Description
The Cacholeira Branca de Portalegre PGI is a sausage obtained principally from the fat, the liver and other organs of the Alentejana pig which is a Mediterranean breed and member of the Sus family in the sub group Mediterraneus.
Production Area
Cacholeira Branca de Portalegre PGI is only made in the Portalegre district.
Production Method
The liver, offal and fat are finely chopped and beaten with the back of a large knife until it becomes a smooth pulp, or it is finely minced into 2 mm pieces. Pig's blood is added to the mixture and seasoning such as garlic, cumin, sweet peppers and salt. The resulting mixture is left to marinate for 12 to 24 hours at a temperature of no greater than 10°C and up to 90% humidity. It is then heated for about one hour. Finally the cacholeiras are plunged into cold water for 2 to 5 minutes.
Appearance and Flavour
Cacholeira Branca de Portalegre PGI is in a horse shoe shape, with cylindrical, a maximum length of 50 cm and a diameter of between 3 cm and 5 cm. It has a dark chestnut grey colour and a medium soft consistency. The interior is marbled, uniform and compact and grey/brown in colour. It has a pleasant, sweet taste.
History
Authors have made many references to Cacholeira Branca de Portalegre PGI in the past. Towards the end of the 19th century for example, the writer Bento da Maia, described Portalegre sausages in his cookery book and how they were made, which has remained unchanged today.
Gastronomy
Cacholeira Branca de Portalegre PGI must be stored in a cool place where the temperature remains between 5°C and 10°C. This sausage is normally eaten as a starter or as an accompaniment to the many local dishes of the Alentejo region.
Marketing
This sausage is only sold as Cacholeira Branca de Portalegre PGI. It is sold whole and usually prepacked.
Distinctive Features
The bladder and fat used in the making of Cacholeira Branca de Portalegre PGI sausages come from pure bred Alentejana pigs which are of African origin and the meat owes its particolar flavour to a diet rich in the acorns of the corkoak.
