Mojama is tuna loin cured in salt and dried in the air; huevas de atún are the roe of the same fish, cured the same way. Both are sliced very thin and eaten cold as tapas, and both belong to the almadraba tradition that supplies fresh atún de almadraba. Bar menus in Cádiz also carry huevas aliñás, a different dish: boiled roe, often of a fish such as hake, dressed with chopped vegetables.
Mojama from Barbate
Mojama is the best-known salt-cured product of the tuna, and Barbate is the town most tied to it: salt-curing and wind-drying works sit on its breezy stretch of coast. Since the European Union registered Mojama de Barbate as a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP), the name is reserved for mojama made in Barbate and Vejer de la Frontera, both in Cádiz province, from wild tuna only.
The IGP grades the product. Extra comes from the inner part of the loin next to the spine, which is leaner. Primera comes from the neighbouring zones and carries more fat. On the plate the outside is dark brown, and a cut slice shows the grain of the loin.
Mojama is produced elsewhere too, notably in Huelva, so a label that says only "mojama" is not the Barbate product. Look for the IGP name on a package if that is what you want to buy.
How to order and eat them
Mojama is usually served in slices two to three millimetres thick with olive oil, sometimes with almonds. A dry fino or a cold beer is the classic pairing, and tuna roe goes with beer or amontillado.
| Product | How it arrives | Pairing to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Mojama | Wafer-thin slices, olive oil, often almonds | Fino or cold beer |
| Hueva de atún en salazón | Fine slices of a dark, hard block | Beer or amontillado |
| Huevas aliñás | Sliced boiled roe under a chopped dressing | Ask the bar |
Portions and prices differ from bar to bar and change with the catch, so check the menu or ask before ordering a larger plate. These are strong, salty flavours: start with a tapa-sized portion to share.
Where to try them in Cádiz
The old town has several taverns that serve salazones. Taberna La Sorpresa lists salted fish including Barbate mojama, Gorrión Wine Bar serves mojama with warm bread, and the counter at Casa Manteca in La Viña is known for mojama as well as chicharrones. Taberna Las Banderas listed salted tuna roe among its salazones on a 2024 menu. Stock rotates, so check what each bar has that day.
For fresh tuna rather than cured, see atún de almadraba; the spring route towns around Barbate also hold a gastronomic tuna week, with dates that change each year. The fried roe that appears next to pescaíto frito is a separate dish again.