/ Typical products / Cured meats / Cup / Typical products / Cured meats / CupLet's reveal a secret right away: with the terms coppa or capocollo (less frequently capicollo), we usually refer to the same type of cured meat, the first term is used in the northern regions of Italy while the second primarily in the central-southern and southern regions (here we talked in detail about capocollo).
Coppa is a rather fatty cured meat and among the richest in sodium overall. Coppa is produced from the neck muscles of pigs. The production is spread throughout our peninsula, and the recipes (and consequently the caloric contents) vary depending on the area in which it is made. Coppa is called ossocollo in Veneto, capocollo in Campania, finocchiata in Siena, lonza in Lazio or lonzino in Marche and Abruzzo.
It is a cased meat that is present in the Italian territory with various interpretations and recipes, and it is obtained from the processing of the upper part of the pig's neck and part of the shoulder. The best way to enjoy this magnificent cured meat is to slice it with a knife and simply pair it with a slice of homemade bread and a glass of good red wine. There are many types of coppa: from the one in Parma to the Piacentina reaching the Calabrian, each marked by its own Igp or Dop brand.
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The Cup is a sausage obtained by processing the upper portion of the pig's neck and a part of the shoulder. Find out more!
The pork cup is one of the finest pork products alongside ham and back fat.
As early as 1632, Canon Giovanbattista Barpo mentioned the packaging of ‘hams and soppressate’ in his book “The Delights of Agriculture and the Villa”. Here, ‘hams’ refers to the meats from whole pieces (thighs, shoulders, loins) salted and subjected to light pressure to aid in water extraction.
Today, the cup is generally produced by professional butchers, especially by large producers. Since the 1980s, artificial casing has mostly been used, which speeds up the stuffing process and is safer from a hygiene perspective.
There is no single method for making the cup; it is a cured meat whose recipe varies from region to region. Generally speaking, the meats are salted and massaged, a necessary operation to ensure that the salt is evenly distributed. They are then stuffed into a natural casing and aged for several months.
During processing, spices and herbs typical of the different production areas are added. In the past, for the aging process, the meat was wrapped in coarse cloth or tied with hemp twine.
The ossocollo is prepared from the pork cup, the muscular part around the neck bone. It is trimmed and sprinkled with salt, pepper, cloves, and cinnamon, then stuffed into natural casings of adult cattle and left to age for a long time, during which its distinctive flavor develops. It is one of the most famous and traditional cured meats in Italian history. When sliced, it is aromatic and characteristic, with an intense flavor that leans towards sweetness.
The cup is a cured meat with multiple uses, which pairs well with various dishes thanks to its particular spicy flavor, bold yet never overly intrusive. In its dried form, considered as cured meat, the cup can be an excellent substitute for the usual pasta with bacon or amatriciana.
The cup is generally served as slices, to be enjoyed with bread. The Piacenza and Parma cups (here's our in-depth article on Parma cup) are often offered as an appetizer, also paired with apples. It pairs excellently with Bonarda wine.
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