Description
The Borrego Terrincho PDO lamb comes from the Churra da Terra Quente breed of sheep which includes 98% of the sheep population of the Trásos- Montes area. It is used to provide milk, meat and wool.
Production Area
Borrego Terrincho PDO lamb is produced in the Vila Real, Bragança, Viseu and Guarda districts.
Production Method
Borrego Terrincho PDO lamb is usually reared in flocks of about 150-200 animals. They graze on the uncultivated areas of the mountain pastures and are fed on the remains of the cereal harvest. Only occasionally, for example in the case of heavy snowfall, are they kept in the lagas, areas especially for animals on the ground floor of the traditional houses of this area. The lambs are slaughtered when they are three or four weeks old, when they weigh between 5 kg and 8 kg. Once butchered, the meat must hang for 24 hours and it is then stored at 7°C. This meat is never frozen.
Appearance and Flavour
Borrego Terrincho PDO lamb is pale pink in colour, very tender and not fatty. The flavour has a pleasant milky after taste. An analysis of this lamb meat shows that it is composed of 61% flesh, 13% fat and 25% bone.
History
The first historical references connected to Borrego Terrincho PDO date back to the Middle Ages and consist of an early classification of the sheep according to their type of wool. In the 18th and 19th centuries several studies of the local economy were published in which the importance of this animal for the production of milk and wool is made very clear. It was the principal source of income for the breeders and farmers of the region.
Gastronomy
Borrego Terrincho PDO lamb must be stored at a temperature of between 2°C-4°C. It cannot be frozen before it is sold but it may be frozen once acquired for domestic use. Once bought the meat can only be kept in the fridge for a few days. The meat cannot be eaten earlier than 72 hours after slaughter. Borrego Terrincho PDO lamb is used in many traditional dishes, principally in recipes where the meat is grilled, stewed, boiled or potroast. The most famous dishes are: costeletas do lombo de borrego na brasa which means grilled lamb chops on a wood fire, caldei rada de borrego which is pot roast lamb with peas and tomatoes, borrego assado no forno de lenha and ervilhoto guisado which is a recipe based on lamb and peas and is a traditional dish of the Trás-os-Montes area.
Marketing
This lamb is only sold as Borrego Terrincho PDO. It is sold whole or in prepacked cuts and joints clearly labelled with its certificate of origin. It is only available during certain months of the year, normally from November to August.
Distinctive Features
The principal products from the Borrego Terrincho PDO sheep is the meat and the milk which is used to make the famous cheese, Queijo Terrincho PDO. This is evidence indeed of the quality of this sheep which supplies two PDO category foods. This sheep is of medium size with a small head. Its spiral horns are rough textured and triangular in section.
