Capocollo di Martina Franca

Appearance & taste

The capocollo is cylindrical, 10 to 15 cm thick and weighs 1.5 to 2.5 kg. It is encased in a natural casing made from the pig’s caecum, called “Muletta”, and is tied with traditional string only at the upper end, the head. When cut it is soft and compact, wine-red, and shows fine cracks in the marbled parts.

Its smell and taste are shaped by the smoky notes of the Macedonian oak (Quercus trojana). Added to this are a hint of acidity and the aroma of the cooked wine “Mire cutte”, which according to the specification provide a lasting sweetness. The slices are tender to chew. The capocollo contains 20 to 40 % protein, 20 to 45 % fat and 25 to 43 % moisture.

Production

The upper neck muscles from the occipital bone to the fifth thoracic vertebra are used. The meat comes from pigs of the Large White Italiana, Landrace Italiana and Duroc Italiana breeds, from crosses for the production of heavy pigs or from autochthonous breeds; not from boars, sows or stress-sensitive animals. The boned pieces weigh 2.5 to 4 kg.

It is seasoned with table salt, black pepper and “Mire cutte”. This solution consists half of wine from the Verdeca and Bianco d’Alessano grape varieties made according to the rules of the PDO “Martina” or “Locorotondo”, and half of cooked must from the same varieties. Dextrose or sucrose, ascorbic acid, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrite and chopped rosemary and juniper berries are also permitted.

Every step is done by hand: the meat is trimmed and salted, seasoned without mechanical mixers, marinated and filled into the caecum without stuffing presses, and the caecum is tied only at the head end. It is then dried, smoked over wood and dry leaves of the Macedonian oak and air-dried. The permeable casing absorbs the smoke and holds it. All steps take place in the production area.

Origin & history

The area covers the municipalities of Martina Franca, Cisternino and Locorotondo. It is hilly and lies above 350 m. According to the specification, the proximity of the Ionian and Adriatic coasts gives it a cool, windy microclimate all year round. The alternation of the mistral from the north and the scirocco from the south ventilates the curing rooms.

In the dialect the capocollo is called “chépecùdde”. It comes from the local tradition of pork butchery, and the way it is made has been passed down for generations. A source on the history of pig farming in Martina Franca cites as the first record a statement of expenses drawn up in Alberobello on 30 May 1797. Since 1968 Capocollo di Martina Franca has appeared in books and guides about Apulia. A description of the cuisine of Martina Franca says that smoking required as much skill and patience as the preparation, and that the final ripening took place in a damp, well-ventilated and dimly lit place.