Mexican · IV The Method
Cecina (Oaxacan thin-cured pork)
I
Origin
Oaxaca and surrounding regions, Mexico — Etla and Ocotlán meat markets; traditional cured meat alongside tasajo and chorizo
II
Description
Cecina is Oaxacan thin-sliced pork (or beef in some regions) that is butterflied into wide sheets, rubbed with chile and salt, then air-dried briefly before grilling or pan-cooking. Unlike tasajo (which is air-dried beef), cecina uses pork and is usually flavoured with a mild chile paste (ancho, guajillo) before drying. It is less intensely dried than tasajo and grills quickly at high heat. Available at Oaxacan meat markets alongside tasajo and chorizo. A component of the plato oaxaqueño.
III
The Thread
—Spanish cecina (similarly named air-dried beef tradition)
—Italian bresaola (air-dried spiced beef)
—South American charqui (dried meat)
IV
Flavour Context
Mildly spiced, slightly dried pork flavour with char from grilling — less intense than tasajo, more complex than fresh-grilled pork
Pillars V — VII
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