at Hika Gastronomiko (Villabona, Guipúzcoa) where its chef Roberto Ruiz tells us about how he discovered this brand of Iberian ham and how he fell in love with it. He was accompanied by Francisco Carrasco, commercial manager of the Brand and the CEO of Exclusivas Mardu, Jon Izaguirre. 

For Roberto Ruiz, the key reason for choosing the brand –twenty years ago- were the various trips he made to the farm (in Jerez de los Caballeros) were the pigs were bred, as Carrasco Ibéricos prepares its meats from animals that they themselves raise and feed. It was there, Ruiz explained, that they understood, discovered and learnt not just the origins of all the Carrasco Ibéricos products, but could also see for themselves the extraordinary care and requirements that the brand stamps on the production processes for its products, which is a fundamental aspect for creating the trust and security that provide the foundations for any long relationship. In fact, Roberto pointed out that if it hadn’t been for this learning process and close relationship with both the producer and the distributor, “this ham would have vanished from the menu years ago. However, it currently has a presence, a history and a tradition in our company that, probably, is the product that we know the best”. It is noteworthy that most of the team at the restaurant has been immersed in this learning process, and that both Jon Izaguirre –a self-confessed admirer of Carrasco meats- and Francisco Carrasco stressed their “great skill for cutting ham”, and described them as “pioneers” in this aspect in the Basque Country. 

Francisco Carrasco stressed that, thanks to the trust placed in it by Ruiz, his ham has gradually evolved: “now it is smoother, more tender and juicy and this is because there was a demand that came from here. It has been years of work as the ham that was consumed at Carrasco 30 years ago isn’t what is consumed today in Guipúzcoa. It’s a style that we also feel closely identified with”. Izaguirre confirms this detail.

After a pleasant chat accompanied by a dish of Carrasco Ibérico ham and San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna mineral waters, the trio left the table and went to the kitchen to see how Roberto Ruiz prepares three cuts of meat of this brand: “lagarto” (with double cooking, previously vacuum-packed and prepared in the steam oven to get added juiciness), “secreto2 and “pluma” (both grilled).

Each cut of ham is accompanied by a side dish: “lagarto” with orange mushrooms; “secreto” with various peppers (Gernika, piquillo, morrón and guindilla) and “pluma” with pulses and vegetables.