Salama da Sugo Ferrarese, pride of Estense festivals.

It is said that Lorenzo de Medici publicly thanked the Este family for gifting him a Salama da Sugo Ferrarese that enriched his table with flavor and taste. A tempting and intriguing sausage that certainly helped to cement the friendship between the two Renaissance houses. 

 

Yet, the Salama da Sugo in Ferrara was a good only for wealthy families, merchants, and artisans of the middle class. It did not reach the lower spheres, where the use of cotechino or, even better, zampone remained flourishing. Yes, because Salama da Sugo was an expensive sausage, noble for its richness in rare ingredients and especially spices that, in those times, were the gold of kitchens. 

 

In 1761, we have the first written record concerning the Salama da Sugo Ferrarese. In that year, Don Domenico Chendi, parish priest of Tresigallo (in the province of Ferrara), wrote and published the volume "L'agricoltore ferrarese." Chendi also reported the original recipe: it is particularly interesting the use of ingredients that are fundamentally the same as those used today.

 

 

The main parts of the pig that are minced and inserted into the animal's casing are represented by neck cap, guanciale, lean meat from the thigh and shoulder. Moreover, tradition also allows for the inclusion of meat from tongue and liver. The spices that condition the final taste of the Salama must not be missing: salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Everything is blended with abundant red wine typical of the Ferrara lands, unpasteurized and, above all, dry, and inserted into the pig's bladder, tied with twine to form eight segments. There are also those made with 16 segments, a larger family size.

 

 

The first thing to do to determine if a salama da sugo has aged well is to see if it sinks in a pot of water. If it doesn’t, it may have air pockets inside and thus there's a risk of rancidity. Always do this before cooking it!

 

 

After letting it rest in water for at least one night, the salama da sugo must be placed in a deep baking dish and tied to a wooden stick or ladle so that it remains suspended during cooking. The parts of the salama should not come into direct contact with the scalding sides of the pot. Towards the end of cooking, you should make some holes with a toothpick to release some of its internal liquid.

 

 

Have patience, if it hasn’t been pre-cooked by the butcher shop: it takes at least four to eight hours on low heat to cook. 

 

Now you are ready to lick your fingers just like the Magnificent one from Florence did? Enjoy your meal!