Cured pork tenderloin

Cured pork tenderloin is a preserved meat found in Mediterranean Europe and South America. The process usually involves salting or brining the meat, followed by dry-curing or smoking.

In Spain, it is called *lomo embuchado*, also known as *caña de lomo* or simply *lomo*. It resembles *cecina* but uses pork instead of beef.

Italy has several versions, known as *lonza stagionata*. A similar product, *capocollo*, comes from the neck muscle rather than the tenderloin and is often stuffed into a casing. In the Trieste region of northeastern Italy, as well as coastal Slovenia and Istria in Croatia, it is called *ombolo*.

In Corsica, the cured loin is known as *lonzu*.

In Cyprus, *lountza* is made from pork tenderloin that is brined, marinated in red wine, then dried and smoked. It can be sold immediately or aged, becoming harder and more flavorful over time, and may be spiced with coriander. It is served cooked or raw, often with alcoholic drinks like *zivania* or wine. Grilled *lountza* appears in *meze* platters alongside halloumi and kefalotyri cheese, and grilled *lountza* and halloumi sandwiches are a common fast food.

On the northern Cyclades islands of Greece (Mykonos, Syros, Andros, Tinos), preserved pork loin is called *louza*.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia, smoked, cured loins, tenderloins, and shoulder blades are called *pečenica* (meaning "that which is baked") or *vješalica* (meaning "that which is hung"). These are commonly pork, though beef versions exist. The names refer to smoking over heat and hanging on hooks during curing. These cuts are prepared only in winter. *Vješalica* is more common for the shoulder blade, while the tenderloin is sometimes called *slatka* (sweet) *pečenica*. Unlike Mediterranean-style cured meats from the southern coastal regions, these smoke-cured loins come from the inner continental areas, where freezing winters shape the curing process. The cuts are first brined in a salt and garlic solution (*salamura*), often alongside continental bacon, lardon, and ribs. They are then hung in freezing winter winds over smoldering lumber for up to two months; the smoke is essential to the flavor, and the smolder is sometimes extinguished to expose the meat to the wind. The result is a drier, harder meat with a more intense smoked and garlic flavor than Mediterranean-style cured meats.