Carne Mertolenga

Carne Mertolenga is fresh beef — refrigerated carcases or cuts of calf, bullock, or heifer — produced exclusively from animals of the Mertolenga breed entered in the Register of Births, whose parents are recorded in the Genealogical Register of the Mertolenga Cattle Breed. It was registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-PT-0212.

About this designation

Carne Mertolenga is a PDO-protected fresh beef designation covering refrigerated carcases and cuts derived from calves, bullocks, and heifers of the Mertolenga breed. The product is registered in the EU quality register under file number PDO-PT-0212, with eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013222, and received EU protection on 21 June 1996. The geographical area defined in the specification encompasses all subdistricts of the districts of Beja, Évora, Portalegre, Santarém, and Setúbal in Portugal. Eligibility is strictly breed-based: animals must be of the Mertolenga breed and individually entered in the Register of Births. Furthermore, both parents must be recorded in the Genealogical Register of the Mertolenga Cattle Breed. No other breed or crossbreed satisfies the specification. The applicant group at the time of registration was MERTOCAR, Lda — Sociedade de Produtores de Carne de Qualidade, based in Évora. The inspection and control body named in the specification is the Associação dos Criadores de Bovinos Mertolengos, also based at Largo Alexandre Herculano, 8, 7000 Évora. The designation of origin must appear on labelling as "Carne Mertolenga — Designation of Origin". The existence of both a Genealogical Register and a dedicated breeders' association underpins the traceability framework for the designation.

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-0212 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013222).
• Only animals of the Mertolenga breed entered in the Register of Births, with parents in the Genealogical Register, qualify; no other breed is permitted.
• The geographical area covers all subdistricts of the districts of Beja, Évora, Portalegre, Santarém, and Setúbal.
• The inspection body is the Associação dos Criadores de Bovinos Mertolengos, based in Évora.

Tasting notes

Alentejano beef DOP from native Mertolenga breed (Beja-Évora-Portalegre). Bright cherry-red meat with characteristic native-breed marbling, robust flavor from montado-grazed cattle.

HoReCa use

Prized as a premium steakhouse beef in the Alentejo region, where it is paired with Alentejano red wines.

Packaging

• carcass-half-150kg
• primal-cuts-vacuum-various
• lombo-1-1.5kg
• vazia-300-400g