I'll add this here. Good read:
https://www.salumificiopevericarlo.com/culatello-di-zibello/
The Po and the fog: the location of culatello di zibello
The environment that is the background to the production of the " Culatello di Zibello” is painted in the confines of a unique landscape that sees the flow of the Po river as the protagonist and that is drawn with the soft, impalpable, velvety tones of an atmosphere made even more suggestive by the fog: a natural phenomenon that, as we will see, highlights the importance of the climate of these areas, an absolutely indispensable element for the creation of a delicacy today appreciated and famous all over the world and whose origins go very far in time, since culatello is already told from 1322.
In the splendid scenery of the countryside of the Bassa Parmense, thanks to the strong humidity, winter and summer, it is characterized, in fact, the type of climate most suitable for the management of its maturation: the period of maturation that allows to obtain this delight for the table and for the palate, expression of an inimitable gluttony and that offers a truly wide and remarkable organoleptic vision, so as to merit the now famous and more than adequate definition of “King of Italian cured meats”.
The artisan value
At the base of the goodness of culatello di zibello there is the artisan experience, the love for tradition, a skilled and skilful craftsmanship that, handed down from generation to generation, still today represents the distinctive and indispensable trait to make this product unique in its kind and whose very high quality has been certified by the D. O. P. brand.
The "Culatello di Zibello “stands out, because it is” handmade", exclusively in the months from October to February, using very few tools, as well as absolutely genuine and traditional is the method of processing that never provides for the addition of chemical additives, anti-fermentatives, preservatives of any kind.
Manual skills: a real art
The part of meat from which it originates is the back muscle, deprived of rind and fat, expertly boned and trimmed in the upper part to obtain the famous and typical “pear”shape. It is obtained from the fresh leg of pigs fed only with cereals, born and raised in very specific areas that must necessarily refer to the regions of Emilia Romagna and Lombardy, as indicated by the Production Regulations.
In this way, what is called a “noble cut” is obtained, particularly tender and tasty, weighing about 6-7 kg, which, after being tied to compact the shape, must first be soaked with garlic-flavored Fortana wine and then carefully massaged: both the wine, due to its alcohol content, and the garlic have, in fact, a proven and valid antibacterial action, as well as being useful to begin to define the fragrance and the underlying flavor of the product.
The balance of an expert salting
The following operation to be performed, very important, is that of salting, for which we proceed using natural sea salt to which a quantity of previously crushed peppercorns is added.
The secret to make it perfectly balanced, as it must be, marks another point in favor of the artisan experience, which allows you to acquire the skill necessary to manage the right amount of salt to be used and that must be continuously verified by performing a manual test, so when, touching the meat, the salt is perceived just below the meat itself, you will have the confidence of having obtained the optimal result, adequate to make the flavor of a culatello of the highest quality.
After salting the culatello di zibello and having soaked it again with the flavored wine, it is moved to put it at rest for 5-6 days during which it will have to be massaged again with the wine to promote a better penetration of the salt.
The investiture of the culatello di zibello
After the rest period, the culatello is “dressed " with a pig bladder, which, being completely natural, guarantees maximum elasticity and adapts perfectly to the changes in the volume of the meat that, inevitably, will occur during the seasoning period, so as to make the cut lose between 40% and 50% of the initial weight.
It should be emphasized that the bladder used for this purpose is always first well cleaned, washed, inflated, disinfected and sterilized with high-quality vinegar and, finally, turned over.
At the investiture follows the stitching of the bladder, in order to close it carefully and make it so that it is well adherent to the meat before moving on to punching: an operation necessary to eliminate the possible presence of air bubbles between the gut and the meat itself.
Harnessing and tying
The harness of the culatello di zibello, that is, a first longitudinal binding of the meat, precedes its accurate and traditional lateral binding: two steps that have not only the practical and necessary purpose of creating a sort of spider web armor – the so – called “castle” - to allow you to easily hang the salami during the drying and seasoning period, but, above all, to realize a compression that will help to release the amount of serous fluid produced and, therefore, to eliminate it more easily.
After being well tied and punched again on its surface to allow the liquids to begin to come out, the culatello di zibello is finally ready for the next stages of processing, to which it will pass after being provided with the seal certifying its characteristic of a D. O. P. brand product, as well as providing an indication of the month and year of salting, important for traceability.
Drying and seasoning of culatello di zibello
The characteristics of the environment and the climate play a fundamental role in carrying out the next two steps: the first, that of drying, important to define the softness of the meat, can take place optimally, in fact, only in a place with a dry climate and that can be heated for this purpose using stoves.
The subsequent seasoning of the culatello di zibello must, too, take place in absolutely suitable premises, such as, typically, the underground cellars of the producing companies, in which there is an effective exchange of air through windows facing North, East, West and with that strong humidity able to activate the action of the so-called white noble molds, originating from the old culatelli, then go to act and integrate with those of recent production.
In an environment of this type, in which the ideal microclimate is guaranteed and taking care to periodically move the position of the sausages, it is possible, in fact, to easily carry out the natural chemical process of fragmentation of meat proteins and thus to create the splendid organoleptic range that characterizes the final product and that acquires further intensity and nuances of flavor during a total maturation time lasting at least 16-17 months and up to even longer periods of 35-40 months.
Quality evaluation
After 10 months from the beginning of the seasoning, the value of culatello is evaluated, proceeding first with the operation of beating its surface and, then, using the “fibula” – a sort of long needle obtained from a horse bone – which is penetrated into the meat to collect the organoleptic characteristics.
In this way, the quality of its scent and fragrance can be judged by smell, thus anticipating the quality of the taste and confirming the good work done by the manufacturer.
The ceremony of preparation for cutting
Once seasoned and before passing to the taste, the culatello must, however, be prepared for cutting following some very precise steps that start from the elimination of the tying twine and bladder and continue with a thorough washing and brushing under running water, before wrapping it with a white cloth, of natural fabric, previously soaked with white wine.
Protected in this cloth, it must spend a period of time of 2 days of further rest, at the end of which it can be cut in half: it is the moment in which the direct contact with its delicacy is realized and is accomplished, with the cut, the operation of great sensory suggestion that will allow the salami to spread in the air that typical and delicious fragrance that must and can be well protected simply by spreading a veil of butter on each cut part and then wrapping the culatello in a linen cloth, taking care to keep it in an environment with cool temperature.
How to slice zibello culatello in the ideal way
To appreciate all the quality, the "Culatello di Zibello" must be cut at room temperature and obtaining very thin slices to enjoy it in a deep and complete way.
To adequately accomplish this further step, care must be taken to use an older generation slicer, capable of cutting with a smaller number of rotations than the newer models. The advantage of running more slowly ensures, in fact, to avoid raising the temperature during the cutting phase and, consequently, to damage with the action of heat the purity and freshness of the culatello base.
A unique taste in the world
https://www.salumificiopevericarlo.com/culatello-di-zibello/