Description
Culatello di Zibello PDO is a raw, cured and encased charcuterie product wrapped in large-mesh twine netting, obtained from the thigh of the Large White, Italian Landrace and Duroc pig breeds, purebred or offspring.
Production Area
The production area of Culatello di Zibello PDO is within the municipalities of Polesine-Zibello, Busseto, Soragna, Roccabianca, San Secondo Parmense, Colorno, and parts of the Municipality of Sissa-Trecasali, in the Province of Parma, in the Emilia-Romagna region. The pigs used for production must come from breeding farms situated in the regions of Lombardy or Emilia-Romagna.
Production Method
Culatello di Zibello PDO is made of the finest muscular fascicles of the deboned pig thigh. The muscular mass is dry salted by hand; the salting process lasts from one to six days. Either natural pig casing or pig bladder is used to encase the product. It is then tied manually with several rounds of twine. Before curing, the thigh is drained for about a week and then left to dry for 30-60 days. The curing process must take place in environments that ensure sufficient exchange of air and a temperature of 13-17°C, and must last for a period of over 10 months, commencing from the when the product was salted.
Appearance and Flavour
Culatello di Zibello PDO is pear-shaped and weighs 3-5 kg. On cutting, it has a uniform red colour and the fat between the various muscular fascicles is white. It has an intense and characteristic fragrance and a mild, sweet and delicate flavour.
History
Culatello di Zibello PDO has deep historical roots in the farming culture. There is evidence of Culatelli being appreciated as early as 1332, when they were given as a gift to the newly-weds at the wedding banquet of Andrea dei Conti Rossi and Giovanna dei Conti Sanvitale. The first official mention dates back to 1735, in a document written by the Parma Town Council. During this period, Culatello was probably a Royal gift: a pledge that loyal subjects gave to their Lords. This tribute could also have been full of symbolic meaning: an exchange of “investitures”. Culatello was in fact “investito” (literally bagged), covered and tied tightly in the pig bladder or casing. The first literary references can be traced back to the 18th century, in a work by the Parmese poet Giuseppe Callegari, who in one of his short stories cited two Parmese specialities as being among those “ammannite in Paradiso: la bomba di riso e il culatello” (made in Heaven: the rice donut and culatello). The sculptor Renato Brozzi (1885-1963), also exchanged opinions on Culatello with the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio.
Gastronomy
Culatello di Zibello PDO is preserved by basting olive oil and butter onto the cut end and then wrapping the entire product in a linen cloth soaked in wine, preferably white. It should then be kept in a cool place. Before slicing, the cloth should be taken off and the external impurities, like yellow fat and the darker areas of the lean part, removed with the help of a sharp knife. The slice should be thin and the product should be eaten fairly quickly in order to fully appreciate its organoleptic properties. Culatello di Zibello PDO is best served with the traditional local bread and butter, paired with a dry, yet not too aromatic sparkling wine.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Culatello di Zibello PDO. It is sold whole, in pieces or in slices.
Distinctive Features
Culatello di Zibello PDO is part of the production area’s gastronomic and cultural heritage. The area is along the River Po, where the climatic conditions influence the curing process, determining the product’s unmistakeable organoleptic properties.