Alheira () is a type of Portuguese sausage, made with meats (usually
pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved ...
,
veal
Veal is the meat of calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, however most veal comes from young male calves of dairy breeds which are not used for breeding. Generally, ...
,
duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a fo ...
,
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domestication, domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey junglefowl, grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster ...
,
quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy.
Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New ...
or
rabbit
Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit s ...
) and
bread.
Although ''alheira'' derives from ''alho'' (
garlic
Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Welsh onion and Chinese onion. It is native to South Asia, Central Asia and northe ...
) and was once used to describe any sausage seasoned with it, not all present-day alheiras contain garlic, though it is still a common ingredient.
The type of sausage that became known as "alheira" was invented by the
Jews
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
of Portugal, who in 1497 were given the choice of either being
expelled from the country or
converting
Converting companies are companies that specialize in modifying or combining raw materials such as polyesters, adhesives, silicone, adhesive tapes, foams, plastics, felts, rubbers, liners and metals, as well as other materials, to create new pro ...
to Christianity. Those ''
conversos
A ''converso'' (; ; feminine form ''conversa''), "convert", () was a Jew who converted to Catholicism in Spain or Portugal, particularly during the 14th and 15th centuries, or one of his or her descendants.
To safeguard the Old Christian ...
'' who remained and secretly retained their beliefs avoided eating pork, forbidden in Judaism; this put them at risk of being noticed not to hang sausages, traditionally made of pork, in their ''fumeiros'' (smokehouses).
As a way to avoid attracting the attention of the
Portuguese Inquisition
The Portuguese Inquisition ( Portuguese: ''Inquisição Portuguesa''), officially known as the General Council of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Portugal, was formally established in Portugal in 1536 at the request of its king, John III. ...
or in rural areas the Portuguese Christians, they began to make sausages from other meats such as
poultry
Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quail ...
and
game
A game is a structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or games) or art (su ...
, mixed with bread for texture.
With time, the dish spread to the remaining population and became an example of typical Portuguese cuisine, though nowadays its preparation is no longer strictly guided by Jewish dietary precepts.
Alheiras were traditionally grilled or roasted and served with boiled vegetables. Nowadays they are often fried and served accompanied by french fries and a fried egg. They are often one of the cheapest items on restaurant menus, although those made with game can be expensive.
Although ''alheiras'' are typically associated with the city of
Mirandela
Mirandela () is a city and a municipality in northeastern Portugal. The city itself has a population of about 15,000. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 23,850, in an area of 658.96 km². Mirandela is famous for its cuisine, part ...
, the regions of
Beira Alta Beira Alta may refer to:
* Beira Alta Province, a province in the north of Portugal
* Beira Alta (region)
Beira Alta was one of the 13 regions of continental Portugal identified by geographer Amorim Girão, in a study published between 1927 and 193 ...
and
Trás-os-Montes
Trás-os-Montes () is a geographical, historical and cultural region of Portugal.
Portuguese for "behind the mountains", Trás-os-Montes is located northeast of the country in an upland area, landlocked by the Douro and Tâmega rivers to south an ...
are also famous for their alheiras.
Varieties with
PGI protection status include ''Alheira de
Vinhais
Vinhais (; cel-x-proto, Veniatia) is a municipality in the district of Bragança, northern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 9,066, in an area of 694.76 km2.
The present mayor is Américo Afonso Pereira, elected by the Socialist Party. T ...
'' and ''Alheira de
Barroso-
Montalegre
Montalegre () is a municipality in northern Portugal, located in the district of Vila Real, along the border with Spain. The population in 2011 was 10,537, in an area of 805.46 km².
History
Early construction in Montalegre date back 3500� ...
''.
Alheira de Vinhais
in th
Data Base of the European Union.
See also
* Farinheira
Farinheira () is a Portuguese smoked sausage made mainly from wheat flour, pork fat and seasonings (white wine, paprika, salt and pepper). It has a yellow/brown colour and is served in traditional dishes like ''feijoada'' or '' cozido à portugue ...
* List of sausages
This is a list of notable sausages. Sausage is a food usually made from ground meat with a skin around it. Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made from intestine, but sometimes synthetic. Some sausages are cooked durin ...
* List of smoked foods
This is a list of smoked foods. Smoking is the process of flavoring, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood. Foods have been smoked by humans throughout history. Meats and fish ...
* List of Portugal food and drink products with protected status
A number of food and drink products from Portugal have been granted Protected Geographical Status under European Union law and UK law through the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) or Traditional Special ...
References
External links
Taste Portugal
Etymology (in Portuguese)
{{Portuguese cuisine
Portuguese sausages
Portuguese products with protected designation of origin