Category: Cured meats

Fratelli Beretta has been producing quality Italian cured meats for over 200 years, using recipes that have been refined and perfected across generations. These products rely on a core set of ingredients, primarily high-quality pork, salt, and select spices, to create their signature flavors.

According to food safety experts, eating some types of salt-cured ham uncooked is completely safe and traditional, but only if the meat has been dry-cured and aged for a specific period. Understanding the curing method is the key to knowing if you can eat uncooked salt cured ham without cooking it first.

Based on several brands, a single slice of German salami, typically weighing around 12 grams, contains approximately 35 to 40 calories. This cured meat is a delicious but calorie-dense food, and understanding its nutritional profile is key for a balanced diet.

Milano salami, a beloved Italian charcuterie, has a history dating back to the 19th century in the Lombardy region. Unlike many rustic salamis, its signature smooth, consistent texture comes from a finely ground blend of high-quality meats and spices.

According to the USDA, pancetta contains significantly less sodium per 100g than some American-style bacon, though its distinctive curing process still gives it a concentrated and savory taste. Understanding precisely how salty is pancetta involves looking at the curing methods and how they impact the final flavor profile.

While both pancetta and bacon originate from the same cut of pork, their production processes diverge significantly after the initial curing. It is this fundamental difference—whether the pork is smoked or left unsmoked—that gives each product its unique flavor, texture, and culinary role. The choice between the Italian classic and its American counterpart depends entirely on the intended flavor profile of the dish.

Despite widespread assumptions, most commercially produced pancetta is cured using salt mixes that contain either added sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, or naturally occurring nitrates from vegetables like celery. This article clarifies the ingredients and processes behind one of Italy's most beloved cured meats.

A single slice of Milano salami can have a surprisingly wide range of calories, from as few as 15 kcal for a thin cut to around 45 kcal for a thicker slice, a difference largely influenced by manufacturer and portion size. This variation makes it crucial to understand the factors at play when tracking your intake.

While salt is the oldest and most fundamental preservative, traditional curing methods for Iberico ham often incorporate other additives to guarantee safety and enhance flavor. Understanding what are the preservatives in Iberico ham reveals a blend of ancient techniques and modern regulations designed to protect consumers and perfect the product.

While some mass-produced cured meats rely heavily on artificial preservatives, some of the finest traditional Iberian hams, also known as *jamón ibérico*, are cured naturally with only high-quality sea salt. This raises a critical question for consumers: does Iberian ham have nitrates? The answer is nuanced, depending on the producer and the ham's quality level.