Step 1: Highest Quality
Great taste starts with selecting the best ingredients. That’s why we rigorously inspect every cut of meat upon receipt to ensure it meets our high-quality standards. As soon as a ham passes our inspection, it is stamped with the exact production date. This allows us to seamlessly trace every single step in the plant and guarantee absolute safety.
Step 2: Seasoning by Hand
The hams are cured for up to three weeks in cool rooms using a custom spice blend. The secret lies in our unique spice blend of 21 select herbs—including wild thyme—that reflect the character of our homeland. Each individual ham is rubbed by hand with this fine blend of spices.
Step 3: Light smoking over beech wood
After a brief drying period comes the finishing stage: For ten days, the hams are exposed to the cold smoke of beech wood. We make sure that the temperature does not rise above 20 degrees Celsius. This is the only way to achieve the typical, pleasantly mild smoky flavor.
Step 4: Tires in the purest mountain air
Now nature takes over: In so-called curing chambers, the hams cure for about 20 weeks in the crisp mountain air of South Tyrol. During this time, they also develop their characteristic layer of noble mold—which we affectionately call “the flower of the speck.” This layer is what gives the ham its unique flavor. After the aging process, we carefully wash off this layer and let the ham air-dry for another three to four days.
Step 5: Strict Monitoring and Certification
Our Original Merafino South Tyrolean Speck PGI bears the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) seal. To ensure this designation, we inspect every ham in accordance with the consortium’s strict guidelines. These include the exact salt content in the final product and the perfect smoking time.
Step 6: Perfectly cut and packaged
In the final step, we prepare the ham for your enjoyment. Right here at our facility in Naturns, we slice and package our specialty products for the deli counter or the self-service aisle. This ensures that the delicate flavor remains perfectly preserved until the ham arrives fresh on your plate.
The “Flower of Speck,” also known as “Fleur Blanche,” is even incorporated into Merano Speck’s registered word and design trademark: It has six petals, which means that our Merafino South Tyrolean Speck PGI has been aged for six months. Accordingly, the flower on the labels of products in our range that have been aged for a shorter period is adjusted to reflect their actual aging time.