Speck: South Tyrolean bacon - how it is made Speck: South Tyrolean bacon - how it is made

Speck: South Tyrolean bacon - how it is made

A South Tyrolean “Marende”, afternoon snack without Speck? Impossible. But how is it actually made, the spicy, red and white delicacy that is documented in South Tyrol as early as the 18th century, and what is important in its production? Franz Innerhofer from the Obertimpfler farm in Vöran knows how to make it.

Genuine South Tyrolean farmhouse Speck
For generations, genuine South Tyrolean farmhouse Speck has been made here, at a lofty 1,280 metres above sea level. According to an old family recipe and with the meat of happy pigs from the farm, which romp around in the grass in summer and in the snow in winter. But what actually is Speck? Wikimeat.at describes Speck as "a raw ham speciality from South Tyrol with a characteristic nutty flavour and a deep red-white marbling." The piece of meat which is used is the leg freed from the bone. Further processing is based on two different methods that make South Tyrolean Speck so special and unique. One is the Mediterranean method and the other is the Northern European method.


The Nordic-Mediterranean combination does the trick
In the Mediterranean method, salt and air-drying are used to remove the water from the meat, resulting in an air-dried ham. The Northern European method, on the other hand, uses salt, spices and smoking to achieve the final result. In South Tyrol, a symbiosis of both methods is used. This production method is refined by plenty of fresh mountain air and thus one can confidently claim that South Tyrolean Speck is unique and unmistakable. In addition, each producer has his own recipe that is passed down from generation to generation.

Good Speck takes a while
Now we want to know exactly and have visited Franz Innerhofer at his home farm Obertimpfler in Vöran. "What it takes for good Speck is happy and healthy pigs, a lot of feeling and patience, and the right spices." Of course, Franz Innerhofer does not reveal the exact mixture of spices, but he does mention the most important ingredients such as pepper, garlic and juniper in an aside with a wink. The meat is then cured for three weeks in Himalayan and sea salt and smoked for two months with plenty of air and little smoke. Smoking is also a science in itself. It is important to choose the appropriate types of wood (wood chips, maple, beech or juniper twigs) in the right combination, because they affect the taste of the end product. The temperature must also not exceed a certain threshold (approx. 20°). The Speck then has to mature for about 1 year in the stone cellar, and only then is the delicious Speck ready to be cut for the "Marend".

Skilful cutting
By the way: As with meat, the Speck is cut against the grain, not too thin and not too thick, according to Franz, best by hand. And, of course, "the whites" are also eaten, because, as we know, the taste is in the fat - and the fat of South Tyrolean quality Speck melts pleasantly on the tongue.

Especially delicious: Enjoy it on the spot
South Tyrolean speck tastes best in South Tyrol, and here at us, there are numerous opportunities to taste and try it. Speck can be found on the menu of almost every mountain hut and restaurant, and you can also taste it at the annual "hiesig&guat" event in Vöran. Don't forget the weekly farm tours with Franz at the Obertimpflerhof.

Tourismusverein Hafling-Vöran-Meran 2000 | 10/26/2023
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