Description
The Diepholzer Moorschnucke PDO is meat obtained from sheep of the race Ovis aries, also called peat sheep. This ovine race risks extinction and is typical of the area with grazing lands, which is rich in peat in the Diepholz region.
Production Area
The production area of the Diepholzer Moorschnucke PDO is in the German region of Diepholz, in the federal state of Lower Saxony.
Production Method
The animals graze freely and feed on heather, cotton grass, bent, sweet flag, and various herbs, but also pine, birch and other wooden plants. Through a selective type of breeding, the sheep are left to graze on grounds, in which neither mineral fertilizers nor phytosanitary products have been used. No accelerated and intensive growth is practiced, even if their nutrition is integrated with fodder produced in the farms in the wintertime.
Appearance and Flavour
The Diepholzer Moorschnucke PDO has a brilliant colour verging on red, and a solid meat texture. It contains an external fat percentage that is very low and a good quantity of intramuscular fat. Due to its particular nutrition, the meat is very tender and has a gamy taste.
History
Last century, the Diepholzer Moorschnucke PDO was generally indicated with the name of Heideschnucke, namely sheep with horns, whether or not it was white or grey, had horns or not. In the area of Diepholz-Sulingen, the ground on which the sheep grazed was rich in peat, so, already at the end of last century, they were known in the region as Moorschnucke, namely peat sheep. The name Moorschnucke is mentioned at the beginning of the century in the deaconship of Freistatt, between Sulingen and Diepholz, attesting the presence of numerous flocks already at that time. The farms dedicated to the breeding of the Diepholzer Moorschnucke PDO are only three, in fact in 1974 there were only 40 animals registered. For years, the animals were kept in farms of various sizes, usually in the moors or in the margins of the moor.
Gastronomy
The meat of the Diepholzer Moorschnucke PDO can be preserved in the refrigerator for a few days. It should be consumed cooked, and is excellent cooked in all manners, yet the roasted version best enhances taste and consistency, which makes is particularly tender. The coupling with beer or wine brings forward its full flavour with a slight scent of game.
Marketing
The product is commercialised as Diepholzer Moorschnucke PDO. It is marketed whole, or in pieces, specifically shoulder, back, legs, as sausage to roast or salami. It is available fresh, if purchased in the butchery, or vacuum-packed.
Distinctive Features
The natural reserve of Diepholz, which covers the humid areas of the Diepholz and Nienburg Landkreise, was recognized on an international basis in 1971 in the Ramsar Convention. The natural characteristics of these uncontaminated territories contribute to increase the quality level of the meat of the Diepholzer Moorschnucke PDO.
