10 curiosities about bresaola
Italians who choose to consume bresaola considering it a dietary and diet-friendly dish are 8 out of 10, an excellent starting point. The same percentage usually consumes this delicious cured meat in the same way, ignoring its multifaceted nature. Let's discover characteristics and curiosities.
Bresaola: 10 curiosities
From its origin to its combinations, bresaola manages to surprise and arouse curiosity. Everyone knows it, but few know that.
1) Valtellina is PGI
The Protected Geographical Indication is a community trademark that can be applied by certain producers located in a specific territory. For bresaola it is the province of Sondrio.
The PGI denomination determines and defines a particular type of bresaola which can only be produced in this area thanks to the particular climatic and environmental conditions. In addition to the climate, the recipes of the master butchers also contribute to making Valtellina bresaola a fine, particular and characteristic cured meat.
2) In addition to the PGI
Bresaola is a cured meat made from beef and in particular, the cuts of meat that are suitable for the preparation of the cured meat are: hip tip, topside, rump, under rump and under-bone. Alongside the cut of meat chosen by the master butcher, the recipe, spices and other "secret" ingredients - wine, for example - also contribute to the preparation of a unique cured meat.
3) A common mistake
The dish is generally prepared with the addition of lemon and salad - rocket is the favorite - but according to the most experts the classic combination is the least suitable.
Master butchers teach that bresaola prepared with the addition of these ingredients risks having its flavor overpowered. To prevent the dish from being too bitter or sour, two precautions are sufficient: emulsify the lemon instead of squeezing it and add a little salad - taste for a touch of color.
4) Cooked bresaola? Never!
Bresaola, whatever its use, must always be used raw. The delicate flavor as well as the ingredients used for preparation risk changing the flavor if cooked.
Pizza, piadina, cheeses...Imagination has carte blanche as long as the rule is maintained: no cooking!
5) The gamble that conquers
Bresaola and salad is an established combination, with cheese it is equally well known. Dried and exotic fruit represent risky combinations that enhance the flavor and sometimes add a sour or crunchy note.
Choosing to dare when the main ingredient is bresaola means choosing an easy victory.
6) Bresaola from overseas
Valtellina bresaola with PGI designation is the best in the world! The patriotic spirit could play a bad joke, which is why it is important to also know other variations from beyond the Alps and overseas.
Among the world's excellences, there is Wagyu bresaola which, thanks to the particular type of beef, offers a cured meat with a superlative flavour.
7) The perfect slice
Connoisseurs recommend slicing the bresaola with a thickness that varies between 0.6 mm and 0.8, in this way all the characteristics in terms of flavor will be well balanced on the palate.
However, the preference for a thin cut - almost transparent - allows the cured meat to "melt in your mouth" and, when accompanied by a risky combination, it transforms into a pleasant sensation without overdoing it, in short, thin but not too much.
8) Bresaola and skin
If the cut requires a certain familiarity and needs to accommodate the fibers contained, even the "skin" of the bresaola requires a minimum of care.
In fact, mold and fungi nest on it, a direct consequence of the maturing period which are not harmful, but risk compromising the flavor of the product. To remove the skin you need to get a cloth, clean the end and then, using a sharp knife, remove the skin from the surface you want to slice.
9) Vacuum-packed bresaola
Vacuum packing is the perfect method for preserving meat and cured meats since the hermetic seal and the consequent deprivation of air avoids the proliferation of bacteria and the formation of mold potentially harmful to humans.
Furthermore, with vacuum packing, foods are preserved for much longer, the period is amplified by 5. The taste and quality of the product remain unchanged and thanks to storage in the freezer you can choose to purchase larger quantities to consume in the long term. Bovì offers different cuts of meat and cured meats, choosing vacuum as a preservation method, so as to guarantee the customer quality and convenience both in transport and consumption.
10) Good bresaola
Just a glance is enough to recognize good bresaola from that produced for industry. The discriminating element is color. Contrary to popular belief, bright red bresaola is rich in preservatives, while the one with a darker color represents the top of the range, almost as if to say that appearances can be deceiving.
Bresaola with no more secrets
Color, flavor, thickness and origin. Now that we have explored the characteristics of bresaola, all that remains is to dust off the slicer and activate your imagination. Thick, tall or thin, it doesn't matter, what you need is to activate your imagination and risk alternative combinations capable of surprising diners.
