The Best Italian Speck

A bit of history

Speck has very ancient origins, but the first documentation that came to us dates back to the 18th century; surely it could already be found long before in the workshop or in the butcher shop.

In the beginning, it was produced for the need to keep meat longer since, thanks to its particular processing, it allowed pork to be kept for a long time.

At a time when meat and food were difficult to access, this South Tyrolean speciality was one of the few ways to eat meat and, thanks to its high protein content, it provided essential nutrients.

Thanks to its inimitable flavor, it then became an essential part of South Tyrolean identity and culture. Along with black bread and cheese, it is undoubtedly the undisputed star of the South Tyrolean snack, or rather the so-called “South Tyrolean snack”, where everything is accompanied by a good glass of full-bodied red wine or fresh beer.

Speck: manufacturing processes

This cold cut that comes from the mountains is obtained from typical northern processes, such as smoking, and from typical Mediterranean preservation processes, namely seasoning. Through the union of these two techniques, speck is born, with its unmistakable flavor.

Its production consists of using little salt and lots of open air, as well as a long aging time. The meat is carefully selected and must have specific characteristics, that is, it must be a lean pork leg that will then be cut according to traditional methods.

The pieces of meat are then lightly salted (the salt content, in the finished product, must not exceed 5%) and spiced with pepper, juniper, rosemary and bay leaf, but sometimes also garlic and cumin, and are then pickled for more than three weeks.

Once the brine is finished, the smoking phase takes place, a decisive step to give the meat its completely characteristic flavor. The light smoking takes place only with beech wood, which is low in resin and perfect for the operation. The smoke, whose temperature should not exceed 20 degrees, thus penetrates the ham, giving it its typical smoky flavor.

The meat is then exposed to the fresh and clean open air of the South Tyrolean mountains and is left to mature for 22 weeks.

Speck Alto Adige in the kitchen

This typical product of South Tyrolean country cuisine is truly versatile and in fact it can be used for rustic first courses or for delicious appetizers. When cooked, it must be scalded for a few minutes, perhaps adding it at the end of cooking if it were used to flavor sauces or soups.

The most classic and traditional way to savor it is to serve it on the timeless South Tyrolean cutting board. This sausage in particular must be sliced on a wooden cutting board into slices of about 5 mm, accompanied by slices of traditional black bread with gherkins and cheese. If you are looking for a light appetizer, you can opt for rolls prepared with grilled zucchini and robiola.

In South Tyrolean cuisine, it is often used to prepare dumplings, or meatballs made from bread that can be filled with vegetables, spices or meat, which are normally served with broth.

Another alternative is Spatzle, spinach dumplings with a typical thin and irregular shape with a simple but tasty taste that can be served sautéed with butter and speck in strips.

If, on the other hand, you want to use it to prepare an Italian-style first course then you can opt for a classic pasta combined with zucchini or for risotto combined with radicchio. In short, speck is so tasty and versatile that you can really use it in any way to enrich any dish.

Our selection of Speck for sale online

Get to know our selection of speck: our experts have selected only the best products to be sold online. Thanks to our safe and fast shipping, we can guarantee the quality and freshness of the product, which will arrive quickly at your home