Gotham Gastronomy

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Specks of Knowledge

Speck?
A speck of what? This eccentric ingredient has be known to make a cameo or two on high-end Italian menus (notably accompanying ramps in a delicious pasta dish at A Voce.) However, few people, including waiters, can explain exactly what it is. Hell, my bible, Larousse Gastronomique does not even offer an entry! For that matter, neither does the dictionary at Epicurious or the otherwise overpopulated Wikipedia.
However, the ingredient is well worth knowing!
Speck derives its diminutive moniker from the German word for bacon, but like the old George Carlin routine about driving on the parkway and parking on the driveway, the term is misleading. Bacon and speck are of the same cured pork family. (Also of note from the boot are the less flavorful prosciutto and more "bacon-like" pancetta.) However, speck is far leaner than bacon and prepared entirely differently. Further, unlike bacon, speck is made from hogs' legs.
Speck is brined in garlic, black pepper, juniper berries, saltpeter, laurel, and bay leaves. After the initial treatment, the rectangular blocks of boneless pork are allowed to rest for a month. Subsequently, they are moved to a smoke house where the swine is treated a cold smoking of some mix of beechwood, laurel, juniper, and maple. The final stage of the process is several months of air drying, or dry-aging.
Alto Adige is to speck what the Cote d'Or is to Burgundy, and in fact, the government protects the distinction with a PGI designation for the meat. Here, the curing is still performed in small batches and primarily by farmers, not large companies. Hence, the speck season peaks in autumn as the slaughter is generally in February.
The end color resembles a medium rare steak that it is a bit more rare than medium, and the taste is logically) a combination of smoke, salt, and just a bit of fatty goodness. The meat can be eaten in slices a la prosciutto or diced. The product is also extremely versatile; it can be eaten unto itself or mixed into a dish. In the latter case, it pairs well with shellfish, pasta, risotto, or even a pizza.

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