PDO CULATELLO OF THE ZIBELLO CONSORTIUM

Within the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) area, 14 producers created the Consortium of the Culatello di Zibello. The Consortium is in charge of monitoring production within the PDO area. The Consortium has adopted a special statute in order to safeguard the quality and specific features of cured pork meats produced according to traditional techniques in natural environments and ancient cellars “… like our ancestors used to do many years ago!”.

Most important features of the Culatello di Zibello (from the Consortium statute):
Pork meats are selected only from local farms. Swine is fed grains and natural feed only. In order to make a Culatello, master butchers use the largest muscle from the rear leg of a pig, thereby sacrificing a leg that might otherwise be turned into Prosciutto. The use of additives and preservatives is banned. Meats are cured in winter only, from October to February; Culatello is aged minimum 12 months. Quality is certified by the Istituto Parma Qualità;
The minimum weight of a 12-month Culatello is 3 kilos.