Sliced Smoked Bluefin Tuna Belly (Almadraba)

Each bite of this ultra premium Bluefin tuna melts in your mouth with an incredible richness and a delicate smoky flavor. In fact, the fat-marbled slices looked just like Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, Spain’s legendary acorn fed ham. Serve with a crisp white wine or sherry and luxuriate in the flavor of this jewel of Spanish cuisine.

The secret is the ancient Almadraba fishing method, a sustainable and targeted traditional harvest off the coast of Cádiz. For a few weeks a year, local fisherman near the Strait of Gibraltar set up a labyrinth of nets near shore to funnel in migrating Bluefin tuna. Using the same technique as the Phoenicians used 3,000 years earlier, fishermen then lift the nets and pull each giant tuna into their boats. Juvenile tuna and other fish are set free, causing no bycatch or environmental harm.

The magnificent bluefin tuna fatten up as they migrate toward Gibraltar. At harvest, their top quality meat is sought after by chefs across Spain. The fatty tuna belly, or ventresca is the most prized cut.

At the family-owned curing house Herpac, the finest Bluefin bellies are selected and lightly smoked, then sliced by hand. They are presented to you on a round tray for easy service.

This delicious tuna is certified as sustainably harvested using the Almadraba method, first practiced by the Phoenicians more than 3,000 years ago. The ancient fishing towns of Barbate, Zahara de los Atunes, Conil de la Frontera and Tarifa have kept the tradition alive to modern times. Once a year, for just a few weeks in spring, fishermen sustainably harvest this magnificent fish as they have for centuries.

Herpac was founded in Barbate by two brothers, Francisco y Diego Pacheco. The company name is an abbreviation of Hermanos Pacheco. It continues as a family operation, with the third generation now part of the company.

In the recent past, Bluefin tuna was under pressure from excessive international demand, especially from the sushi market. In the last twenty years, strict harvest controls have been implemented by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Thankfully it is working, and the Bluefin population has bounced back. And the Almadraba fishing method is among the most sustainable in the world. Each harvest is certified by ICCAT, with full traceability from harvest to the curing house to our warehouse.

How should this product be stored before using?

It should remain frozen until you’re ready to use. Keeping it frozen preserves flavor, texture and food safety. It can be stored in the freezer for up to one year.

How are frozen perishable items shipped?

La Tienda ships frozen items in a recyclable cooler with dry ice and frozen ice packs to arrive in top condition.

How will my order be packed?

La Tienda packs products carefully to ensure they arrive in top condition. Cold items are packed with insulated packaging and ice packs to preserve freshness. Items will arrive in La Tienda branded boxes.