Lardo, the poor man's gold turned gourmet delight

We cannot deny that lardo is one of the pork products that has always been considered the less noble part of everything that the animal can offer. In the past, it was seen as a true energy reserve important for the whole family, especially during winter periods when cold and restrictions could become heavily oppressive.

Lardo is the fatty part found beneath the rind, a cut that is usually taken from the neck, back, and upper flanks of the pig. It must be perfectly white without any traces of blood that could stem from bruises or shocks suffered by the pig, particularly during slaughter. The best lardo has a layer of at least about 5-6 cm and therefore, normally, comes from heavy pigs weighing at least 180-250 kg. It should be creamy and not greasy. Excessive movement of the animal could lead to fibrous and thin lardo: that’s why normally pigs are kept, in their last part of life, in areas or spaces smaller than free-range pastures. Fattening is beneficial for both the production of cold cuts and the relaxation of fibers and the increase of marbling, thus enhancing the pleasure of the meat. Naturally, lardo benefits positively from this.

We talk about lardo when the piece of fat under the rind is cleaned of any remaining meat and subsequently undergoes salting, flavoring, and aging. From fresh fat, it thus transforms into lardo.

Every region of Italy has its reference lardo. The pig has always been the primary source of meat for all social categories, particularly for the simpler and less wealthy classes. The pig was the initial source of income with its more prized cuts like hams, culatelli, fiocchi, and culatte, along with processed meats like salami, soppresse, and soppressate. But, as it is known, the saying claims that nothing of the pig goes to waste.

Lardo was potentially energy for getting through the winter. Today it has become a valued and sought-after product that has changed its primordial connotation: from an energy reserve for the people, it has become a gourmet good reserved for an hedonistic and refined cuisine. In practice, today it is hard to find in family kitchens while it is part of those of chefs.

There are lardos that can cost as much as 30-40 € per kilogram: we can almost define it as a luxury good and such it is at certain levels of high quality. The areas where lardo has become an integral part of history and tradition are primarily Arnad in Valle d’Aosta and Colonnata among the marbles of Carrara.

But there are many other lardos that characterize various other high-quality productions. The main distinction made of lardos is not only the type of pig used, but especially the different aromatic curing and reference climate.

The cures for lardo d'Arnad, for example, are more connected to the plants and herbs of high mountain in the Alps, such as juniper mixed with the more classic ones, bay leaf, nutmeg, sage, and rosemary. The Lardo d'Arnad DOP is also aged in large wooden tanks called doils. The cold climate, during which maturation is completed, offers a very slow penetration of aromas and a refined final creamy sensation.

The Lardo di Colonnata IGP, on the other hand, comes from the realm of white marble and its location high up, among the white rocks of the Apuan Alps, makes it seem like a miracle of landscape architecture. Here, the tubs are directly carved in marble and the aromas used are pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, sage, and rosemary. The marble basins are rubbed with garlic and maintain particular temperatures and humidity throughout the year. Its scent and aroma are more intense than that of Arnad. Its sweetness too. The creaminess can lead to delicate and pleasant sensations on the palate that are rounded and velvety.

Different expressions of lardo that are obtaining certification are those from Basilicata and Piemonte. Moreover, this product of human ingenuity can now be found on the most precious cutting boards of cured meats in many gourmet tables in Italy, used in the kitchen with great creativity and has even reached the farthest tables in international markets.

Bernardo Pasquali

S&M