Speck

Description

An Italian meat platter doesn’t become complete unless you put speck in it. Speck is made of pork legs, dry-cured and smoked, and delightfully flavoured. This cured ham is a traditional dish from South Tyrol that forms an integral part of the charcuterie board. Speck is available in blocks and as slices.

Pre-sliced speck is easier to use. The best pork legs are dry-rubbed with spices like salt, pepper, bay leaves, and juniper berries. After getting marinated for three weeks, the pork legs are smoked over low resin wood to imbibe a distinct flavour that makes it a renowned dish.

Origin

Speck is a signature dish from Alto Adige, the northern-most province of Italy. This area is also known as South Tyrol. It is famous for its cured meat dishes. The name has been derived from the German word ‘Spec’. Historians believe that Italians have been making speck as early as 1200.

However, it was first mentioned in the documents of the 18^th century. The farmers prepared speck during Christmas to get meat for the entire year. Till today, the families use the age-old recipe of curing meat so that speck from Tyrol retains its traditional savour.

How to use

Speck is browner and denser. It is marbled with bits of fat. The mild flavour and smoky aroma of specks remind people of mountains and crisp air. Pres-sliced speck is convenient to use. Take out the slices and serve them to enjoy their flavour. You can use the slices as an antipasto.

The sliced specks can be served on a meat board, along with cheese and wine. You can make sandwiches in a jiffy with the sliced speck. You can also add cooked slices to pasta or pizza. When crumbled, the speck slices add the rendered fat to the dishes and make them thicker and creamier.