/ Our magazine / Speck, the noble cured meat from the Tyrolean mountains.
/ Our magazine / Speck, the noble cured meat from the Tyrolean mountains.
The speck is the prince of cured meats from the Trentino-Alto Adige, particularly from South Tyrol. It is one of the many gastronomic excellences of Italy that you can purchase on Spaghetti e Mandolino. Whether raw or cooked, speck is a true delicacy with a unique flavor and unmistakable aroma that deserves to be told in all its details.
The first documents containing the word speck date back to the 18th century, but even with different definitions and names, it appeared in the regulations of butchers and the accounting records of Tyrolean nobles as early as 1200. In the past, speck was produced due to the need to preserve meat and was primarily intended for family consumption. It allowed for the preservation of pork from the pigs that were slaughtered during the Christmas season throughout the year. Over time it has become one of the main dishes during celebrations and banquets.
Even today, alongside rye bread, wine, and beer, it is the undisputed star of the South Tyrolean merenda. This latter is an ancient ritual that has always brought people together. Among farmers, it was traditional to gather in the late afternoon after a demanding workday for a substantial snack. Speck was born from the combination of two methods of preserving meat: curing, as with raw ham in the Mediterranean area, and smoking, typical of Northern Europe. Thus, South Tyrol created a typical product that is unmistakable in both production and flavor, according to the traditional rule "little salt, little smoke, and lots of air."
The essential element for preparing speck is the selection of the meat to be used: only the best pork hindquarters are selected, which are deboned and cut according to a strict regulation.
The first processing phase is dry salting, which involves the use of classic spices such as salt, pepper, garlic, and juniper berries. This operation lasts for three weeks, after which the hindquarters are turned several times to ensure they absorb the brine well.
The subsequent phases are smoking and aging. The first is done with woods like spruce, beech, and pine, which impart their aromas to the meat. Smoking occurs at a temperature that never exceeds 20°C. This phase also lasts about three weeks, during which the meat acquires its traditional amber color. Aging, like smoking, will also occur at a constant temperature that will not exceed 20°C.
The speck is then hung in large rooms for an average period of 22 weeks, during which a layer of mold forms, which will then be completely removed. These operations are rarely done at home unless suitable environments for making this delicious smoked ham are available.
The dishes that use speck are truly numerous. Besides the classic stuffed sandwich, you can prepare tasty appetizers, first courses, savory pies, omelets, pizzas, and salads. If we were in Trentino, we would definitely recommend trying one of the typical dishes: canederli. This is a traditional dish of Tyrolean cuisine, also called Knödel. This tasty dish is certainly one of the most known and appreciated in Trentino cuisine, very caloric and nutritious, especially suitable for the autumn and winter seasons.
But also, a careful and refined selection of cured meats, including speck, combined with cheeses and mustards could earn you the admiration of your gourmet friends. And let's not forget the wines: from sparkling to dry white, from rosé to structural red. The fundamental thing is to choose a wine that can harmonize with the speck. For example, you can choose a red wine like a Pinot Noir or a Traminer, or a white wine with a distinctly aromatic flavor.
If you're craving speck and even want it delivered directly to your home, what you need to do is certainly rely on Spaghetti e Mandolino. On this portal, you can find speck of different types, such as those produced by Corrado Benedetti, Pavoncelli, Salumificio Pedrazzoli and La Casara. In particular, the smoked aged speck by Pavoncelli is produced from a selection of fresh deboned pork hindquarters, trimmed in the typical speck shape or shield fashion, with the fillet removed and made free of fat. It is preferred by many because it is much easier to taste compared to the classic variant: it is not a cured meat, but thanks to natural smoking and steaming, the flavor remains delicate yet tasty and persistent.
Now all you have to do is order. Enjoy your meal!
Francesco Scuderi
S&M
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