Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Pork

Iberico secreto with smoked mussels, samphire and veal jus

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Iberico Secreto with Smoked Mussels, Samphire and Veal Jus

Iberico secreto, smoked mussels, samphire and veal jus make a rich, savoury plate with a salty edge. James Peck shared it at our Festive Masterclass. There are a few parts to prepare, but the final grill in Charlie brings them together.

James PeckChef, Ember
Smoke
Prep20 minutes
Cook2 hours
Serves4 to 6
DifficultyMedium
Oven temperature200°C (390°F)
RackCharlie Oven Cooking Rack and plancha tray
CharcoalHalf a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/blogs/charcoal-recipes/iberico-secreto-with-smoked-mussels-samphire-veal-jus

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Ingredients

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

  • Charlie Charcoal Oven£5,950.00Choose your oven
  • Stag British Premium Lumpwood Charcoal£96.50
  • Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm£40.00
  • Charlie Oven Cooking Rack£280.00
  • Flat Bed Plancha Rack£250.00
Stag British Premium Lumpwood Charcoal, Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm, Charlie Oven Cooking Rack and Flat Bed Plancha Rack £666.50 together

Method

Setting up Charlie
  1. Light half a football of charcoal in the Charlie Oven
  2. Allow the oven to reach 200°C (390°F), adjusting the vents to maintain a steady temperature
  3. Add a chunk of smoking wood such as apple or cherry for added depth of flavour
  4. Place the plancha tray in the oven for smoking the mussels and heating the samphire
  1. Place the fresh mussels on the plancha tray with herbs and rosemary. Position the tray in the middle of the oven and smoke for about 5 minutes or until the shells open.
  2. Remove the mussels and allow them to cool. Once cooled, remove the mussels from their shells, ready for serving.
  3. Heat the cooking rack by placing it in the lowest position above the flames until it is searing hot. The door temperature should be around 200°C (390°F).
  4. Lightly season the Iberico Secreto with salt.
  5. Place the meat directly onto the hot cooking rack. Grill for 2 minutes on each side, turning the meat 90 degrees after 1 minute for neat grill marks.
  6. Remove from the heat and let the meat rest. Iberico pork is best served pink as the fat content keeps it tender.
  7. Place the samphire on a plancha tray and heat it through in the Charlie Oven, positioning it higher up in the oven.
  8. Toss the shelled mussels with the samphire to warm them gently.
  9. Heat the veal jus separately.
  10. Slice the rested Iberico Secreto and arrange on a serving platter.
  11. Scatter the smoked mussels on top, arrange the warmed samphire alongside, and finish by drizzling over the warm veal jus.

Tips

  • Iberico Secreto is best served pink: the high fat content keeps it incredibly tender, so avoid overcooking
  • Use apple or cherry smoking wood for a subtle, sweet smokiness that complements the pork beautifully
  • Make sure the cooking rack is searing hot before placing the meat on it for the best grill marks
  • The mussels can be smoked ahead of time and rewarmed with the samphire just before serving
  • True Foods veal jus is recommended for the richest flavour, but any good quality veal jus will work

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The cook

James Peck

Chef, Ember

James Peck is chef-founder of Ember, his wood-fired restaurant in Wellingborough, and winner at FUME, Europe's leading live-fire cooking festival. He hosted Charlie Oven's Christmas Pork Masterclass.

More recipes by James Peck

Frequently asked questions

  • Should Iberico secreto be served pink?

    Yes. Its high fat content keeps Iberico secreto tender when pink, so grill it for just 2 minutes on each side on a searing hot rack, then rest it before slicing. Overcooking is the main thing to avoid.

  • How do I smoke the mussels in Charlie?

    Put the fresh mussels on the plancha tray with herbs and rosemary, set it in the middle of the oven and smoke for about 5 minutes, until the shells open. Leave them to cool, then pick the mussels from their shells.

  • Can I smoke the mussels ahead of time?

    Yes. The mussels can be smoked and shelled in advance, then tossed with the samphire on the plancha tray higher up in Charlie to warm through gently just before you serve. Discard any mussels that stay closed.

  • Which smoking wood suits Iberico pork?

    Apple or cherry smoking wood. Both give a subtle, sweet smokiness that suits the rich pork and the mussels. Use it alongside the lumpwood charcoal, with Charlie at around 200°C (390°F) and the cooking rack searing hot.

  • Do I have to use veal jus?

    A good quality veal jus gives the richest result and is what the recipe is written for. If you swap it, choose a well reduced savoury jus rather than a thin stock.