CAPOCOLLO OR COPPA (SALAMI MADE WITH PORK NECK)

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Capocollo

Capocollo: introduction

Capocollo is made with pork which comes to be part of the white meat, because after the butchery process, its color takes on a very light pigment in contrast to red meats, such as beef, sheep, horse and even the black meat or game such as wild boar, hare, pheasant and deer. In the same category of pork are chicken, rabbit, turkey, veal, lamb, young kid, although some authors classify this flesh among red ones, especially with regard to the cuts of meat of adult specimens and those which are then preserved.

The meat of this animal, need a period of complete cooking, or it gets to reach the innermost part of this food and is something to be reckoned with, especially for two very important reasons:

– The pork meat like all the other white meat, reaches the maximum of its organoleptic and taste properties through a deep baking, and insufficient cooking penalizes the particular flavor of it.

– The pork meat is often subject to parasites that affects the animal while it is still alive, and even bacterial contamination during the butchery process, and only a total cooking, resets the harmfulness.

Characteristics and production

Capocollo di Calabria
Capocollo di Calabria

Capocollo is also commonly called “coppa” (cup) and this is part of part of sausages that are obtained by processing the upper part of the shoulder and the neck of the pig. This food is very popular in Italy, which has several recipes according to the regions of origin, but they are only two PDO protection legislation that have been attributed to this meat, the first is the Coppa Piacentina, the second is the Capocollo di Calabria, both safeguarded by a guideline that protects in this way not only the origin but also the quality of the product.

Speaking of Capocollo di Calabria, you should know that the specification is committed to using exclusively pigs born and bred in the Calabria territory or in neighboring regions of Basilicata, Apulia, Campania and Sicily. Even if the animal is born beyond the borders of the region, it must still be brought up in Calabria, with the maximum age of four months and must then be subjected to butchery and processing in the same region.

Coppa piacentina
Coppa piacentina

The cut of this meat must be coated with a layer of fat of 3-4 mm, which will serve to improve the curing process. As regards the working process, you must know that this starts with an accurate selections of the flesh parts, which are in a second time salted with cooking ground salt. This operation is very long and can last over 10 days, and then be followed by washing and subsequently by the massage by the use of wine vinegar and addition of ground black pepper.
After completing these steps, the product is coated made from pig intestine (gut) and then hung for at least 100 days in well-ventilated areas of the maturing process.

Homemade recipe

To achieve this food made at home, you need to have the following ingredients:

for salting

– 2, 5 kg of pig capocollo cut
– 1, 5 kg of salt

for the garlic sauce

– 1 liter of white wine vinegar

Capocollo
Capocollo

– A handful of salt
– 4 cloves of garlic
– A sprig of fresh rosemary
– A teaspoon of black pepper
– A teaspoon of chili

for the breadcrumbs

– 4 glasses of salt
– A glass not full of black pepper
– A glass not full of ground pepper
– A handful of fennel seeds

Notes: only use classic plastic cups as a measure of the amount

Tools: trays, string, vegetable casing paper or parchment paper, medium-sized bowls

Method:

In a medium sized bowl, produces a layer of salt up and then add the meat. Repeat the same with the salt pork over making sure that it is completely covered. Now cover with aluminum foil and let rest in refrigerator for at least 72 hours.

Once the rest time is over, remove the meat from the refrigerator and wash well under running water and then place it on a cutting board, trying to give the classic form of Capocollo using a knife. Continue filling a bowl with white wine vinegar, crushed garlic and all the ingredients of the sauce.

Capocollo panini
Capocollo panini

Add the piece of meat and massage it thoroughly with all the ingredients, not after having rinsed and dried, place it back in a large container, where you previously created the breading. Stir and massaged carefully, rolling the dough meat. Now wrap the Capocollo very closely with the casing paper and string and even with paper straw.

Refrigerate again in the upper part for about thirty days. The time of maturation varies also depending on the size of the meat that you have available.

Uses in the kitchen

Capocollo is perfect for panini and appetizers, but can be used to cook some main course. The meat could be perfect cooked with apples and cinnamon, as a classic pork recipe, or as balls or instead of the bacon to wrap other meats or cheese. The main use in Italy is for the panini or as starter in the classic cold cuts plate, very common in any Italian restaurant, with ham and other salami. Sometime is an ingredient for the pizza.

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