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NATURAL SUSAUGE CASINGS

Natural Sausage Casing

Natural sausage casings ("natural casing") are made up of sections of the intestine, which are emptied, washed and treated (according to current health legislations), taken from animals deemed healthy by the ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections carried out at authorised EU slaughterhouses. The intestines of pigs, cattle, sheep, goats and horses are used. The part of the intestinal tract used defines the type of cured meat, giving it its characteristic shape.

Natural, by choice

Stuffing meats into natural casing is synonymous with quality. The natural casing enhances the natural flavour of the meat as it allows the mixture to breath better and interact better with the environment in which the meat is cured. It therefore guarantees the specific characteristics of the cured meat, according to the producer’s experience, skill, taste and needs. A natural casing reveals what has happened during the curing and maturing process: by looking at the noble-moulds that have formed on the casing, it is possible to see whether or not the product was cured correctly in order to produce an optimal product, in the name not only of quality, but also of tradition. It is an “intermediary” par excellence; a membrane that links the product to the production area – the terroir – with the typical richness of the flavours and the organoleptic characteristics. The added value of a cured meat stuffed in natural casing is not purely organoleptic. Another fundamental aspect is the indissoluble link to the tradition and culture of the production area’s “savoir faire”, bringing the history of a millenary tradition to our tables. Terroir means roots – cultural roots – a habitus toward food and wine that we all acquire in childhood, and which today is called “typical”, precisely to protect and defend the gastronomic culture that is characteristic of a given place.

History

People started encasing meat in ancient times (about the 5th century BC) due to the need to preserve meat, when there were no alternative preservation methods to salting and curing. The name salume (Italian term for cured meat products) derives from the Latin etymology salumén, which refers to “a mixture of salted meats”. The meat was only stuffed into casings during the winter, taking advantage of the cold temperatures. Salting and curing made it possible to preserve the meat longer and have a supply throughout the year. A natural casing is a constituent and intrinsic part of cured meat products, which were invented precisely because of the discovery that it was possible to use various parts of the animal’s intestine to encase meat. The development of natural casings and the various production techniques then made it possible to transform this preservation technique into an art that was able to express sublime colours, aromas and flavours. The evolution of the recipes, right up to today, have fully respected this millenary tradition. And therefore, the production methods, different types of natural casings, recipes, spices and aromas have been passed down the generations, making it possible for producers to give cured meat products the shape, colour, aroma and flavour that are characteristic of the terroir of origin.

Formore information www.budellonaturale.it