Carnalentejana

Carnalentejana is fresh beef produced exclusively from animals of the Alentejana cattle breed, born, reared, fattened, slaughtered, and processed within a defined area covering municipalities in the Distritos of Beja, Évora, Portalegre, and parts of Setúbal, Santarém, and Castelo Branco. Animals must be recorded in the breed's Register of Births and reared extensively at stocking densities lower than 1,4 animals per hectare.

About this designation

Carnalentejana holds PDO status, registered under file number PDO-PT-0209, with EU protection dating from 21 June 1996. The designation covers beef from animals of the Alentejana cattle breed whose parents are inscribed in the studbook and which are themselves recorded in the breed's Register of Births. Animals must be born, reared, fattened, and slaughtered within the specified geographical area, which comprises all municipalities in the Distritos of Beja, Évora, and Portalegre; the municipalities of Alcácer do Sal, Alcochete, Grândola, Montijo, Moita, Palmela, Setúbal, Santiago do Cacém, and Sines in the Distrito of Setúbal; the municipalities of Abrantes, Almeirim, Alpiarça, Benavente, Chamusca, Constância, Coruche, Golegã, Mação, Salvaterra de Magos, Santarém, Sardoal, and Vila Nova da Barquinha in the Distrito de Santarém; and the municipalities of Castelo Branco, Idanha-a-Nova, Proença-a-Nova, and Vila Velha de Ródão in the Distrito of Castelo Branco. Animals are reared extensively, with stocking densities lower than 1,4 animals per hectare, according to local traditional practices. Calves are milked by their mothers until 6 to 9 months of age. All cutting, processing, and packaging operations must take place within the specified geographical area, with a limited exception where no local processing structure meeting the Group's requirements exists, in which case a maximum transport range of 500 km applies. Authenticity is established through a numbered certification mark enabling full traceability. The inspection and certification body is CERTIALENTEJO — Certificação de Produtos Agrícolas, Lda, based in Évora. Mandatory labelling must include the term 'CARNALENTEJANA — Denominação de Origem Protegida' and the certification mark bearing the product name, the name of the monitoring and certification body, and a serial number.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-PT-0209, with eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013219.
• All animals must be of the Alentejana cattle breed, recorded in the breed's Register of Births, with parents inscribed in the studbook.
• Stocking densities must be lower than 1,4 animals per hectare; calves are milked by their mothers until 6 to 9 months of age.
• Where processing outside the geographical area is exceptionally permitted, a maximum transport range of 500 km is established.

Tasting notes

Alentejano pork DOP from porco preto Alentejano (Iberian black pig). Pinkish-red meat with golden marbled fat, intensely flavored from acorn-and-pasture montado feed.

HoReCa use

**Foundation of Alentejano cuisine** — Carne de porco à Alentejana (the iconic preparation with clams), in açorda Alentejana, foundation pork for Presunto de Barrancos production.

Packaging

• carcass-half-40-50kg
• primal-cuts-vacuum-various
• lombo-1-2kg
• secreto-300-500g
• presa-300-400g