Vilaller butcher shop Porté-Estop wins triple crown at Girona Gastronomic Forum

The Alta Ribagorça establishment swept all three awards in the National 'Pilota' and Black Sausage Competition.

Generic image of traditional meat products for making Catalan escudella stew.
IA

Generic image of traditional meat products for making Catalan escudella stew.

The Porté-Estop butcher shop from Vilaller emerged as the big winner at the National Competition for Pilota and Black Sausage held this Monday in Girona, taking home all three top prizes.

The establishment from the Alta Ribagorça region secured awards for the best black sausage, the best 'pilota' (meatball), and the best overall combination for the traditional escudella stew. The event took place during the 12th Girona Gastronomic Forum at the Palau de Fires.
Eight butcher shops from across Catalonia participated in this pilot edition of the contest. A professional jury evaluated the entries based on quality, traditional techniques, and flavor balance. This year's forum focused on escudella i carn d'olla as a key identity dish of Catalan cuisine.
The competition was supported by the Fundació Oficis de la Carn and GremiCarn. Experts such as Pròsper Puig, Mireia Sellarès, and Toni Seli served on the jury, highlighting the importance of preserving artisanal meat-working traditions in the region.