Description
The Lombo Branco de Portalegre PGI is a sausage made exclusively from the meat from the top part of the loin of the Alentejana breed of pig, cased in natural pork intestine and tied by hand with pure cotton string.
Production Area
Lombo Branco de Portalegre PGI is made in the Portalegre district.
Production Method
All the fat, nerves and tendons are cut away from the pork loin and diagonal cuts are made over the whole of its surface to release the aromas of the meat. The meat undergoes two processes, the first is that it is rubbed down with water and salt and secondly it is rubbed with garlic and salt, sometimes with wine too, and then left to marinate for a period of between two and seven days at a temperature of no greater than 10°C and 80%-90% humidity. The mixture is then stuffed into the natural intestine skins and tied with pure cotton string. The sausage is dried in natural conditions for a length of time that depends on the season.
Appearance and Flavour
Lombo Branco de Portalegre PGI is 15 cm to 50 cm long and cylindrical in shape with a diameter of 4 cm to 8 cm. It has a pinkish colour and a semi-rigid consistency. The interior has a pink colour with some fat visible.
History
The delicious traditional sausages from the Portalegre area, which in the past were the staple diet of the local population, have become specialities today and are served in the best restaurants all over the country. Already at the end of the 19th century the writer Bento da Maia, in his cookery book, described the excellent sausages of Portalegre and even mentioned the Lombo Branco de Portalegre PGI sausage and the traditional method of making them which is still used today.
Gastronomy
Lombo Branco de Portalegre PGI must be stored at a temperature of between 5°C and 15°C. It is ready to eat and can be eaten with bread as a snack, as a starter or as an aperitif.
Marketing
This sausage is sold as Lombo Branco de Portalegre PGI. It is sold whole or sliced and prepacked in vacuum packaging.
Distinctive Features
The qualities of Lombo Branco de Portalegre PGI do not only depend on the quality of the meat and the careful preparation process but particularly on the geography and climate of the Portalegre district. The temperature, the humidity and the altitude make the area highly suitable for the production of sausages and salsicharia.
