mortadella

Mortadella Bologna, The Real Thing

Mortadella is one of the most ancient Italian meats. Mortadella goes back to the forests of central and northern Italy to an area that is still laden with oaks and acorns, perfect for the now lost art of herding pigs in the open. An archaeological museum in Emilia-Romagna even has a Romanic stele showing seven swine being led to pasture along with a mortar and pestle, a testament to the rich history of Mortadella Bologna.

To create Mortadella, these culinary tools were used to mash up and mix the meat after slaughter, and it seems obvious that the term Mortadella was handed down due to this preparation technique. Through its close connection to its territory of origin, Mortadella is often referred to as Mortadella Bologna, in homage to the city where it was originally prepared.

Unlike other Italian meats, Mortadella Bologna IGP is made with select pork that is ground in three separate steps. Then lardelli, or cubes of high quality fat taken from the pig’s neck, are added to bring depth of aroma to the nose and palate. The mix is stuffed into sausage skin, and cooked using special dry-air stoves at no more than 70° C. It is then given a cold shower, and left to rest before it is sent to market. Thus Mortadella is born.