Fiocco di Culatello 1Kg

Main Info:

Origin: Emilia Romagna

Flavour profile: Delicate, Lean

Size: 1Kg average

Description:  Fiocco, also known as Fiocchetto or Fiocco di Culatello, is the smallest and most muscular part of the pig's leg/ham. Fiocco is the little brother of the more famous Culatello, traditionally made from pigs born and raised in Central-Northern Italy.

Once the leg has been deboned and the Culatello part removed, what remains is the fiocco. Fiocco muscle is then trimmed to give it its characteristic rounded shape,  it's tied and salt-cured for 14 days, followed by stuffing it into a pig bladder and tying it with natural twine. I used a beef bung instead as it's more readily available.

After the curing, fiocco typically undergoes a week of drying, during which the meat releases a lot of water. After that, Fiocco is ready for maturing. Compared to Culatello, Fiocco is leaner salumi, which requires a shorter maturation time. While Culatello di Zibello requires 10-14 months of maturing time, seven or eight months are sufficient for Fiocco. Maturing can take place in natural conditions, such as in the ancient cellars of the Lower Parma area, or in special environments, like a curing fridge, with controlled temperature and humidity.

Our Recommendation:  Fiocco can be very lean with no fat, it can feel a little dry on the palate. If so, accompany it with a few curls of butter, however we love it paired with some olive oil and a piece of warm focaccia!