Culatello di Zibello: History, Information, Interesting Facts

What is Culatello?

‘Culatello’ is a cured meat produced for many centuries in some villages of the Parma province: above all, the Municipality of Zibello. The connection between this specialty and its territory of origin is indissoluble: regarding this, it should be remembered that its unique taste depends, among other things, on the peculiar alternation in this area of hot and dry summers with cold and humid winters (*1).
Result of the processing of the finest parts of the pork leg, Culatello has a typical ‘pear’ shape, whose weight can vary from three to five kilos. Its flesh is reddish, surrounded by white fat. The taste is sweet and delicate, defined by a particular aroma developing during the maturing phase thanks to the formation of natural molds on its outer surface, and to the special characteristics of the maturing rooms.

Note:
*1: Not by chance, the connoisseurs of this specialty, describing its flavor, say it has the ‘aroma of mist’;

The history of Culatello.

It’s quite difficult to establish with precision the date of birth of Culatello. Although some claim it was served in 1332, during the wedding banquet between two scions of the Parma nobility (*1), this assertion is not supported by official documents certifying its veracity. For the same reason, it’s not easy to demonstrate another theory, also very popular, according to which, in the mid-15th century, the specialty was offered as a gift by the Marquises Pallavicino (*2) to Galeazzo Sforza, Duke of Milan.
All this should not surprise too much: the origins of the products closely linked to the rural tradition are almost always shrouded in an aura of mystery. However, it should be emphasized that, in the case of Culatello, it’s possible to hypothesize that these origins date back to the medieval period.
The oldest written records come down to us containing an explicit reference to this specialty are the ‘calmieri’ drawn up in the first half of the 18th century on behalf of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza, also known as ‘Calmieri della carne porcina salata’ (*3): they are a sort of price lists of the cured meats marketed at the time (*4).
It’s worth noting that, at least initially, Culatello was cheaper than fatty salami (‘Salame Grasso’): something that, in time, would have changed. Throughout the nineteenth century, the delicacy enjoyed ever-growing fame, until, in the early 1900s, it found its consecration, starting to be considered the ‘King’ of cured meats.

The pigs for Culatello di Zibello.

The Product Specification of Culatello di Zibello, whose respect is guaranteed by the Consorzio, concerning the pigs used to make the ham, refers to the Product Specifications of two other famous Italian specialties: the Prosciutto di Parma and the Prosciutto di San Daniele.
Its rules are very important, specifying, for example, the pig breeds accepted: they are the Large White, the Landrance, and the Duroc. The document states that only the muscular part of their thigh can be used: this, once trimmed properly, must get the typical ‘pear’ shape. Extremely important is the designation of the breeding area, which is limited to the territories of the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy.

The preparation of Culatello di Zibello PDO.

The preparation method of Culatello di Zibello is the most important part of the Product Specification, recognised by the European institutions.
Let’s find how this specialty is made:
1) The rind and the superficial fat of the pig leg are removed first, then the femur and a great part of the remaining fat. During this phase, the butcher gives Culatello its characteristic ‘pear’ shape;
2) The leg (‘muscle mass’) is salted by hand (the ‘salting’ / ‘salatura’), sprinkling it with a mixture of sodium chloride (or table salt) and split peppercorns. The Product Specification allows the use of a mix of dry white wine and pressed garlic. This procedure can take anywhere from one to six days.
3) The leg is then placed in a cold room where, at a temperature between 0° and 5°, it slowly absorbs the salt;
Continua

Notes:
*1: The binding is very tight to avoid the formation of air bubbles;

The PDO mark.

On 2 July 1996 the European Community, with Regulation no. 1263/96, assigned the PDO mark (Protected Designation of Origin) to Culatello di Zibello. This appointment represented, at the same time, the recognition of the uniqueness of the product and the certificate of its quality. Every aspect of its production was regulated by a binding document (the Production Specification or ‘Disciplinare’), guaranteed by the Consorzio di Tutela del Culatello di Zibello.

The festival.

For more than thirty years, between May and June, in the Municipality of Zibello, a festival has been held dedicated to what is considered by many to be the ‘King of hams’: Culatello.
The event attracts thousands of passionate food lovers who gather to celebrate, and taste, the famous specialty. More information about the festival can be found by accessing its official website: www.festadelculatello.it .

The zone of production of Culatello is of fundamental importance: its peculiar climatic features contribute in fact to the development of the organoleptic characteristics that make this specialty so unique.
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THE MOST TRADITIONAL PRODUCERS

This article is the result of the collaboration between WebFoodCulture and the Consorzio di Tutela Culatello di Zibello, the association that brings together the producers of the famous ham. The information provided describes the actual characteristics of the specialty.

Culatello di Zibello PDO on video.

Here follows an interesting video showing, step by step, how Culatello di Zibello PDO is made.

Giuseppe Verdi, the most famous Italian composer, had a great passion for good food.
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One hundred grams of Culatello di Zibello PDO contain:

• Calories: 327 kcal;
• Proteins: 29 gr;
• Lipids: 23 gr;
• Carbohydrates: 0.00 gr;
• Fibers: 0.00 gr;

The ham also contains vitamins of the group B. Among the minerals: sodium, potassium, iron and phosphorus.
Source: SSICA

Culatello di Zibello can be accompanied by:
By medium-bodied red wines with good acidity and aromatic persistence (e.g. Sangiovese di Romagna, Fortana del Taro, or Lambrusco) when served, for example, on a buttered crouton, on a ‘torta fritta’, or as an ingredient in a dish of tasty tagliolini with parmesan.
By white wines with good acidity, aromatic persistence (e.g. Sauvignon or Verdicchio) and, if desired, bubbles (e.g. Champagne or Franciacorta), when served alone or with bread or breadsticks;

The Consorzio di Tutela del Culatello di Zibello was founded on January 8, 2009:
1) To check for compliance with the Production Specification of the specialty;
2) To promote Culatello di Zibello both in Italy and around the world;
3) To defend Culatello di Zibello PDO from any imitation attempt;

Address: Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, 34, 43016 Polesine Zibello (Parma) – ITALY
Website: Click here.
Mail: Click here.
Tel.: +39 0524 99131