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.

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.

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.

SALAMIS & AIR-DRIED/ FERMENTED SAUSAGES

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

RAW SAUSAGES AND BACON

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). 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.

COOKED & SMOKED HAMS

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.

AIR-DRIED HAM

The other most recognisable sub-category is air-dried hams. Prosciutto di Parma (aka Parma Ham) is a classic deli product and many retailers’ first choice on a charcuterie counter but there are other options.

If you want to stay within Italy, there are Prosciutto di San Daniele and Culatello. France also has some varieties, including Bayonne ham from the southwestern region. There are even a few British charcutiers making air-dried hams.

Spain is the other major Continental player in ham and offers a variety of grades, from high-end Jamon Iberico de Bellota (made from the legs of acorn-fed pigs) through to more everyday Serrano hams.

NECK END

SHOULDER

LOIN

BELLY

CHUMP

FILLET OF LEG

KNUCKLE

GET TO KNOW YOUR PIGS

The majority of charcuterie is produced from various parts of the pig. Hams come from the hind legs. The belly and loin are used for bacon, while the latter also provides some whole muscle products, as does the neck end. Other joints are minced and used in sausages and salamis. Even after the big cuts are gone, the offal and blood are used in various products, like pâté and black pudding.

BEEF

There are many cured and air-dried products made with beef. The most famous is Bresaola from Italy but the Spanish produce the airdried Cecina. Beef jerky and biltongs are good grab-andgo additions, while a British rare roast beef can also play a vital part on the deli counter.

POULTRY, LAMB AND GAME

There are a range of nonpork products that fall under the broad umbrella of charcuterie. Smoked chicken, duck and turkey all count and you’ll also find that several British charcutiers make products using native lamb and game.

PÂTÉS, TERRINES & OTHER COOKED ITEMS

Although these products are cooked rather than cured during preparation, they are very much part of the charcuterie family. But it’s not just coarse Ardennes pâté, potted rillettes and smooth chicken liver parfait that count. Liver sausage and luncheon meat-style products like Mortadella, and British products like corned beef, haslet and pork pies all fall under ‘charcuterie’.