The Citizen: Guallar’s Preserves Find Their Place in the Gourmet Pantry

The Citizen shines a light on a gastronomic jewel with deep roots—one that for a long time remained little known beyond its homeland: Teruel-style preserves. It presents them as an emblem of Aragonese tradition, tied to outstanding raw ingredients and to a “simple and direct” culture of making the most of every ingredient, passed down from generation to generation. Within that context, the outlet introduces Guallar as the brand seeking to elevate this popular recipe into the delicatessen world with a premium, artisan-made range, designed to become a staple in any gourmet pantry.

The article features the vision of founders José Ángel Guallar and Pilar Elena, both with roots in Teruel, and their guiding principle: it’s not about “dignifying” preserves—because they are “already worthy”—but about taking the time to turn them into a true delight. To achieve this, they explain that they have “redesigned the concept”, treating and jarring top-quality meats by hand to offer an exceptional version—until now uncommon in this segment.

The Citizen places the brand’s origin during the pandemic. During lockdown, the couple revived a recipe inherited from their grandmothers and, encouraged by the result, chose a path different from industrial products, which generally don’t prioritise care or ingredient quality. That shift, the article says, allowed them to find a niche market and move forward with steady momentum: in just over a year and a half they had already appeared at Salón Gourmets in Madrid and received invitations to major fairs such as Paris and Milan.

The text lingers on the process, which the founders describe with pride: “no one in the world does what we do.” Production, The Citizen notes, is carried out “as it has always been done at home.” It begins with air-drying Duroc pork loins and rib racks in the Montes Universales area, at over 1,000 metres above sea level, seeking optimal humidity and temperature. Precision extends to the selection of cuts: only the central ribs are used from the rack, cut to 5.5 cm, and the loin is cut to 1.1 cm so the centre remains gently rosy.

Next, the pieces are always handled separately by cut to respect each texture’s ideal point, and confit (not fried) in batches of 100, in small pots with sunflower oil, for three to five hours over very low heat. After cooling at room temperature, they are jarred—also separately—in Bajo Aragón Empeltre extra virgin olive oil, with bay leaves and peppercorns. Before shipping, the jars rest for a minimum of 20 days at cellar temperature, ensuring a 12-month shelf life for the meat and leaving an oil that is “perfectly reusable.”

The result, The Citizen concludes, is an exclusive, exceptionally high-quality product that keeps ancestral know-how intact and wins over through flavour and versatility—enjoyed on its own or as an ingredient in more elaborate dishes. The catalogue includes the traditional classics—longaniza, pork loin and ribs—as well as sweet and spicy chorizo and Aragonese dry-cured longaniza. From their small facility in Zaragoza and via Correos Market, Guallar delivers nationwide in packs of three jars, with carefully designed packaging that also makes an ideal gourmet gift.