Capocollo

Another indispensable gem of Tuscan pork butchery, made from a very careful selection of the upper part of the neck of our pigs. The neck is a muscle that works hard, for different reasons, during the pig’s outdoor life, and this is the reason for the softness of its fat and the intense flavour of the meat. The result is an extremely prized cut, expertly brought out by the skill of the norcino (master pork butcher). It has a more or less pronounced and naturally irregular marbling when sliced. This blend of sweet, soft, juicy white fat and deep red, flavourful lean meat guarantees a true explosion of flavour in the mouth. The fat melts as soon as it touches the palate, or when laid on a warm schiacciata (Tuscan flatbread), and floods your mouth with its winding, aromatic spice notes. You will taste a full flavour, fairly savoury and spicy in the lean part and sweet in the fatty part.

It can be enjoyed just as it is, simply sliced on a mixed platter, on a simple field salad or with a couple of cherry tomatoes, laid on warm, crusty bread or schiacciata, or even on a base of melted pecorino and perhaps with our millefiori honey drizzled over it raw. For a bittersweet, slightly spicy pairing, try it with our red onion chutney. In this case the sweetness of the onion contrasts with the savouriness of the capocollo; the crunchy, slightly pungent note of the mustard seeds, like the heat of the chilli, is balanced by the fat of the capocollo, which cleanses your palate and makes you want another bite.

We advise against cooking it because, in that case, its saltiness would be heightened at the expense of its flavour.

For correct storage, the product should be kept with a sheet of cling film covering the cut surface, wrapped in a white, lightly dampened natural cotton cloth, in the fruit drawer of the refrigerator. Once or twice a week the cloth should be removed and dampened again.