South Tyrolean bacon
The South Tyrolean Speck PGI (It: Speck Alto Adige IGP ; Ladin : Cioce ) is a mildly smoked raw ham that has matured for at least 22 weeks and is produced in South Tyrol . Südtiroler Speck has been a protected geographical indication (PGI) of the European Union since 1996 .
origin
South Tyrolean Speck PGI differs from comparable bacon or ham products in the way it is manufactured. While ham is preserved by smoking north of the Alps and air-dried in southern Italy, the South Tyroleans have combined both production processes. The legs , called Schlegel in South Tyrol, are only lightly cold smoked and then matured for at least 22 weeks.
History and tradition
The term “bacon” appears for the first time in the history of South Tyrol in documents from the 18th century. The word appears under different names and definitions in the commercial registers and butcher's regulations from 1200 onwards. The term bacon comes from the Middle and Old High German bacon and actually means “thick, fat”. South Tyrolean Speck PGI should not be confused with the term "Speck", which is common in today's German usage, and describes a fatty belly bacon. In the history of South Tyrol, bacon was made by South Tyrolean farmers to preserve the meat - the ham was intended for household use. Traditionally, the pigs were slaughtered at Christmas time. By making bacon, the meat was preserved for the whole year. Bacon is an integral part of South Tyrolean cuisine . A typical dish is, for example, South Tyrolean bacon dumplings . In South Tyrol, South Tyrolean bacon, together with bread and wine, is the main character of the original Marende , the typical South Tyrolean snack. Every year in autumn the South Tyrolean Speck Festival is held in the Funes Valley .
Manufacturing
The “South Tyrolean Speck PGI” quality mark is only allowed to be given to ham that is produced using traditional methods. Lean pork legs are used for the ham. In contrast to Parma ham , the ham is separated from the thigh bone before production. Then the meat is seasoned with natural herbs. The use of synthetic products is excluded. Even today every producer has his own family recipe for his spice blend. The differences in taste due to the different spice mixtures (including salt, pepper, rosemary, bay leaf and juniper) do not represent a quality defect, but rather represent the authenticity of the ham. The flails are cured in a cool room for up to three weeks before smoking. During this time, the hams are turned several times to allow the curing mass to penetrate. The salt content in the end product must not be more than 5%. Treating the meat to speed up production, such as spray curing , is prohibited. The taste of South Tyrolean bacon is created in the following smoking process. The temperature of the smoke must not exceed 20 ° C. The hams are alternately lightly smoked and air-dried using selected resin-poor wood. This is how the South Tyrolean Speck PGI gets its mild taste. Even today, beech wood is mainly used for cold smoking . In the following weeks, the Speck Alto Adige ripens in accordance with local traditions in rooms at max. 15 ° C, 60–90% humidity and good air exchange. This creates a (harmless to health) layer of mold that gives the meat a nutty taste. At the end of the aging process, it is washed off. Only after the quality control is the trademark "South Tyrolean Speck PGI" branded into the rind .
quality
The PGI award is granted by the European Union to selected products that are manufactured using traditional methods in a specific area. Since 1996, South Tyrolean Speck PGI has only been allowed to be called ham that is made from the flail and using traditional methods in South Tyrol. In order to ensure this quality, the protection association called "Consortium Südtiroler Speck" was founded in 1992. Only manufacturers who have contractually agreed to produce ham using the traditional method and who are subject to controls are allowed to produce Speck Alto Adige. Together with the independent control institute INEQ (Istituto Nord Est Qualità), the South Tyrolean Speck Consortium has developed a system that monitors compliance with the quality criteria in every step of the ham production: from the selection of the meat to smoking to the finished bacon. In addition to the ripening time, the ratio of lean and fat and salt content, the inspectors also check the appearance, consistency, aroma and taste.
South Tyrolean bacon
This specialty is made in a similar way. The main feature is the quality, which is created by the pigs, which are kept in a species-appropriate manner on small-scale South Tyrolean farms and fed with specially selected feed. The result is pigs that make particularly crumbly bacon. In contrast to the South Tyrolean bacon, other meat parts of the animal are also processed.
Web links
- Official website of the Südtiroler Speck Consortium
- Information on South Tyrolean specialties
- South Tyrolean Speck Festival
Individual evidence
- ↑ Tradition with flavor - Südtiroler Speck, publisher Südtiroler Speck Consortium, Athesia 2011, p. 56.
- ↑ Manufacturer's specification Südtiroler Speck ( Memento of the original from October 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b Consortium Südtiroler Speck ( Memento of the original from October 10, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
