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Homemade Culatello
How to make amazing culatello at home using a traditional Italian process.
Prep Time
2 hrs
Total Time
315 d
Servings: 20 servings
Calories: 122 kcal
Course:
Appetizer , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 1000 g pork leg culatello part - see video in the post
- 27.5 g salt 2.75%; medium grain sea or kosher
- 2.5 g Cure #2 0.25%
- 2 g fresh garlic about 1/4 clove; liquefied in a mortar
- 1 g black pepper 0.1%
Instructions
- Debone and trim the ham into a uniform shape as shown in the instruction video in the post above.
- Weigh the meat in grams. Calculate how much of each ingredient you will need. If the meat weighs 1,650 grams, you will need 27.5 x 1.65 = 45.4 grams of salt, etc.
- Tie the meat with butchers twine as shown in the picture to give it a nice, rounded shape.
- Rub the meat with the liquefied garlic. Mix the salt, Cure #2, and black pepper together and apply evenly to the meat. Vacuum seal. Alternatively, you can place the meat and all the extra salt and pepper in a Ziploc bag and expel as much air as possible.
- Refrigerate for 14 days flipping the bag daily or so and givng it a quick massage.
- After 2 weeks in the fridge, remove the meat from the bag, scrape the surface with the dull side of a knife.
- Insert the meat into a pig bladder or a similar large natural casing (e.g. salted veil), prickle small holes all over with a sterilized needle, and truss with butchers twine.
- Weigh the meat and write it down on a tag. Add the date and attach the tag to the meat.
- Hang and dry in the curing chamber for about 7 days as per the schedule below in the notes section.
- Mature in the curing chamber at 55F - 57F (13C - 14C) and 78% - 82% rH for 10-14 months.
- When the meat is ready, remove the twine and the casing, don't forget to remove the twin that was under the casing, slice paper-thin and enjoy.
- If the meat is too dry, which most likely it will be, remove the outer twine and wash the meat under cold running water to remove mold, then let it dry. Next, soak it for two to three days in dry white or red wine. Remove the casing and the twine (the one under the casing) from the part you want to consume. Then slice it very thinly and enjoy.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Nutrition calculations are per 50g serving.
Nutrition Information
Calories
122kcal
(6%)
Carbohydrates
1g
(0%)
Protein
11g
(22%)
Fat
8g
(12%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
4g
Cholesterol
31mg
(10%)
Sodium
1175mg
(49%)
Potassium
144mg
(4%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
1IU
(0%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
4mg
(0%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 20servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 122
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 122kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 1175mg | 49% |
| Potassium | 144mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 1IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 4mg | 0% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.