Salame Felino

Salame Felino is traditionally produced with pure pork meat.[1] The mixture is made up of pork called "bench mince" (shoulder of the animal), roughly made up of 70% lean and 30% selected fat parts.[1] The grinding takes place with medium dies, obtaining a medium-coarse-grained mixture to which is added salt and whole black peppercorns.[1] Small amounts of potassium nitrate are usually added and sometimes ascorbates (antioxidants and acidity regulators) and sugars as well. After grinding, crushed garlic and pepper are also added and dissolved in dry white wine. Then the mixture is stuffed into natural pork casing of Danish origin. Traditionally, for the casing of Salame Felino, the so-called budello gentile intestine is used, which is the intestinal part of the pig that corresponds to the rectum. It is a smooth-looking and thick gut, which allows the meat mixture which it contains to remain soft even after long curing.[1] The ideal curing period for Salame Felino is at least 60 days, favored by the particular microclimate of the Parma area.[1] Today, the majority of Salame Felino producers use special rooms at a controlled temperature for the curing of the product.[1]

When sliced, Salame Felino has an intense red color, with white spots of the ground fat.[1] The compactness of the meat is closely linked to the curing and the quality of the meat used to produce the salami. The scent is intense, very characteristic, while the flavor is delicate.[1]

Salame Felino is one of the most typical appetizers of the Parma area, especially when paired with Parma ham, which is produced in the same area. Usually, it goes well with a Lambrusco wine.[3] Traditionally it is cut diagonally, thus creating oval slices, approximately double the length of the diameter of the salami.[4] To taste it at its best, thickness is very important: traditionally the slices must be as thick as a peppercorn.[4]