Description
Chouriço Grosso de Estremoz e Borba PGI is a sausage made from the meat and fat of the Alentejo breed of pig, seasoned with garlic, ground pepper and salt. It varies from the Chouriço de Carne de Estremoz e Borba PGI sausage only in size.
Production Area
Chouriço Grosso de Estremoz e Borba PGI is made in the municipal areas of Borba, Estremoz, Vila Viçosa and Alandroal, in the évora district.
Production Method
The pork meat and fat are chopped into pieces of less than 4 cm and mixed with a seasoning of dried garlic, ground pepper, water and salt. The resulting mixture is left to marinate for two days at a temperature between 0°C and 5°C at 90-95% humidity. The casing (pork large intestine, washed in water, salt and vinegar) is then stuffed with the meat mixture and tied with red and white pure cotton string. The sausages are smoked slowly over a holm oak (azinheira) wood fire, at a temperature of between 30 and 40°C for at least 15 days.
Appearance and Flavour
Chouriço Grosso de Estremoz e Borba PGI is in a cylindrical shape knotted at the ends with red and white pure cotton string. It is about 25 cm long, has a diameter of about 8 cm, is dark red in colour and has a smooth texture, with the meat and fat evenly distributed. It has a smoked, garlic taste finely balanced between sweet and salty.
History
The history of the Chouriço Grosso de Estremoz e Borba PGI is closely linked to the making of the Estremoz e Borba sausage, which has unique characteristics owed to the nature of the local climate and the skill and traditions of the local people. Pig breeding has always been an important secondary source of food in this area to compensate for the years when there has been a poor harvest. Food that was originally made to fill periods of scarcity has now become celebrated for its excellence. Over the years more technological processes have been introduced but the care taken is always just as meticulous.
Gastronomy
Chouriço Grosso de Estremoz e Borba PGI is preserved in the same way as most sausages, in a cool and dry place. It is normally eaten raw and can be eaten as a starter, as an aperitif or as a snack.
Marketing
This sausage is sold as Chouriço Grosso de Estremoz e Borba PGI. It is vacuum packaged, modified atmosphere and/or controlled atmosphere packaged. It is sold whole or prepacked in pieces or slices.
Distinctive Features
The characteristic flavour of Chouriço Grosso de Estremoz e Borba PGI is owed almost entirely to the oak tree which thrives in this area. The acorns are fed to the Alentejana breed of pigs and its wood is used for smoking the sausages.
