The varieties of salami : an Italian journey

Salamis in Italy

Telling the story of Italian salami is a rather complex and excessively rich journey, in fact, there are just over 113 product variations found throughout the country. The desire to delve deeper into the topic allows you to group and talk about some varieties so as to enrich your personal culture and have a reserve topic to reel off with expert knowledge during any conversation.

The regions with the greatest varieties are those of northern Lombardy and Piedmont which have 16 fantastic recipes: each farm also has its own method which varies depending on the master butcher's beliefs. There are salamis for all tastes! You need to choose and before that know. Let's start with the most famous salamis in some regions of northern Italy!

Italian salamis stop in Piedmont

Some types of antibiotic-free cured meats boast the DOP or IGP marking thanks to rigorous compliance with the production protocol. The fact of falling into the specific category allows the product to assume the role of excellence and link the local traditions to one - or more - typical dishes.

Cooked salami

There are several Italian regions that produce PGI cured meats, the "cooked salami" version for example, ranges between Lazio and Piedmont. The substantial difference between the different variants is the mix of spices and perfumes used to flavor the salami mixture. Biella chooses to add mint, in other areas wine is the undisputed added ingredient. In any case, to make cooked salami, the pork meat is finely minced, as is the fat, and is then stuffed into sausages and/or steamed.

Hunter salami

Who doesn't know Cacciatore salami, the typical small and tasty salami ? Here they are! Are they! Italian DOP cured meats that find their natural habitat in central and northern Italy which have the DOP marking. The name derives from a habitual use that hunters used in their empty moments while waiting for their prey. A small salami with a soft texture that lent itself - and continues to do so - to quick and easy snacks rich in taste and flavour. Among the various recipes there is a really easy and quick solution: with the egg in an omelette, pieces of chaser and off you go, dinner is served!

Turgia salami

The locals call it "salam ëd turgy or salàm eud tueurdji" in French Provençal, it is a cured meat from the Lanzo valley, in the heart of Turin. The preparation of Turgia salami is particular as it includes cow meat, lard or pork belly and added ingredients such as salt, pepper, garlic and red wine, in addition to the classic spices. The preparation of Turgia salami also requires the use of bovine intestine. Usually young animals are used, although for some variations it is preferred to use the animal at the end of its reproductive career, in short, it is tradition that narrates the habits and customs of the preparation of the product.

Italian salamis stop in Lombardy

Lombardy is a particular territory rich in environmental diversity capable of creating micro habitats perfect for the production of a complete platter of cured meats and cheeses. Everyone's tastes are satisfied thanks to the variety of products that range from tasty and intense to delicate and sweetish.

Local salami from the farmhouse

The farmhouse salami, or the local salami , is obtained from the perfectly calibrated mixture of different cuts of pork: from the fatty part from which the authentic flavor is obtained, to the lean parts which give the classic intense pink colour. The preparation phases give the product a more or less perfect maturation which ranges from two to a maximum of five months.

Salami Milan

Classic among classics, Milano salami is a typical production of the area that separates Milan from Lodi. The fine, sometimes very fine paste is obtained from the skilful mixture of master butchers who combine beef with specific cuts of pork. The fine-grained ground fat helps to create a sort of unique and inviting color, thanks also to the particular and bright aroma that characterizes Milano salami.

Garlic salami

What will be the key ingredient of this salami? Obviously the garlic! The typical production throughout the Po Valley chooses to add the ingredient to the dough following different techniques. Some add it to the mixture during the processing of the meat, others dissolve it in the wine for the subsequent processing phases. In any case, whatever the procedure, it is the result that counts, and...yes, garlic salami , especially if without preservatives, is worth tasting!

Mortara goose salami

Goose salami is typical of areas with a Jewish influence. In fact, for Jews, goose is a worthy substitute for pork which is prohibited by the rules that define Jewish cuisine. Over time, and the influences of the specific place, traditions have come together to create mixed meat products with Mortara PGI goose salami: a cooked salami created with one third of goose meat and two thirds of pork meat .

Varzi salami

The province of Pavia boasts its own excellence which takes the name of Varzi salami. The rather uncertain origin seems to date back to the Lombards who during the various migrations chose to use the area for pig breeding and create this particular long-life product. Always considered a delicious product, Varzi salami acquires the DOP marking over time thanks to the particular processing and production. In fact, the product complies with certain requirements established by the protocol such as: a sweet and delicate flavour, the fine grinding of the fatty parts and the cylindrical shape with the presence of gray mold well distributed on the peel.

Italian cured meats stop in Trentino Alto Adige

Heidi tells, or maybe not. The valley, or rather the upper valley, produces mouth-watering DOP Italian cured meats. The potential of the area develops around various elements: organoleptic properties of the raw material, clean and healthy air, genuine food and absolute respect for local tradition. Here, strict rules are in force just like the climate that chooses to coordinate the life of human beings.

Kaminwurz salami

A tasty, slightly smoked and truly special salami. To discover it you need to taste it, and learn about a local tradition that requires home-maturing: it is dried in the heat, in front of the fireplace, this is where it takes its name. The meats used to prepare Kaminwurz Salami can be different, usually beef and pork are used, however it can be found in other versions: lamb, goat and roe deer. Something truly particular and special, suitable for moments to remember and to offer on a platter of refined and precious cured meats and cheeses.

The journey through Italian salamis continues

The journey of Italian PDO and PGI salamis does not stop. Each region tells and narrates the excellence of the territory, putting the value of tradition first, an indispensable element for creating noteworthy products and cured meats. Remember, however, that in addition to expressing a character trait linked to the territory, the conservation of the product is also a fundamental element, discover it in our article together with many other curiosities about salami .