Guallar in elEconomista: Teruel-Style Preserves, Reimagined as a Delicatessen

elEconomista has devoted an article to how Conservas Guallar is reviving the traditional Teruel pork preserve and bringing it into the gourmet segment—an “especially interesting” craft that remains little known beyond its home province. In a market where techniques such as pickling, marinades or brining are far more common, this Teruel speciality stands out as a culinary rarity. Guallar gives it new prominence through a high-quality proposal—presented as unique in the world and exclusive for its faithful adherence to the original, time-honoured recipe.

As founder José Ángel Guallar, who created the project together with his wife Pilar Elena, explains, the idea took shape during the pandemic. They began researching “processes, sizes and textures” and building the know-how required for a complex product—not only in terms of production, but also everything involved in meeting regulations, obtaining health authorisations and managing shelf-life. In fact, they note it took a year and a half of work to do it properly, because “putting it in a jar isn’t easy.”

The article points out that interest in Teruel-style preserves grew notably after their successful appearance at Salón Gourmets, and they even received an invitation to Paris. Even so, international markets will have to wait: the brand prefers to move step by step, as production is naturally limited due to its artisanal method. Today, the preserves are sold in gourmet shops in Zaragoza, Huesca, Pamplona, Valencia and Almería, and also through online platforms and their own website, supported by Correos Market to reach all of Spain.

One of the report’s central themes is the 100% artisanal process and the strong territorial link of the ingredients. Both entrepreneurs are from Santa Eulalia del Campo, and they have recovered a family recipe once made by their grandmothers. The initial stage happens in Teruel: pigs are processed, rib racks and loins are prepared, cured, washed and air-dried, and then transferred to their facility in Cuarte de Huerva (Zaragoza) for logistical reasons—while maintaining, in the founder’s words, a way of working “as if we were making them at home.”

The technique is described in clear terms: the cut is washed, then slow-confit in sunflower oil for three to five hours over low heat, and finally jarred in extra virgin olive oil. Guallar emphasises that other companies fry and use different cuts, while they do not pre-fry and instead use Empeltre olive oil, “clean and unprocessed”, which can also be reused at home for other dishes.

elEconomista also highlights the brand’s local impact: the company has secured agreements with small suppliers in Teruel for its meat, and works with Aragonese ingredients for the rest—Bajo Aragón extra virgin olive oil, bay leaf, black pepper, and even packaging elements such as labels and hemp cord. The only exceptions mentioned are the rubber (for safety reasons) and the jar itself, manufactured outside Spain.

The piece also looks ahead. Guallar plans to add new references, with the aim—according to the article—of launching products such as a 5.5 cm meat block to slice and serve carpaccio-style, and a “tajada” similar to pork belly. In the meantime, they maintain their current catalogue—longaniza, pork loin, ribs, sweet and spicy chorizo, and Aragonese dry-cured longaniza—while keeping growth measured. Their peak season runs from late September to late May due to the climate, with slower months in between.

Finally, the article returns to the origin: this preserve is rooted in a resourceful, straightforward culinary tradition passed down through generations. The process begins with air-drying Duroc loins and rib racks in the Montes Universales area at over 1,000 metres, followed by precise selection and cutting—central ribs cut to 5.5 cm and loin to 1.1 cm—before confit, jarring with bay leaf and peppercorns, and a minimum 20-day rest at cellar temperature, delivering a 12-month shelf life. A tradition anchored in the land that, in the hands of Conservas Guallar, becomes a gourmet product with a clear identity of its own.