Salchichón de Vic

Appearance & taste

The sausage has a more or less regular cylindrical shape and a rough surface; the natural casing adheres firmly to the filling. Because of the coating of mould it is whitish on the outside and takes on brownish-purple tones over time. When cut, cubes of back fat and peppercorns can be seen. Drying and spices give it its characteristic, pleasant aroma and taste.

The diameter and size depend on the casing used. Based on dry matter, the sausage contains at most 48 % fat, at least 38 % protein and at most 3 % sugar; added protein is not allowed. It may also be sold sliced and packed, including outside the area. The pack bears the name in Spanish or Catalan, the PGI logo, the EU symbol and a numbered control label.

Production

Lean pork (ham, shoulder and high-quality lean meat) and back fat are used, together with salt, pepper and sugar. The producer’s starter cultures, nitrite, nitrate and ascorbic acid are also allowed. The meat is prepared, boned and chopped, mixed, kneaded and macerated, then filled into natural casing and dried. All these steps take place in the Plana de Vic.

Sausages of 200 to 300 g dry for at least 30 days, heavier ones for at least 45 days. According to the specification, the typical microflora of the area is responsible for the fermentation and enzymatic breakdown that shape the aroma and taste.

Origin & history

The Plana de Vic is an agricultural plain with many farmsteads (masías) and hamlets at 400 to 600 m altitude. The Guilleries, Montseny, Collsacabra and Lluçanés mountain ranges surround it, so that it is relatively isolated. The climate is Mediterranean continental, but under high pressure the air masses build up: during the resulting temperature inversion, the plain can be up to 20 °C colder than its surroundings. On average there are 225 days of fog a year.

According to the specification, the sausage is mentioned in documents as early as 1456. In the past, farmers made it to preserve high-quality meat. Since the middle of the 19th century, numerous records have attested to its reputation; on 29 May 1867 the newspaper El Porvenir spoke of the “already very well-known sausages from Vic”. According to the specification, King Alfonso XIII also liked to eat it. “Llonganissa” is the original Catalan name, which becomes “Salchichón” in Spanish; both names are used on an equal footing.