Making charcuterie is an art that master makers pass down from generation to generation.
Only expert manual skills and the experience acquired over many years makes it possible to achieve charcuterie of the highest order.
Only the ability of a skilled deboner, the expert hand of a salter, the precise technique of a filler and trusser, combined with the obsessive checks of a curer can guarantee the best results.
Still today, the contribution of experts is fundamental, making all the difference between merely industrial production, and hand crafted products.
The main professions involved in the preparation of charcuterie are the following:
- Deboners: experts in removing the bones from the flesh.
- Trimmers: experts in using a knife to separate the lean meat from tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues.
- Salters: experts in hand dosing the correct quantities of salt.
- Spicers: experts in mixing the correct quantities of spices and natural herbs to prepare the seasonings.
- Fillers: experts in correctly filling the natural casings.
- Trussers: experts in hand binding charcuterie to give the finished product its authentic hand-made look.
- Curers: the people who monitor the maturation of the product from raw to cured meat.
- Probers: experts in using a needle probe (horse bone) to check cured ham, coppa, and pancetta.
