Chireta

Chireta is an type of haggis. It is a flavorful rustic dish typical to the counties of, and , high up in the Spanish. In the Catalan counties of and, formerly territories united to the historic  in medieval , chireta is known as gireta, or girella, respectively.

Being a mountain recipe, nothing goes to waste: once the choice cuts of a slaughtered sheep have been reserved, the intestines, tripe, neck meat, minced liver including heart and lungs, are all used. This is enhanced with rice, chopped or, cured ham, , , a pinch of , , and.

Chireta literally means "inside out"—i.e., the sheep's intestines which make up the casings are cleaned and turned inside out for a smoother, more appetizing appearance.

The casing is cleaned in white vinegar, then rinsed very well before filling. The filling contains mixed with garlic, parsley, and seasoned chopped meats. Casings are filled about a half to two-thirds of the way with the rice mixture, taking care not to overfill them, as the rice will expand once the chiretas are boiled in the broth—otherwise they are likely to burst. Once trussed, and just before cooking, they are also examined to make sure any air pockets are pushed out.

Chiretas are usually served hot, as a main dish. However they taste just as good, if not better, when served up as, sliced, dipped in an egg-flour batter, and fried to a golden color.

Chiretas can be found on the menu in restaurants of the Ribagorza, and Sobrarbe regions, and can also be sampled as tapas in the wine valley cuisine of the Somontano area.

In 2002, a Somontano meat packer initiated a chireta festival, which has been running every year since then, around the third weekend of October. In 2002, they achieved a record entry in the  for the longest and heaviest chireta in the world: 103.75 meters (340 ft 4.6 in) long, weighing a total of 220 kg (485 lb).