Cave at Newmarket: Cured Meats

Fra Mani

Founded by Paul Bertolli, (former Chez Panisse chef and author of “Cooking by Hand”), Fra Mani makes some incredible salamis. Besides having a great texture and mouthfeel, these salamis have long, lingering finishes–some of the best we’ve ever tasted.  We also carry his mortadella studded with jowl fat, which comes in a reasonable six pound half-log.   We also carry his pancetta, which has a slightly softer texture than most, and is excellent for grinding into sausages, ragus and bolognese.

  • Salametto: under 1 # each, coarse ground, garlic scented
  • Nostrano: 2 # avg seasoned with sea salt, black pepper, garlic and white wine
  • Sopressata: large diameter, coarse chop, 10 # avg scented with clove and lightly salted
  • Toscano: deep burgundy color, with salt slightly more pronounced. About 22 inches long, 5-1/2 pound avg

La Quercia

Founded by Herb and Kathy Eckhouse, La Quercia produces some of the most highly regarded prosciutto in the world from Duroc, Tamworth and Berkshire pigs. Since their inception, they’ve insisted on humane and healthy practices. They use no pork from pigs fed nontherapeutic antibiotics or raised in confinement pens in huge metal barns. They require that growers provide pigs space to congregate, a place to sleep in deep bedding and access to the outdoors.

  • Prosciutto Americano, their signature item, made from Berkshire pork, and was the first breed-specific dry-cured ham in the USA.
  • Speck Americano: is like prosciutto, that is additionally very lightly smoked with apple wood after curing, to add flavor and sweetness to the meat.
  • Coppa: a deep, rich blend of Spanish pimento and organic cocoa. Naturally dry cured, so there are no nitrites, nitrates, vegetable substitutes or cultures.
  • Pancetta: this rolled pancetta has freshly ground spices of bay leaf, juniper and pepper throughout the meat, from pigs selected by farmer-owned Heritage Acres.
  • Prosciutto Picante: blend of hot pepper and fennel seed, with a bit of a freshly ground herbs, hand rubbed.
  • Guanciale: cured, organic, trimmed pork jowls
  • Iberico de Bellota Lardo: like those old episodes of Superheros, when Batman would team up with Wonder Woman to fight crime, La Quercia has called on their friends from Fermin to provide them with backfat from the true Iberico de Bellota (the black-hoofed pigs that feed on acorns in the Spanish dehesa) to make some really decedent, really thick lardo.

Niman Ranch

Niman Ranch has been a leader in sustainably raised meats since their inception in 1969 (Read their pig protocols for farmers.)  From their website:

“Niman Ranch has worked to develop the gold standard for humane animal care and environmental agriculture practices.  We work closely with Dr. Temple Grandin to guarantee all our protocols meet the strictest standards within the industry.  Our protocols ensure that whether our livestock are raised by farmers and ranchers in the Pacific Northwest, or the Midwest, their raising practices consistently deliver the highest quality.”

  • Boneless Ham: 11 # avg, fully cooked. This is a wet cure “city” style ham, and this is what you’ll be getting when you say “deli ham” into the phone at night.
  • Slab Bacon Smoked: avg weight 8 to 11 lbs, half-slabs.
  • Royal Ham: dry-cured for two weeks, then applewood-smoked for seven hours, this dry country-style ham is made from a single leg muscle, and averages 4 to 5 lbs. Different then the boneless ham, but also makes an excellent sandwich…or hash…or thick-cut ham steak…or braised and put on a crostini on top of yellow split pea soup.

Fermin

Only legally allowed into the US via Fermin since 2008, this family makes and exports the well-known Jamon Iberico.  We carry two levels of product: Jamon Iberico, and Jamon Iberico de Bellota.  These both come from the black-hoofed (pata negra) breed of pig, and the difference is in the feed: the Bellota are on an acorn-only diet–and almost twice the price of their grain-and-acorn fed brethren.  If you’re looking for a gateway Fermin product, and aren’t ready to buy a whole bone-in or boneless Iberico ham, you might want to consider their excellent lomo.  It’s the cured Serrano loin, with an average weight of a 1.8 lbs.

  • Iberico Ham, Bone-In: avg 16#
  • Iberico Ham, Boneless: avg 10#
  • Iberico Bellota Ham, Bone-in: avg 15#
  • Iberico Bellota Ham, Boneless: 9#
  • Lomo Serrano: avg 18#

Olympic Provisions

Olympic Provisions’ salamis are the newest edition to our charcuterie program.  From their website:

“Salumist Elias Cairo grew up first generation Greek-American, with a father who made charcuterie at home. For five years in Switzerland under master chef Annegret Schlumpf, Cairo completed a chef apprenticeship developing his skills and passion for making charcuterie utilizing the finest ingredients.”

We were especially impressed with the Greek-style Loukanika salami.  All of their salami is naturally aged, hand cut, antibiotic-free pork from Carlton Farms- seasoned with sea salt, natural spices, and wrapped with all natural casings.  Really cool Eater article that will either inspire you to run off and open a sausage factory, or weep for the fact that you haven’t.

  • Finocchiona– Italian style, with garlic, black pepper, and fennel seed
  • Sopressata– garlic, clove and spices for heat
  • Chorizo Rioja– traditional chorizo, with sweet pimenton, garlic and oregano
  • Loukanika– a nod to their Greek heritage with cumin, and hints of orange zest.  Staff favorite.
  • Saucisson Sec -classic French style, with garlic and black pepper
  • Each variety is available by the 4.2 oz piece, at a cost of $6.25  per each

Redondo Iglesias:

Jamon Serrano: dry-cured for 18 mos.”Serrano” comes from “Sierra,” as this ham was traditionally made and cured in the mountain air.  Makes sense–cool temperatures allowed a long, slow cure.

Photo by T. Seng via Flickr
By Diego Maldonado