As we said about Salame, Culatello di Canossa is part of the long Lombard tradition that put the use of pork meat at the basis of its cuisine. Every type of Culatello is made with the noble part of the pig back leg. The pork meat employed goes through a stern selection procedure: it must be used only the back leg of heavy hogs, grown in Emilia Romagna, whose meat is particularly colored and compact.
Culatello di Canossa has many peculiarities that make it stand out from the others produced in the region, due to the specific weather condition of the region. In this area of Appennino Reggiano humidity levels are lower than those in the valley, thus, without the necessary cautions, Culatello could run the risk of dehydration. For this reason, during the Middle Ages, butchers started seasoning their products preserving the outer rind, the underlying fat and the bone called “anchetta” (little ankle).
By so doing, Culatello di Canossa preserves a good humidity level, and the outer cover allows it to be seasoned for more than 12 months, much longer than the other qualities.
In this way, when sliced, it has a very sweet and delicate taste.
Photo credits by Salumificio Gianferrari
