PROUD OF OUR CRAFT

THE PAST IN THE PRESENT

It is well known that even the Huns used to eat sausages made of pork minced with animal fat and seasoned with spices and salt. They left these forefathers of salami to cure between the saddle and the back of their horses during their migrations and invasions.

Later on, thanks to the Longobardi, who placed the capital of their reign in the Oltrepò Pavese, this “barbaric” practice became a tradition in Varzi.

But it was only with the noble Malaspina family, who reigned undisputed in the Oltrepò Pavese for several centuries, that this salami became a more refined product and was appreciated not only by the simple peasants but also at Court.

The continuous growth of trade, facilitated by the re-opening of the Romanic Via del Sale, which connects the Padan Plain with the sea in Liguria, transformed Varzi into an important town where it was possible to find large quantites of salt, spices and merchandise of all kinds. Add to this the pigs bred in the surrounding countryside rich with acorn woods, as well as the favourable climate, and you have the ideal conditions for curing and preserving salami and especially Salame di Varzi.

This process developed first in the monasteries and then spread throughout the area.

PASSIONATELY AND UNCOMPROMISINGLY

We work with passion, we have conserved the know-how of the artisans who came before us, and we pay attention to every detail. These qualities are applied to the three essential stages in the production of our Salame GranVarzi.

Meat: our meat is chosen from a careful selection of only the best hogs that have been fed using natural methods.

Processing: this is done entirely by hand. We follow the ancient traditions and tricks of the trade, from the snervatura (removal of stringy, connective tissue) to the mincing and seasoning, and the packing and tying of the casing, which is done using only natural pig-gut.

Curing: what makes the Salame GranVarzi one of the most sought after and inimitable products of its kind is the curing process. The climate in Varzi and the surrounding area is absolutely unique: the sea air that flows in from Liguria gives this salami particular aroma and inimitable characteristics.

HOW TO MAKE SALAME DI VARZI

The cuts of meat necessary for a PDO production are pork shoulder, loin, tenderloin, pork neck after careful snervatura (removal of stringy, connective tissue), suitably minced pork belly and minced pork of the finest quality. The lean-fat meat ratio must be 100gr. of lean/45gr. of fat. The pork is minced with a meat mincer with 12mm. openings, seasoned and packed into a pork casing, which is carefully perforated, and tied using a fine mesh. These are the ingredients and quantities that make up the seasoning:

1 – Sea salt 25gr/Kg. Max;
2 – Black pepper in grains 2gr/Kg. max;
3 – Filtered brew of garlic and red wine 10ml/Kg. max.

The minced salami is packed into a pig-gut casing, pierced, and tied using a fine mesh. The drying and curing takes place in aerated areas. Ventilators or air-conditioners are used where necessary. As for the period of curing, a Salame di Varzi that weighs less than 500gr. must stay in the cellars for at least 30 days. For other weights, we use the table below:

At the end of this curing period, the salami is ready, and it has to have these characteristics:

1 – Texture: tender and firm;
2 – Appearance on slicing: the meat must be vivid red and the white parts perfectly white;
3 – Taste: sweet and delicate, with a fragrant and characteristic aroma as a direct result of the curing period.

PORK BUTCHER’S GEMS

We limit production so that we can guarantee high quality and follow every step of the process carefully. That’s why we only use minced pork and do everything by hand just like our ancestors used to do. To understand our Salamis all you have to do is taste them: the tiny Filzettino, the classic Salame Cucito GranVarzi, as well as the unique Salame da Cuocere, and of course Cotechino, which is typically eaten on New Year’s Eve.