Description
The Paia de Lombo de Estremoz e Borba PGI is a sausage made from the meat and fat of the Alentejana PDO breed of pig, seasoned with garlic, ground pepper and salt, rolled up in a skin of lards (serous membranes), tied with red and white pure cotton string net and then smoked.
Production Area
Paia de Lombo 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 whole loin is used for this sausage which is cut into two halves that are mixed with other ingredients to form the so-called Paia (pair). This is left to marinate for two days at a temperature of between 0°C and 5°C and 90% to 95% humidity. The Paia is then rolled up in skin of lards which have been previously treated with water, salt and ground pepper, and then hand knotted into its characteristic string net (with red and white pure cotton string). It is smoked slowly over an holm oak (azinheira) wood fire at a temperature not exceeding 40°C for a period of 22 days. The sausage is then left to cure for 120 days
Appearance and Flavour
Paia de Lombo de Estremoz e Borba PGI is between 20 cm and 45 cm long, cylindrical in shape with a diameter of 6 cm to 10 cm. It has a very dark reddish black colour, smooth with a semi-rigid consistency. The interior is a fine texture of marbled red and white with a white strip of intramuscular fat. It has a smoky, garlic aroma and has a very finely balanced taste between sweet and spicy.
History
The sausages made from Estremoz and Borba have unique characteristics dependent not only on the climate of the area but also on the skills of the local people and the traditions that are still kept alive today. For a long time Paia de Lombo de Estremoz e Borba PGI and the other sausages made in this area were the local population's principal source of nourishment.
Gastronomy
Paia de Lombo de Estremoz e Borba PGI must be kept in a cool dry place to conserve its characteristic qualities. Paia is particularly appreciated eaten just as it is as a main dish or it can be eaten as a starter or with an aperitif.
Marketing
This sausage is sold as Paia de Lombo 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
In the Alentejo area it was the pig and its products such as the Paia de Lombo de Estremoz e Borba PGI that guaranteed sustenance for the local population for the whole year. An old local proverb says Pão, carne e vinho fazem andar o camino (bread, meat and wine keep the fires burning).
