Ciauscolo (; sometimes also spelled ciavuscolo or ciabuscolo) is a variety of Italian cuisine Salumi, typical of the Marche region[ The Sagra del Ciauscolo in Moresco] (especially in the province of Macerata), although it is also widely used in nearby Umbria (especially in the territory of Foligno and part of northern Valnerina).
Etymology
The word
ciauscolo is related to the local
word
ciausculu, although which one derives from the other remains unclear. A possible origin for
ciauscolo is the
Medieval Latin word
cibusculum, meaning 'small food'.
Preparation
Ciauscolo is a smoked and dry-cured sausage, made from pork meat and fat cut from the
Boston butt and
Pork belly. It is spiced with
black pepper and
garlic, and white wine.
The meat is finely ground, mixed with the spices and cure, stuffed into wide
Sausage casing, and left for a 12- to 24-hour drying period. Once the surface has become 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 a brief two weeks. The result is a very soft, moist sausage which can be spread on bread, in a manner similar to some pâtés.
Ciauscolo gained protected geographical indication status in 2009.
A variant in some parts of Marche is called ciauscolo di fegato, mazzafegato or fegatino, in which pork liver is substituted for a certain portion of the fat. This naturally causes the color of the sausage to become darker, and contributes an intense flavor. In this case, orange zest and fennel fronds or flowers are included in the spices.
See also
External links
