Morcilla de Burgos

Appearance & taste

The shape of the sausage follows the natural or artificial casing; it is 30 to 150 mm thick and 100 to 400 mm long. The ends are clipped or tied, with enough string to hang it up and dry it. Outside it is brown to dark brown or almost black, partly with pale cream, yellowish or greyish tones. It is compact and firm to the touch and must have neither cracks nor visible mould.

In the cut surface, the white marbling of the rice grains and the even distribution of the ingredients stand out, occasionally also small pieces of tallow; the base colour is various shades of brown. In the mouth it is crumbly and slightly fatty, with noticeable onions and soft rice. It smells and tastes of onions and the main spices. The salt content is 0.5 to 2 %.

It is sold whole or in portions; portions must be packaged and may be offered with or without the casing. Each piece and each pack carries a quality seal with the PGI logo, the EU symbol and an identification number.

Production

The Horcal onion is a native variety: flattened round, at least 80 mm in diameter and over 100 g in weight, with a brown skin and a white to pale greenish-yellow inside. It is sweet, easy to chop and holds a lot of water. Because of its white colour, it is less noticeable in the sausage than other onions. The rice is japonica rice of the Bahia or Bomba varieties in the “Extra” grade or Class I and may be pre-cooked. Tallow or lard is stored frozen or chilled; the blood comes from sheep, cattle or pigs.

The basic spice is black pepper. Optionally, paprika, oregano, cumin, cloves, garlic, cinnamon, caraway, parsley and anise are added. The tallow or lard and the onions are prepared, the ingredients mixed, filled into casings, cooked and dried – all in the province of Burgos. Portioning also takes place there, because it has to be done directly before chilling so that the slices keep their shape.

According to the specification, the onion influences the pH value, the sugar and fibre content and the volatile sulphur compounds that give the sausage its particular smell and piquant taste and distinguish it from other Spanish black puddings with rice.

Origin & history

The area covers the whole province of Burgos. For centuries the sausage was made only within families; the recipes were passed on by word of mouth, so there are few written sources. In the winter months Burgos celebrated the pig slaughter, which supplied the family with meat and sausages for the whole year; the blood, fat and casings of the animal were used for the morcilla.

Rice became available at the markets of Burgos when the city was one of the most active trading centres in Spain in the 15th century and rice could be brought in from Valencia. According to the specification, it was meant to increase yield and shelf life and to make the sausage firmer. The Horcal onion, grown in the valleys of the Pisuerga, Arlanzón, Arlanza and Duero and in parts of the Ebro basin, is in places also called the “slaughter onion”: it stays fresh from autumn to the beginning of winter, the season of the pig slaughters. As early as 1854 a cookery book author described its use for black pudding.

The first request to sell the sausage in the municipal archive of Burgos dates from 1908. In 1928 the veterinarian Cesáreo Sanz Egaña mentioned in a handbook a spicy black pudding from the villages of Burgos with plenty of onion, rice, blood, fat, pepper, paprika and anise. In the 20th century production began in slaughterhouses and factories following the traditional recipes. With better transport of goods and migration to the cities, the sausage became known throughout Spain.