Zampone di Modena PGI - Pre-cooked

The production area of Zampone Modena PGI covers the entire territory of the Emilia-Romagna region

Zampone Modena PGI is made up of a mixture of pork meat obtained from striated muscles, pork fat, rind, salt, whole and/or chopped pepper. The preparation involves mincing the meat in a meat grinder with molds with holes of 7-10 mm for the muscle parts and 3-5 mm for the rind. The resulting mince is mixed in vacuum or atmospheric pressure machines together with salt and/or other ingredients such as wine, water, spices and aromatic plants. The mixture is stuffed into natural casings, made up of the skin covering of the pig's forelimb complete with the distal phalanges and tied to the upper extremity. The final product can be marketed fresh or cooked: in the first case it is dried in a hot air stove, in the second it is pre-cooked in water.

The origins of Zampone Modena PGI date back to 1511: the citizens of Mirandola (MO), besieged by the army of Pope Julius II della Rovere, decided to slaughter the pigs to save them from plunder and to stuff the meat first in the rind, giving life to the cotechino and, subsequently, in the legs of pigs creating the zampone. The resulting product was very successful and spread to neighboring markets starting from the 18th century, also thanks to the increase in production of the ancient delicatessen shops, Frigeri and Bellentani.

Characteristics

The shape of Zampone Modena PGI is typical of the pig's front leg. It has a soft consistency and when cut the slices are compact, of uniform grain size and pink in color tending towards red. The flavor is characteristic, with a very intense and aromatic taste.

Pairings

Zampone Modena PGI is enjoyed hot, combined with traditional auspicious lentils, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, but also with stewed white beans, spinach with butter, mashed potatoes and apple sauce. Among the various recipes we can remember the "Zampone Modena PGI on polenta croutons", the "Zampone Modena PGI on a bed of orange-scented cabbage with Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PGI" and, particularly original, the "Zampone Modena PGI with Thai spaghetti , vegetables and bean sprouts, oyster sauce and toasted sesame".

Ideal pairing with sparkling red wines, such as the classic Lambruschi PDO from Modena.

Pork meat 56%, pork rind, pork fat, salt, sugar, spices, antioxidant (sodium ascorbate), preservative (sodium nitrite).

Without added glutamate, without milk derivatives.

For the production of Zampone Modena PGI, smoking aromas or aromas obtained by chemical synthesis cannot be used. It has a high content of proteins, unsaturated fats compared to saturated fats, B vitamins and minerals such as iron and zinc.