Bresaola

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Introduction

Generality

Bresaola is a typical and appreciated Valtellinese cold cut, obtained by salting, drying and maturing a fillet of beef or beef. The etymology of the word is of uncertain origin and could derive from the dialect words "brasa" (brace) or "brisa" (referring to the salting technique).

Description

Bresaola is distinguished from other cured meats by its particular taste, which is not very savory, sweet and delicate at the same time. It has a cylindrical shape and an intense red color, uniform and a little darker at the edges.

The scent is slightly aromatic, never acid; to the touch, the meat must be compact and elastic, absolutely without cracks.

Production

Bresaola production

The unmistakable aroma of this typical product is the result of an ancient preservation method, which makes the most of the typical environmental conditions of the province of Sondrio.

Bresaola is produced starting from the muscular masses of the bovine thigh; the main cuts used are:

Fesa or punta d'Anca (the most prized)
Silverside
magatello
Sottosso.

Let's take a closer look at the various stages of bresaola production:

The meat is dry salted and left to rest in brine for 10-15 days
After this short period we proceed with the cleaning and the subsequent bagging in natural or artificial casing.
It then proceeds with the drying and the consequent seasoning, phases that together last from 4 to 8 weeks.
During the entire process of processing, natural phenomena are established that can make the meat more storable, palatable and digestible.

The entire production takes place in specially air-conditioned rooms, which take advantage of the typical atmosphere of the Valtellina area.

The production of bresaola, which remained limited to the family until the beginning of the twentieth century, is now also destined for foreign markets, such as the Swiss and American ones.

Certification and label of bresaola

For all the reasons described above, bresaola della Valtellina has obtained the IGP certification (protected geographical indication). In addition to the legally required wordings, the label of a bresaola produced in these places must also contain the initials IGP, the name, the company name or registered trademark of the producer and the place of production and packaging.

Kitchen

Gastronomic uses of bresaola

Bresaola can be considered a food to be consumed individually or an ingredient of various recipes.

Bresaola single food

As a single food, it is mainly used as an appetizer or main course. In the latter case, however, it is better contextualized at lunch, when, according to the principles of the Mediterranean diet:

Most calories come from starch from the first course
The portion of the dish is about half of the evening portion (dinner).

This "logic" is based on the "principle of the recommended portion".

According to the LARN (Reference Levels of Nutrients and Energy for the Italian Revision IV population), the appropriate portion of preserved meat (cured meats) corresponds to 50 g (5-6 slices of bresaola).

Since, in itself, 50 g of bresaola are not enough to constitute a "mean evening dish" (better represented by 150 g of fresh fish or meat or 100 g of low-fat cheeses), they are more useful for lunch (like the portion of eggs, seasoned cheese and preserved fish).

Bresaola ingredient

As an ingredient, bresaola is used in many recipes to be used at any meal of the day (breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner).

It can be easily combined with: cheeses, both fresh and seasoned, muffettas and not, aromatic herbs and spices (chives, agline, rosemary, dill, fennel seeds, pepper of all types, etc.), leafy vegetables (rocket, baby goat, radicchio etc.), other vegetables (cherry tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, courgette flowers, etc.), fruits (such as pears, figs, pomegranate and black grapes), cereals and pseudocereals in seeds (excellent pairing with spelled, rye and buckwheat), pasta (even wholemeal), bread and derivatives (above all rustic, mixed and wholegrain; together with aromatic cheeses, it lends itself to accompany black bread), eggs and yolk, legumes (especially peas), vinegar balsamic and wine (both red and white, depending on the specific case) etc.

The most used recipes that involve the use of bresaola are:

Bresaola, rocket and grana cheese or parmesan - appetizer / dish, which becomes a main dish if accompanied by bread
Rolls / bundles of bresaola and soft cheese (goat's cheese, stracchino, gorgonzola etc.) or ricotta, with chives - appetizer / dish
Sandwich / sandwich with bresaola - single dish
Pasta with bresaola sauce sautéed in the pan - first course
Risotto with bresaola - first course
First cold (rice salad / pasta) with raw bresaola - first course etc.

Bresaola preservation

Bresaola sliced by the grocer should be consumed within a couple of days; the packaged or unpacked product should instead be stored in the refrigerator, covering the cut part with transparent film.

Property

Nutritional characteristics of bresaola

CURED MEATS [100 grams]	Calories	Protein	Grassi	Carbohydrates	Sodium
	Kcal	g	g	g	mg
Bresaola	151	32	2.6	0	1597
Baked ham	215	19.8	14.7	0.9	648
Raw ham	268	25.5	18.4	0	2578
Hungarian salami	405	24.2	34.0	0.7	1504

Let's start by remembering once again that bresaola is a preserved raw meat. It belongs to the group of cold cuts and sausages, but it is not subjected to grinding, rolling and seasoning (such as salami or rolled pancetta).

The high sodium content requires that this food, like all meats, be consumed in moderation by those suffering from high blood pressure.

Unlike most cured meats, bresaola has a moderate content of saturated lipids and cholesterol, which contextualizes it easily even in low-calorie, hypolipidic and against hypercholesterolemia (low in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol) diets.

Bresaola is a salami very rich in high biological value proteins (with essential amino acids), which is why it is an ingredient widely used in slimming and sports diets.

Speaking of mineral salts, bresaola is above all rich in iron and brilliantly replaces fresh meat and fish, and egg yolk. In fertile women it promotes the achievement of the highest recommended mineral ration, higher due to the typical tendency to anemia (due to menstrual losses); unfortunately, being raw, it is not recommended in the diet of pregnant women (due to the risk of parasitosis and / or food poisoning), who need this nutrient even more. Potassium and phosphorus levels are also good.

From a vitamin point of view, bresaola has a good concentration of thiamine (vit. B1), niacin (vit. PP) and cobalamin (B12).

Nitrite and preservatives

A problem that bresaola has in common with preserved meat concerns the addition of sodium and / or potassium nitrite. These two substances, added to foods to preserve their characteristics and improve their shelf life, have proven to be carcinogenic when taken at high doses (see also: diet and cancer).

Not all bresaola contains nitrites, in some cases these substances are replaced with the less dangerous nitrates, often added with citric acid and vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Since all the ingredients must necessarily be shown on the bresaola label, the consumer can trace their use by searching for the full text or their abbreviations E249-E250 and E251-E252, which identify nitrites and nitrates respectively.

Respecting the recommended portion for preserved meats of 50 g and a frequency of consumption of about 2 times a week, bresaola is not a problem for health.