What is charcuterie?
If you’re going to stock it, you need to know what your options are. Here is an overview of the different kinds of products available. Jason Lowe
A BRIEF DEFINITION
Some people think that charcuterie is another word for salami but it is actually a broad term that covers any kind of meat product that has been processed to extend its life. The word comes from French (chair means ‘flesh’, and cuit means ‘cooked’) and encompasses a wealth of products that have been either cured, air-dried, smoked or cooked.
SALAMIS & AIR-DRIED/ FERMENTED SAUSAGES
and smaller snacking salamis. Increasingly, salamis are not just being produced from the traditional pork but from other meats like beef and venison. In truth, there is an enormous breadth of flavours and shapes on offer, whether they’re from across the Continent or from British producers inspired by European classics.
RAW SAUSAGES AND BACON
COOKED & SMOKED HAMS
The most well-known examples in the UK are probably Milano and the coarser Napoli salamis from Italy, but other staples of this category are French saucisson, the paprika-laden Spanish chorizo and peppercoated German varieties. There are also spreadable items like spicy Italian ‘nduja
WHOLE-MUSCLE MEATS It’s not just hams that are preserved whole. Both Italy and Spain have several products that are made from whole muscles of the pig. Italian coppa comes from the collar, and the fat from that area is turned into lardo. There are also cuts from the loin and tenderloin, such as Italian lonza and lomo from Spain.
4 H O W TO S E L L C H A R C U T E R I E
Under most definitions of charcuterie, you can also include all manner of raw sausages and blood sausages (black pudding, boudin noir, morcilla), as well as bacon – whether it’s traditional British back bacon or pancetta and guanciale (from the pig’s cheek).
It may not seem very Continental but the UK’s plethora of cured hams – such as Wiltshire, Suffolk or York versions – can and do very much contribute to many delis’ charcuterie offers. Smoked hams from Germany (like Black Forest and Westphalian hams) and Eastern Europe also offer different flavours and textures from other styles of charcuterie. A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
