Spalla Cruda....The Reveal!

[indaswamp]

Dinner night at a friends house. Appetizer tonight was Spalla Cruda with Mellon, Honey and Balsamic Vinegar....

This dish is over 3000 years old. Simple ingredients, but off the charts incredible! Took me a while to find the perfect ripe cantaloupe for this. I must have checked 40~50 between 2 stores. Served with a good bottle of Moscato d'Asti sparkling wine....excellent pairing!!!

 

[geostriata]

Looks so amazing!

I'm really curious about how it tastes. Do you think there's anything we can buy in the states that might be similar?

Edit: Ah, here we go. I couldn't find Spalla Cruda in the states, but Culatello is available. I'm hoping that should be similar at least.

 

[indaswamp]

Looks so amazing!

I'm really curious about how it tastes. Do you think there's anything we can buy in the states that might be similar?

Edit: Ah, here we go. I couldn't find Spalla Cruda in the states, but Culatello is available. I'm hoping that should be similar at least.

If it does not say "Culatello di Zibello" then it is not an authentic D.O.P. product. This is the one you want...
https://www.amazon.com/Culatello-Zi...cery&sprefix=Culatello+di+,grocery,120&sr=1-1

 

[geostriata]

If it does not say "Culatello di Zibello" then it is not an authentic D.O.P. product. This is the one you want...
https://www.amazon.com/Culatello-Zibello-Italian-Cured-Protected/dp/B081ZF8K47/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AEWTO6MKJ4HU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.C2XNSgFjYadD9Vtq8YvRPCFZY5gaoCsGy-5X73RQwAiPsejoP89YeD_-deBqBdQN7V48Y7E1cxz_HZ3g2cIag0U0qSHyPR2cvQFl3ioXrkc.xQRcRbkGF60oeRB1fZh_n7Ht61tGkS7tqwLlca3ngII&dib_tag=se&keywords=culatello+di+zibello+italian+cured+pork+meat&qid=1721253042&s=grocery&sprefix=Culatello+di+,grocery,120&sr=1-1

Ah, thanks for that! Glad I didn't try the inauthentic product. Guess I've got to save up a bit for the good one though, haha.

 

[indaswamp]

Can order the real deal Spalla Cruda di Palasone di Sissa Here:
https://www.bredelgallo.it/en/our-cured-meats/spalla

 

[MeatCharter]

Spalla Cruda is more like Coppa and Lardo combined. Nothing compares to Cultello....The slow drying of the Culatello is one of the main reasons for the unique flavor.

OK. You sold me on a Culatello! I found a Berkshire Pig farm that has their own butcher that is familiar with it and have done them before.

Any written online recipe you recommend?

 

[indaswamp]

OK. You sold me on a Culatello! I found a Berkshire Pig farm that has their own butcher that is familiar with it and have done them before.

Any written online recipe you recommend?

3.25% coarse sea salt (important!)
0.25% very coarsely cracked black pepper

Rub down with garlic infused lambrusco red wine( save this for later after initial application) then apply the salt and pepper. Use 80% of this on the exposed lean areas, the rest on the fat side. Place the piece on a rack in a pan....lean side up (important!) place in area 36-40*F; 80% humidity for 2 days. On the third day, start massaging the piece by hand to drive the salt in faster. Repeat for the next 3 days. On the 6th day, case and truss. Hang in chamber 38-40*F; 85%RH for 2 months, then increase chamber temp. to 55*F; 85-90%RH for 5-6 weeks. this will cause and explosion in mold growth. You should smell ammonia in your chamber. This is what you want. The mold is secreting enzymes into the piece which breakdown fats and proteins and create ammonia as a by-product.

 

[indaswamp]

Dry for minimum 16 months. 2 years is better.....

 

[MeatCharter]

3.25% coarse sea salt (important!)
0.25% very coarsely cracked black pepper

Rub down with garlic infused lambrusco red wine( save this for later after initial application) then apply the salt and pepper. Use 80% of this on the exposed lean areas, the rest on the fat side. Place the piece on a rack in a pan....lean side up (important!) place in area 36-40*F; 80% humidity for 2 days. On the third day, start massaging the piece by hand to drive the salt in faster. Repeat for the next 3 days. On the 6th day, case and truss. Hang in chamber 38-40*F; 85%RH for 2 months, then increase chamber temp. to 55*F; 85-90%RH for 5-6 weeks. this will cause and explosion in mold growth. You should smell ammonia in your chamber. This is what you want. The mold is secreting enzymes into the piece which breakdown fats and proteins and create ammonia as a by-product.

Why sea salt over kosher salt? Can I use kosher? No #2 curing salt?

That 36-40F 80-85%RH would be difficult. I have a curing fridge at 55F 80% humidity, but I got too much other stuff in there to drop to 38-40F for 2 months. Maybe I need to wait until the other stuff is done if I can't go directly to 55F.

 

[indaswamp]

Any written online recipe you recommend?

Why sea salt over kosher salt? Can I use kosher? No #2 curing salt?

That 36-40F 80-85%RH would be difficult. I have a curing fridge at 55F 80% humidity, but I got too much other stuff in there to drop to 38-40F for 2 months. Maybe I need to wait until the other stuff is done if I can't go directly to 55F.

I followed the traditional method, which does not use any curing salts. I know that is taboo on this site....so if you feel you must use it, then by all means do so. I had many private conversations with chef jimmyj before his passing about the use of curing salt in whole muscle dry cures. It is safe because the whole muscle is intact. This is not true for salami.

Also of note- Nitrite will be produced naturally upon the breakdown of nitrogen rich proteins which produce ammonia as a by-product. This sets the color in the salumi.

If you do not feel comfortable following this method, then I recommend looking up some of 2guys and a cooler videos on culatello. I will recommend not to cover with the sugna layer...or if you do, keep it fairly thin as it will impede drying too much.

 

[geostriata]

Why sea salt over kosher salt? Can I use kosher? No #2 curing salt?

This is from Mariansky "Home Production" (pg.488) on the topic of Spanish Hams: "Sea salt contains many minerals and can create different reactions with meat proteins and fats."

So I think the idea is that it helps develop a specific flavor character to the meat.

As for the curing salts, from what I've read, it contributes a "hammy" flavor that is desirable in some meats (aka bacon), but not as much in this sort of traditional product. Per Ruhlman in "Salumi" book (pg. 118): "All the salumi makers in Italy we spoke with (as well as Dominique Chapolard) denied adding [curing salts], though none could explain how they avoided the possibility of botulism poisoning."

 

[geostriata]

indaswamp As a sort of half-measure instead of curing salts, what do you think about spraying a solution of Bactoferm 600 starter to the surface. Do you think this would help reduce risk a little?

 

[MeatCharter]

I followed the traditional method, which does not use any curing salts. I know that is taboo on this site....so if you feel you must use it, then by all means do so. I had many private conversations with chef jimmyj before his passing about the use of curing salt in whole muscle dry cures. It is safe because the whole muscle is intact. This is not true for salami.

Also of note- Nitrite will be produced naturally upon the breakdown of nitrogen rich proteins which produce ammonia as a by-product. This sets the color in the salumi.

If you do not feel comfortable following this method, then I recommend looking up some of 2guys and a cooler videos on culatello. I will recommend not to cover with the sugna layer...or if you do, keep it fairly thin as it will impede drying too much.

Why do you do 38-40*F 85%RH for 2 months instead of going directly to 55F? For a Coppa, you go directly to 55F?

Is that partially due to safety and not using curing salts?

 

[geostriata]

Why do you do 38-40*F 85%RH for 2 months instead of going directly to 55F? For a Coppa, you go directly to 55F?

Just offering my guess, since I still have the book open.

Another answer from Mariansky (pg. 489) on the topic of Spanish Hams (which I hope is close enough): "Equalization: Equalization, sometimes called post-salting takes place at 37-42F, 85-95% humidity and continues for about 60 days. Equalization is the time after the excess cure has been removed from the product, at the end of the cure contact period until the product is placed in the drying room and drying period begins."

So from what I can tell, it is a safety measure. It prevents the conditions for bacteria to grow, so that all the unequalized meat has a chance to be exposed to the cure.

 

[indaswamp]

Why do you do 38-40*F 85%RH for 2 months instead of going directly to 55F? For a Coppa, you go directly to 55F?

Is that partially due to safety and not using curing salts?

Yes. The low temperatures are to allow the salt to equalize through the piece. It takes 36-45 days for this to happen. The low temperature is crucial for traditional production of Culatello.

If you do an equalization cure, vac seal and refrigerate for 36-45 days, you can skip the cold chamber temps. and go directly to 55*F;80%RH.

 

[indaswamp]

^^^Yes, whole hams take longer to equalize....

 

[MeatCharter]

Yes. The low temperatures are to allow the salt to equalize through the piece. It takes 36-45 days for this to happen. The low temperature is crucial for traditional production of Culatello.

If you do an equalization cure, vac seal and refrigerate for 36-45 days, you can skip the cold chamber temps. and go directly to 55*F;80%RH.

Perfect. That sounds like a better route for me instead of clearing out my curing chamber to get down to those temps.

Now the only thing I have to figure out is if I just use the collagen sheets I have on hand, or enter that hog bladder life which I'd like to avoid like the plague.

 

[indaswamp]

Perfect. That sounds like a better route for me instead of clearing out my curing chamber to get down to those temps.

Now the only thing I have to figure out is if I just use the collagen sheets I have on hand, or enter that hog bladder life which I'd like to avoid like the plague.

How you proceed depends on your goal. For me, my goal was to produce the most authentic product possible. So I went all in. The disadvantage of vac sealing and EQ curing is the delay of drying time. After 36 days or so, a Culatello done the traditional way would have already lost 10% or more of weight. This goes a long way towards preventing the piece going bad. But, the EQ method is easier and more forgiving for the beginner...and will work.....collagen sheets work, but mold growth will not be as strong, nor be established as quickly. You may need to reapply the mold culture more than once until it takes off....

 

[MeatCharter]

How you proceed depends on your goal. For me, my goal was to produce the most authentic product possible. So I went all in. The disadvantage of vac sealing and EQ curing is the delay of drying time. After 36 days or so, a Culatello done the traditional way would have already lost 10% or more of weight. This goes a long way towards preventing the piece going bad. But, the EQ method is easier and more forgiving for the beginner...and will work.....collagen sheets work, but mold growth will not be as strong, nor be established as quickly. You may need to reapply the mold culture more than once until it takes off....

Gotcha. I guess wouldn't be as worried about it going bad if I'm curing using 0.25% cure #2.

Thanks for your help.

 

[indaswamp]

For EQ cure, use 2.75% sea salt and 0.25% cure #2