Coppa
Coppa, an exquisite delicacy hailing from Italy, is a testament to the art of charcuterie. Made from the finest cuts of pork neck or shoulder, this cured meat is a harmonious blend of rustic tradition and culinary craftsmanship. The process begins with carefully selected, high-quality pork, which is then meticulously trimmed to achieve the perfect balance of meat and fat.
Equipment
- Vacuum Pack equipment If not available, you can use a ZipLock bag
- Vacuum bags or ZipLock Bags This is only used during the brining period
- Gloves
- Natural casing or Collagen Sheets I use collagen sheets because easier to work with and give amazing results when using a high humidity curing chamber
- Butcher's twine
- Elastic Netting
- Sharp knife
- Waterproof labels
- Thin tip permanent marker
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Pork Neck This is also known as the Boston Butt
Spices
- 50 grams Salt
- 10 grams Sugar
- 10 grams Crushed Black Pepper
- 5 grams Fennel seeds
Instructions
- Remove any excessive fat but leave a cap.
- In a small bowl, mix together all the spices and wine
- Rub the spice mix all over the beef eye of round, making sure to coat it evenly.
Brining
- Place the meat of round in a vacuum-sealed bag and seal it tightly. Alternatively, place the meat in a ziplock bag and try to remove as much air as possible.
- Place the meat of round in the refrigerator and let it brine for 7-10 days, turning it over every day to redistribute the curing mix.
- After 7-10 days, remove the meat of round from the refrigerator. You can rinse it thoroughly under cold running water to remove any excess curing mix but I prefer leaving it on for a richer flavor.
Curing
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels and wrap it with a collagen sheet or put in a casing.
- Place the elastic netting around the meat and then add some twine on top.
- Weigh your meat and write down the weight
- Add a label which should have:1) Name of your Charcuterie2) Date you start Curing3) weight of the meat4)Target Weight (starting weight minus 35%)
- Hang the meat in a cool, dry place with good air circulation, ideally at a temperature of around 13-15°C and a humidity of around 75-80%.
- Let the meat hang for at least 12 weeks, until it has lost around 30-40% of its original weight. Do not rely on time to know when it's ready and always weigh your meat and check for a desired loss which in this case is 35%.