Whole Culatello di zibello dop

The culatello Culatello di Zibello DOP is a typical cured meat produced in the province of Parma. It uses part of the boneless thigh, with a full and fragrant flavour and a unique taste. Culatello is a cured meat with a long maturation period, and thanks to this, it matures until it becomes the king of cured meats.
It's a cured meat with a protected designation of origin, typical of the town of Zibello. Gualerzi Culatello di Zibello DOP is known as the king of cured meats. The typical humid climate has made curing the whole pork leg difficult since ancient times, which is why culatello is deboned and cured in smaller pieces.
Culatello is made from the most muscular part of the pig's hind limbs.
The Zibibbo DOP culatello is rindless and completely boneless. After salting, it is stuffed into a bladder to protect it.
It has a characteristic pear shape and weighs a minimum of 4 kg. It has a sweet flavor and a soft, velvety texture.

How to store it after the first cut: Once you've started slicing, the remaining culatello should be stored in the refrigerator. To prevent it from drying out, coat the sliced ​​portion with olive oil or butter, and wrap the entire culatello in a kitchen towel soaked in dry white wine (possibly diluted with water). The next time you cut it, discard the first slice.

How to prepare it for tasting: Remove the string and soak the culatello for about 3 hours. Then remove the skin. Wash under running water, brushing with a sponge. Immerse the culatello in dry white wine (diluted with water if necessary) and soak for about 12 hours. If the amount of wine isn't enough to cover the entire culatello, wrap it in a cloth before immersing it, making sure to soak only the lean part to soften it evenly.

Processing: Culatello can only be produced between the months of October and February when the lowlands are affected by the winter cold and, above all, by fog.
The meat used is that of the thigh of adult pigs raised in the province of Parma using traditional methods.
The leg is initially deboned, degreased and then deboned.
At this point, the culatello is separated from the ficchetto, another noble cut of the pork leg, and trimmed by hand. It is then salted and finally stuffed into the pig's intestine. After tying, it is aged in special cellars for at least 12 months.

Pairings: Culatello is best enjoyed pure to fully savor this cured meat's unique flavor. Excellent with bread, crostini, fried gnocco, or paired with cheeses like cow's milk mozzarella. Recommended wine: Lambrusco or Malvasia dei Colli Parmensi.

Net weight: 4.2