TRADITIONAL CULATELLO

THE BEST WAYS TO TASTE IT

With its sweet and delicate taste and a typical aroma that combines freshness and a slight savoriness, Culatello is a true pleasure for the palate. True lovers of Culatello often prefer tasting it pure, that is, without any accompaniment, so as to fully appreciate all the nuances of its aroma and flavour.
For an authentic tasting experience, it can be paired with a glass of white wine from the same area of origin, such as Fortana. This wine pairs beautifully because of its freshness and its ability to enhance the delicate flavours of Culatello.
For those who wish to combine Culatello with something that contrasts and enhances at the same time its delicate flavour, a traditional choice is eating it with “torta fritta” bread. The latter, also known as the Parma variant of the Modenese “gnocco fritto” or the Bolognese Crescentina, is a leavened and fried dough that makes a soft and tasty accompaniment to the distinctive flavour of Culatello.
In addition, Culatello can be used as a valuable ingredient in a variety of recipes, from pasta dishes to risottos. Another delicious option is to use Culatello in tasty meat rolls: wrap thin slices of meat with Culatello and slowly cook them in a pan or in the oven for a succulent, flavour-packed result.

PROCESSING

Culatello is characterized by a reddish color with white fatty parts.
It is obtained by processing pork meat, specifically a very valuable portion of the animal, namely the muscular part of the thigh.
For the production of Culatello, fat, bones, rind and the so-called “fiocchetto” are removed. This hand-trimming makes the meat acquire its characteristic “pear” shape. Next, the meat is salted, bagged, hand-tied with a string and, finally, cured. Curing ranges from 10 to 14 months depending on the size of the product.

BACKGROUND

Culatello finds its origins in the historical peasant culture, still present today in the farmhouses of the lower Parma area, where thanks to the living culinary tradition the quality of the food remains an undisputed aspect. The production of Culatello, exclusively artisanal, was linked to the habits of farmers; they raised and slaughtered only one, or at most two, pigs per year destined for their own diet. It is said, that culatello was born “by mistake” after the clumsy cut of a ham which made necessary to portion it. Others state that it depends on the very humid climate that prevented the pork leg from being cured whole. Therefore, the fresh ham was boned and the two resulting parts were cured separately: the culatello and the “fiocchetto” (which corresponds to the smaller part).