Spicy Capocollo (Coppa)

Author: Marthinus Strydom
Category: Meat Curing
Serves/Qty: 1.00
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Heidi Strydom

Spicy Capocollo is the cured meat symbol of Calabria. Although it is strongly connected to this territory, it is very well known and appreciated both in the rest of Italy and abroad.

Marthinus Strydom

The Story

Capocollo or coppa is a traditional Italian and Corsican pork cold cut (salume) made from the dry-cured muscle running from the neck to the fourth or fifth rib of the pork shoulder or neck. It is a whole-muscle salume, dry cured, and typically sliced very thin. It is similar to the more widely known cured ham or prosciutto, because they are both pork-derived cold-cuts used in similar dishes. It is not brined as ham typically is.

More about Italy

Italy is one of those countries about which you probably have quite a number of preconceptions before you have put one foot into the country. A country of olive oil and mafia, pasta, wine and sunshine, roman ruins and renaissance palaces, Italy has a lot to offer its visitors. Although some of these images are appealing, it would be a shame if that was the only thing you come away with. Italy is certainly much more complex and interesting than that.

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Ingredients
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100 % coppa (deboned pork neck)
3 % kosher salt
1.50 % sugar
0.25 % black pepper
0.22 % red pepper flakes
0.32 % cayenne pepper
0.32 % chilli powder
0.38 % garlic powder
0.32 % smoked paprika
0.25 % cure #2

Method

  • The cure ingredients should be combined, then applied to the meat. Ensure that all of the cure spices are used in full. There shouldn't be any spices left over.
  • Put the meat in a bag and vacuum-seal it with any leftover spices from the tray (or a zip lock bag and remove as much air as possible).
  • Once the meat has been vacuum sealed, store it in the fridge for 7 to 21 days (depending on the size). Make sure to turn and rub the meat every day.
  • The coppa is ready to be removed from the refrigerator once it has been in there for the required amount of time.
  • With a paper towel, dry the muscle. To give the meat's surface a light coating of moisture, sprinkle it with some wine or water.
  • A Dry Aging Sheet should be placed over the cured coppa in the center. Gently fold each side over the coppa, attempting to squeeze out as much air as you can. Trim any extra material.
  • Try to squeeze out as much air as you can when you wrap your coppa in the dry age sheets, secure it with the net, weigh the muscle, note the weight, and then set it aside to dry in your refrigerator.
  • Make sure there is airflow on all sides and that it is hanging or mounted on a grate.
  • Your dry-cured coppa is done once you've lost 33% to 35% of it's weight. Slice thinly.

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