Ventricina is a traditional Italian salami made from pork without preservatives. Ventricina is a large /between one and three kilograms/, round or pear-shaped pork salami with a strong and intense flavor and a bright orange color that comes from grinded paprika.
This is the noblest salami of this type in Abruzzo (a region in Italy with a mountainous relief). It is a staple product in the panorama of Italian salami and cured meats. The fourteenth edition of the national Italian salami competition awards VENTRICINA DEL VASTESE as the best salami of 2020, making it the "pearl" in the crown of Italian salami.
Only the noble parts of the animal's meat such as pork leg, fillet, pork fat are selected for its preparation. Salt, sweet paprika powder are added /the paprika powder is obtained by drying red, small, sweet peppers from the small town of Altino for several days. Then the healthy ones are selected, opened, cleaned and pounded in a mortar/ and chopped red pepper.
Sometimes fennel or black pepper seeds are added to the Ventricina delicacy to give the salami a slightly different taste. The meat is cut into large pieces with the tip of the knife.
The coarsely ground meat and spices are basically stuffed into the pig's intestine, making sure to press it down well to get the air out. Nowadays, for practical reasons, adhesive wraps are also used. It is then dried and aged in a cellar from four months to more than a year depending on the size and choice of pork meat.
In the production of whole seasoned cuts, proteolysis, that is, the degeneration or "breaking down" of unnecessary proteins, takes place, making the meat tender and edible. This is a process characteristic of meats with a long aging period. The salami is usually eaten raw, finely chopped with a knife. It also helps make delicious Italian pizzas.
Ventricina used to be homemade from pigs raised in a home barn. It was a source of quality protein all year round. It was cut on special occasions or given as a token of gratitude. Today it is the best gastronomic "souvenir" for tourists traveling in the Italian region of Abruzzo.
