SEASONED SPECK HALF

Seasoned Speck is a typical Trentino Alto Adige charcuterie product, whose origins lie in the Dolomites. Made from selected pork meat, Speck is one of the finest Italian cured meats. In fact, it owes its unique flavour to the preservation method employed, which involves a several-week-long maturing period in the fresh air and a light smoking process.

This cured meat is obtained from a completely deboned pork leg which, unlike the process performed to produce cured ham, is cut before being smoked. The characteristics described so far make the Seasoned Speck a product with a unique taste and highly versatile, which is why it has become part of the cuisine of starred chefs over the years.

It is excellent especially when paired

• with seasonal vegetables, legumes, soups, and tubers to add flavour to the courses and give them a smoky note;
• fresh and soft cheeses such as stracchino, robiola, or caprino or mature cheeses like taleggio and asiago;
• sweet fruit, such as figs or melon, which fit perfectly with the strong taste of this cured meat.

If served with a glass of good red wine from Trentino Alto Adige such as Trentino Lagrein DOC, the magic is done.

Processing

The processing of Speck begins with the preparation of the so-called “baffle”. During this phase, the pig thighs are boned and divided into pieces and the extra fat is removed. At this point, the pieces are seasoned with salt, pepper, juniper, and other natural aromas and left to marinate for about 30 days. At the end of this phase, the Speck is smoked in special rooms, using the smoke released from chimneys fed with beech chips and juniper berries, which give the Speck its typical aroma. After about 10 days from the beginning of the smoking process, the maturing phase finally begins and lasts several weeks.

Historical background

A combination of scents, intense but balanced aromas, and sweet notes: this is Seasoned Speck. It is an unmistakable product with ancient origins. In fact, traces of its existence can be found in documents dating back to 1200. In ancient times, South Tyrolean farmers produced Speck in order to preserve the meat for family consumption for a longer time. In fact, smoking made it possible to preserve the meat of pigs slaughtered in winter throughout the year. Today, Speck is still made according to the ancient recipes handed down from ancestors for over 100 years. Over time, Speck has become one of the most popular festive dishes and it is the most famous food of South Tyrol. It is a unique product, not only because of the type of processing it undergoes but, above all, because of the magic that lies behind this food.