Cure That Salami Craving…

It starts with a high quality protein, and ends months later with a savory, seasoned slab of deliciousness…take a peek at how great salami was born and is still made by US artisans.

Tribal Roots. Curing meat has been around for more than 2,000 years, learned by the Romans from the Lucanians, an ancient tribe of southern Italy.  The word ‘salami’ from the Italian, ‘salare,’ meaning ‘to salt,’ has its roots in the way Roman Legionnaires were often paid—with salt (which is why the word ‘salary’ also stems backs to ‘salare’).  Although salt will never replace a paycheck these days, the process is still followed today by faithful practitioners of the art.

American Renaissance. “Cured meats are going through a renaissance through producers like me who are going back to the old ways -- finding good meat, preparing it simply and aging their salumi longer," says longtime chef and creator of Fra’Mani Handcrafted Salumi, Paul Bertolli. But, he cautions, “it's not easy to make salami, and it's not at all easy to make it well.” The process begins with the grinding of both lean and fatty parts of the pig, followed by seasoning.  Famed Italian artisan salami maker Christiano Creminilli uses high quality sea salt and spices such as black pepper, garlic, powder, nutmeg, sugar, chili flakes and cloves. The mixture is then stuffed into a natural casing, tied, and then fermented. The key goal is to control temperature and humidity—the salt pulls the water out and the high humidity prevents the meat from drying out too much. Bacteria and mold are also formed during fermentation. Bertolli built computer-controlled aging rooms for each state of salami’s life: gocciolamento, dripping; asciugamento, drying; and stagionatura, ripening. “But you still need a person to go in, and (for instance) see that the mold is growing faster on one side and turn the rack around,” he explains. “It's something that needs to be tended to all the time.”

Americans are devouring it with gusto, according to Specialty Foods Magazine, who reports that what has happened to cheese in this country over the past 20 years is what is happening with charcuterie now. Armandino Batali’s, father of Molto Mario, opened Seattle-based Salumi, offering hand crafted products for restaurants and delis, drawing lavish praise, such as “Hold up a piece of any one of Batali's salamis and you'll see a carnal kaleidoscope, with bits of rosy hues and solid or clear whites, a slice of careful handiwork.” Son Mario carries on the tradition at his Mozza empire in LA, with a certified salumi program, a first in the city that is now salumi-obsessed, according to the LA Times. Over on the other coast, chefs are increasingly making their own cured meat, a sideline that has become a badge of culinary honor, according to the NY Times.

Slice It Up Nice. Soft or cooked salami should be cut fine, 1-2 mm slices are best so that they almost melt in the mouth rather than being overly chewy, hard or dry aged salami should be cut thick enough to be able to stand on its edge. Serving suggestions from life in Italy.com: Pair similar salami from different producers, or different sausages from the same producer. Taste prosciutto di Parma side-by-side with jamon serrano. Build a range of flavors and textures. Offer some silky prosciutto or mortadella to balance the sharper, drier sausages. Pour different wines and see how they match the various meats. Use it as a topping or stuffing, or as a perfect picnic food. As an appetizer, it’s supreme, says Bertolli: “It gets the body awakened to what is to come. There are all of these wonderful aromas you get from meat that's been aged properly. It appeals to the animal in people.” Go minimal, as recommended by La Cucina Italiana: “You don’t need much more than some crusty bread and a good bottle of wine. After all, great salumi stands on its own.” 

The Deluxe Assortment. Salami is as varied as the regions of Italy, some of the major players include:

o       Finnochiona, from Tuscany, made with fennel seeds, pepper and garlic, dry aged for 3-4 months.

o       Mortadella, a large sausage of finely chopped, cured pork and beef with added cubes of white fat, spiced with garlic and anise, and air-dried.

o       Cacciatora, small enough for a hunter to carry with it on his shoulder, less than 8 inches long and 12 oz.

o       Salame di Felino, a soft, delicate sausage flavored with peppercorns, garlic and white wine.

o       Salame Milano, the most common salami, made from equal parts minced pork, fat and beef, and seasoned with pepper, garlic and white wine; deep red and speckled with grains of fat that resemble rice.

o       Salame Sardo, a fiery red salami from Sardinia with a rustic flavor and lots of red pepper.

o       Salame Napoletano, similar to the Salamo Sardo, contains both black and red pepper.

o       Soppressatta Calabrese, made from coarsely chopped meat and fat, seasoned with red wine, salt, pepper and peppercorns, then pressed under a weight.

Belly up to the Deli with a fresh, clean flavor that makes a difference!