Salame Felino

Abstract

Italy has a long and ancient history of producing dry-cured meat. In particular, in the Po valley, located in Northern Italy, the availability of salt and the possibility of raising pigs contributed to the development of the manufacture of dry-cured pork products, taking also the advantage of climatic conditions of the Mediterranean area. The uniqueness of traditional Italian pork products relies also on the use of meat obtained from so-called heavy pigs as they are slaughtered at an average live weight of at least 160 kg.

Dry-fermented sausages account for a significant part of Italian charcuterie. Regional or local habits, family recipes, environmental peculiarities, and other factors have given rise to a wide range of Italian salami. The present chapter presents the peculiar traits and the steps of the manufacturing process of Salame Felino, a traditional salame produced in Northern Italy, in particular in the administrative territory of the province of Parma. Although domestic production for family consumption is still present in this area, nowadays Salame Felino is produced industrially by local producers who adopt the production specification laid down by the consortium of the producers. In 2013, Salame Felino has been included in the register of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) meat products. The appearance, the texture and the flavor of the Salame Felino are characteristics easily distinguishable from all the others Italian bagged and fermented meat products.