Soppressata di Calabria

Among the typical products of southern Italy, soppressata stands out as a type of Calabrian cured sausage, made from a mixture of coarsely ground finest pork cuts: ham, shoulder, and tenderloin, along with fat from the front loin.

The meat is seasoned with salt, black pepper, and strong or mild peperoncino. Stuffed into a natural casing and hand-tied with twine, it is left to mature for a minimum of 45 days in a cool, humid place to develop the rounded, savory taste that comes from slow ripening.

Sometimes it's cured close to a brazier where orange peels are burnt, which gives this sausage quite a distinctive aroma. Bright red in color and rather spicy, it is about 15cm long and slightly flattened, with a diameter of about 6cm.

The sausage is traditionally produced in the province of Cosenza, including the towns of Acre and Serra San Bruno. An excellent choice for any charcuterie assortment, soppressata is most often served as an antipasto accompanied by cheese and sourdough bread.