Sant Joan cuts into 76‑kg sobrasada: village celebrates tradition on the Plaça

A sausage that brought the whole Plaça together

Late Friday midday, around 1:00 p.m., the Plaça of Sant Joan filled with people. The sun hung mild above the gables — about 27–28 °C, and a light wind from the Tramuntana provided a breeze. In the middle it stood on a long table: the sobrasada, round and slightly glossy, cut like a small mountain.

From one large pig came many jars of happiness

The village cultural centre had processed a very large animal in December — a pig that, according to local information, weighed well over 350 kilos. Among the products was a single, particularly large sobrasada of around 76 kilos. Today it was cut and distributed at the patronal festival.

The mood was relaxed. Old neighbours embraced, children ran with colourful ribbons through the alleys of the Carrer Major, and from the small oven beside the stall came the scent of freshly baked bread. Many arrived with plates, but just as many with their hands: pa amb oli, a little olive oil, and the first taste was a fact.

"This is our pride," said a woman from Sant Joan who has lived here for decades. "You don't see something like this often, and it brings people together." The organisers handed out small cardboard trays, the volunteers at the distribution were practiced and laughed a lot — the scene felt like a family celebration, only with more sausage.

Tradition meets the public

Sobrasada in Mallorca is more than a sausage: it's a piece of culture that belongs at festivals. Hundreds of visitors tried the speciality that afternoon. Some mixed in paprika, others preferred cheese with it. An older gentleman crumbled a piece of sobrasada onto his plate and served it alongside homemade wine — simple pleasures, no frills.

Practical information: Those who want to attend the next patronal festival should come early. The best spots on the Plaça fill up quickly, and the helpers distribute the samples in good‑natured haste. For many the event is a small but important moment: meeting neighbours, talking, and sharing something that comes from the village itself.

In the evening the festival wound down with music, voices on the Plaça, and the smell of spices lingered for a long time. Is the sobrasada really the “largest in the world”? That remains a pleasant anecdote. What mattered most that day was one thing: the connection between people and a long culinary tradition that is vibrantly lived in Sant Joan.