''Strolghino'' () is a ''

salume (: , ) are Italian meat products typical of an antipasto, predominantly made from pork and cured. They also include bresaola, which is made from beef, and some cooked products, such as mortadella. The word , 'salted meat', derives from ...

'' prepared from

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...

. It is thin, with an average weight of 300 grams, and may be prepared from the "lean leg meat" of the

domestic pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...

. Leftover cuts of meat from the preparation of '' culatello'' are typically used. It may be prepared from parts of the pig that are not used in ham. ''Strolghino'' may only be available for only a few months in some areas. It may have a relatively short curing time of 15–20 days, which results in a very tender product resembling "fresh, raw sausage meat". The word derives from the word ''strolga'', which in the

Emilian dialect Emilian (Reggiano, Parmigiano dialect, Parmesan and Modenese: ; Bolognese dialect, Bolognese: ; Piacentino: ; ) is a Gallo-Italic languages, Gallo-Italic Standard language, unstandardised language spoken in the historical region of Emilia (re ...

means 'witch' or 'soothsayer'/'fortune-teller', as it was believed that they could be used as an early predictor of the quality of the ''culatello''—which requires a much longer curing time—from which the meat used to make the ''strolghino'' was trimmed. In the Italian cities of

Cremona Cremona ( , , ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po (river), Po river in the middle of the Po Valley. It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local city a ...

and

Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...

, it may be referred to as "''salame strolghino''", and its preparation in these areas may include curing for three months. Up to around 2010, its availability in Italy was rather rare, but since then its availability has somewhat increased. As of 2012, ''strolghino'' was not protected or regulated in Italy, e.g. with a '' denominazione di origine protetta'' (DOP) or protected geographical indication. ''Strolghino'' may be paired with champagne or wine.

Authenticity

Authentic ''strolghino'' has been described as only being prepared in the lowlands of Parma, by producers of '' culatello''. These preparations do not contain food preservatives, and have a shelf life of less than two months. It has also been described as having an average shelf life of 40 days. In this region, the production of ''culatello'' and ''strolghino'' runs concurrently, since ''strolghino'' is prepared from leftover cuts of ''culatello''.

Counterfeits

Some products labeled as ''strolghino'' may be counterfeits, actually being a different type of salami or modified salami. Those labeled as ''strolghino'' that have a hard texture or spicy/salty flavor are not authentic.

Authenticity

Counterfeits

See also

References

Further reading