/ Our magazine / Carne salada, the specialty symbol of Trentino.
/ Our magazine / Carne salada, the specialty symbol of Trentino.
The choice of the best beef cuts, the massage of the meat during salting, and the skillful blending of aromas are the essential elements of a unique and unrepeatable Trentino specialty: carne salada!
True carne salada is a specialty of southern Trentino, in Alto Garda. It is a product obtained from strictly lean adult beef, raised on pasture, with precise organoleptic characteristics and coming from selected farms subjected to specific control regimes. It can also be made with other types of meat, such as veal or even horse, but the most well-known carne salada is absolutely that of beef.
Few people know exactly what carne salada is; often we find ourselves in front of pieces of meat, so to speak, “masked.” Carne salada is actually a type of fine and tasty meat whose secret lies in the chosen piece: the top round, which comes from the rear part of the thigh, and the rump, which is nothing more than the top round freed from an adductor muscle of the dairy cow.
Thus, carne salada is made with the most prized parts of the beef, but other ingredients are also used, usually aromatic plants such as rosemary and bay leaves, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper, a nice handful of juniper berries.
In 2015, Carne Salada obtained the De.Co., Denomination of Origin Communal, and to this day enjoys recognition as P.A.T. (Traditional Agri-food Product). This shows how much the dish, although tied to the territory and its popular soul, is well received and appreciated even in high-quality culinary preparations, and its success has been deservedly rewarded.
As early as the '400s, there are traces of this dish in Trentino, and today it has become a true bastion of the cuisine of this region.
Carne salada is a dish that surely stands out in the tradition of Trentino and of which we can already find traces in a 15th-century manuscript entitled “Libro de cosina composto et ordinato per lo hegregio homo Martino de Rubei de la Valle de Bregna, coquo dell'illustre Signore Johanne Jacobo Trivulzio.”
In addition to the writings of the time, carne salada also appears in “L’antico focolare” by the baroness and writer Giulia Turcati Lazzari (1848-1912) and in “La nostra cucina – piatti vecchi e nuovi alla trentina fra la polenta e sguazet e il tonco de pontesel” by the spouses Anna Lucia and Carlo Alberto Bauer, who made the carne salada recipe a fundamental element of Trentino cuisine.
The first testimonies of cattle farming in Trentino and the preparation of this specialty are therefore very ancient. Its origins seem to trace back to a poor and peasant culture, linked to the pastoralism of the high valleys of the region. If we think about the harsh winters characterizing these areas, it is easy to understand how the preparation of meat stocks during the milder summer months had to meet the winter dietary needs of large families.
Fortunately, already in the 1600s, as reported by Michel'Angelo Mariani in his book Trento con il Sacro Concilio et Altri Notabili, the abundance of cattle allowed for the widespread diffusion of this meat preservation method, at least within the Trentino borders. And thus, from a characteristic dish of Trento, it rapidly received the unconditional favor of consumers.
»CHECK OUT OUR MEAT SELECTION«
Usually, when we talk about carne salada, we refer to beef, but it can also be from veal or horse, as mentioned before (sometimes it is also made from pork). The nutritional properties of carne salada depend on the type of meat, salt, and aromas used.
For example, 100 grams of beef-based carne salada prepared with coarse salt, pepper, garlic, aromatic herbs, and juniper berries provide about 130 kilocalories distributed as follows:
• 20.87 g of Protein
• 1.85 g of Carbohydrates (of which 1.64 g of Sugars)
• 1.3 g of Fats (of which 0.638 g of saturated fatty acids, 0.564g of monounsaturated fatty acids, 0.047 g of polyunsaturated fatty acids)
• 53 mg of Cholesterol
• 1,873 mg of Sodium
• 195 mg of Potassium
The issue that is usually associated with the consumption of animal-origin foods, although they are undisputed sources of noble proteins, is the quantity of saturated fats and cholesterol present in them.
In the case of carne salada, as can be noted, this factor is significantly reduced due to the removal of visible fat even before processing.
Carne salada is a nutritious dish, rich in protein, gluten-free, and low in fats. In the past, it was often used to make simple and flavorful boiled dishes. Over time, culinary production techniques have refined and multiplied. For this reason, today we find carne salada stir-fried, grilled, pan-seared perhaps with sautéed porcini mushrooms or cooked on the grill, if cut slightly thicker. It becomes a succulent main course to be served with a side of vegetables or a bean salad.
But the versatility of this dish also consists of other polyhedral combinations, especially if “raw,” meaning a single ingredient. It is notably suitable for quick appetizers if the meat is cut very thin and paired with soft and tender cheeses.
A classic, practical example: raw carpaccio of carne salada, a quick, fresh preparation, great for summer, where black bread is almost always served alongside it. Just a little extra virgin olive oil, shavings of Parmigiano, arugula, a sprinkle of lemon, and it’s done.
TV chefs have introduced us to raw carne salada also in the form of tartare made with commonly found ingredients, such as chives, freshly ground black pepper, and capers, giving us several times a truly stylish touch to put into practice on occasion. We could assert without fear, in short, that Trentino carne salada possesses multitasking personality and represents the right compromise for those seeking taste and lightness.
The preparation of carne salada occurs according to clear and well-defined criteria, which first involves the elimination of all the fatty parts. The cut of beef used to cook carne salada is generally the top round, a very good part, but it can also come from other muscle parts, as we have seen, such as the rump or even the round.
Secondly, a first marinade, called “dry,” is applied using coarse salt, chopped garlic, and freshly ground black pepper; if a sweeter flavor is desired, cinnamon and some cloves can be added.
The meat then undergoes brining, immersed with mixed aromatic herbs and juniper berries for about a month. To ensure that the mixture of aromas penetrates the cut well, the meat is scrupulously massaged every 3-4 days to avoid clumps of spices and achieve a soft result with an unmistakable fragrance.
Modern Trentino tradition suggests enjoying carne salada (here you find our selection of meat), especially in summer, raw as carpaccio with a quick, refreshing dressing based on extra virgin olive oil and shavings of Parmigiano (if you are a native Trentino, you would probably use shavings of Trentingrana and extra virgin olive oil from Garda Trentino D.O.P.), and a few slices of apple.
For those who do not want to give up the taste of “simplicity,” this meat also lends itself to the quick preparation of delicious snacks and tasty appetizers like finger food made of sliced bread, carne salada, and creamy cheese spreads or fun stuffed rolls even with the addition of ricotta.
One well-known and very popular recipe is the typical carne salada e fasoi. Let’s see it together.
Ingredients for 4 people:
• 16 slices of Carne Salada
• 200 g of dried Beans
• 1 Onion
• 1 Lemon
• 2 leaves of Sage
• 1 sprig of Rosemary
• Oil
• Pepper
• Sea salt
»CHECK OUT OUR MEAT SELECTION«
After soaking the beans overnight, drain and dry the legumes the next morning with a kitchen towel. Take a pot, add plenty of salted water. Cook the beans for the necessary amount of time (about 1 hour).
Once ready, take a small saucepan and add a drizzle of oil. Sauté the onion, a couple of sage leaves, and a sprig of rosemary for about 4-5 minutes. After that, add the beans to the saucepan and continue cooking, stirring constantly. At this point, flavor the beans by sautéing them for about 5 minutes.
Now let’s move on to the preparation of the carne salada.
Gather a small bowl, add plenty of oil and the juice of a lemon; finally, whisk with a whisk to obtain a light emulsion.
Let it marinate for about 20 minutes. Arrange the slices of carne salada on a serving platter accompanied by the beans and the emulsified mixture. Garnish everything with a sprinkle of pepper. A taste of polenta and a spoonful of blueberry jam would not go amiss to give that perfect contrast.
And if it’s cold? Why not use a warm vegetable that, thanks to its fibers, gives you an immediate sense of satiety like pumpkin?
Now let’s discover a winter recipe.
Ingredients for 4 people:
• 600 g of Trentino carne salada cut into thin slices
• 400 g of pumpkin
• 1 small onion
• 50 g of toasted pumpkin seeds
• 150 g of hard blue cheese (preferably with sharp notes)
• sea salt
• oil
• a knob of butter
Peel the pumpkin, cut it into cubes, and place it in a pan with a sauté of oil and onion, cooking covered for about half an hour.
Blend the mixture with a knob of butter, then place a spoonful of pumpkin cream on the serving plate, laying the slices of carne salada over it with a drizzle of oil, adding the pumpkin seeds, and lastly crumbling some blue cheese on top of the dish.
Beyond the recipes that each of us may discover or know, here’s an unsolicited tip: if you visit a "DOC Trentino" to try any carne salada recipe, don’t show up without a full-bodied red wine. Make him dream, and he will invite you again!
Anna Cesaro
S&M
We recommend that you enjoy
✔ You have added the product to your cart!
