Ciauscolo
A soft, spreadable smoked salume from Marche and Umbria.
Ciauscolo is a variety of Italian salume, typical of the Marche region, especially the province of Macerata, and also widely used in nearby Umbria, particularly in the territory of Foligno and part of northern Valnerina. It is a smoked and dry-cured sausage made from pork meat and fat. The product gained protected geographical indication status in 2009.
Quick Facts
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Marche
- Main ingredients
- Pork
- Minor ingredient
- Black pepper
- garlic
- white wine
- Serving size
- 100 g
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The word ciauscolo is related to the local dialectal word ciausculu, though which derives from the other is unclear.
- A possible origin for ciauscolo is the Medieval Latin word cibusculum, meaning 'small food'.
Preparation
The meat is finely ground, mixed with black pepper, garlic, white wine, and cure, then stuffed into wide hog middles. After a 12- to 24-hour drying period, once the surface becomes tacky, the sausage is cold-smoked over juniper branches for two days, then hung to cure. Although it can be aged for a month or more, it is typically eaten after only two weeks, resulting in a very soft, moist sausage that can be spread on bread. A variant in some parts of Marche, called ciauscolo di fegato, mazzafegato, or fegatino, substitutes pork liver for a portion of the fat, adding orange zest and fennel fronds or flowers to the spices, which darkens the color and gives an intense flavor.
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